We saw some serious juxtaposition in '08 -- great hope and hopelessness at once. The nation patted itself on the back for electing Barack Obama and found great joy in the superhuman Michael Phelps. But the hopelessness over the financial meltdown and its consequences makes America seem like a dystopia, sometimes. My daily obsession with the march to November 4 -- "bitter", "real America" and "sniper fire" included -- made the year seem like it was over faster than you can say "You Betcha".

But Britney's back, bitches, at least for now. Which means we can all hope 2009 is our Michael Phelps year.

The 67 Degrees tradition, my year in rewind:

A Big Scoop: Thanks to my relentless sourcework (aka daily begging), the Obama folks made me the only TV reporter in Texas to get a face-to-face one-on-one interview with the man who would become president. Due to security concerns (and perhaps a subtle message about what they thought of me), the interview happened in a bathroom.

Personal Fad: This is an easy one, 67 Degrees readers. Being OUTRAGED, of course!

Random Celebrity Meet and Greets: Brad the Bachelor, Lance Armstrong (without pants), Kate Walsh, Kevin Nealon and let's not forget The Rev. Jesse J@ckson, who then proceeded to ask me back to his hotel.

Great '08 Distractions: Watching Mad Men and then promptly reading Alan Sepinwall's review of the episode as soon as it popped up online... Checking Nate Silver's genius polling site, fivethirtyeight.com... GTalk... the woman who peed all over herself at the Willie concert.

Recurring Theme: Marriage, babies. A lot of people in my orbit seem to be getting married or popping out babies or both. Meanwhile, I still feel like a kid who doesn't know what to be when I grow up. (And as a wedding-related bonus, my man Stiles' longtime live-in ex-girlfriend Lynda got married on reality TV.)

Noteworthy Discoveries: Friday night carbo-loading, Mob Wars, Mad Men on demand, long lost diaries from my youth, Stuff White People Like

Disappointments: The shrinking capitol press corps, my shrinking retirement fund. The Governor's Mansion getting torched by an arsonist. Not getting a photo with Newsweek's Richard Wolffe when I had the chance.

Happy Places: In the fall, going back to both my alma mater and my mom's home island fed my soul. In a twist of great fate, mom's scary tumor was benign, and the whole family had a great time finding humor in the hospital and the situation.

Most OUTRAGE-inducing people of 2008: Mark Penn. "Mainstream Media" bashers. Heidi Montag.

Biggest Victory: Nine dudes, one of them a sports reporter, let me into their Fantasy Football league as the "token chick". As it turns out, my early (and perhaps fated) decision to pick up DeAngelo Williams of the Carolina Panthers launched me into the Fantasy Superbowl.

Previously in this series...
2007: Rewind
2006: The Best of Times, The Weirdest of Times
2005: A Jack Look Back
2004: More Year in Review