To go a bit retro (vintage?), I yoinked this from Sal’s blog. And given that I’m sitting in the back bedroom of my parents’ house, it’s like 2007 all over again…

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Lived in Edinburgh? Ooh! Ooh! I know! I met Sal! We went down for her wedding and she’s actually even lovelier in person, which I wouldn’t believe possible, but there you go.

I also ate something after the cat licked it; something the thought of would have given me the dry boke a mere 2 years ago, but that’s not quite the same kind of thing. And I had two ultrasounds. I’m not sure the ovarian cysts they confirmed are a new experience though.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?


I don’t recall making any resolutions – it’s not really something I do because who sets out to be a worse person and have a crappy year? Setting yourself up to fail (as so many resolutions do) achieves feeling that way quite well though, I gather. This year, though; be a proper vegan again, level my alts to 85, take more photos (and, indeed, get all that 120 film developed, sort out a scanner that works, scan developed negs, create an online gallery of the better ones. Hopefully, that will take a bit more than two minutes to upload 3 photos of Maggie. Because it’s more than 3 photos, and they not all of Maggie.) Learn to play guitar, with a view to learning L7 songs.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?


Nope.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thankfully. Though I gather it was a bit close for at least one friend, for a while there.

5. What countries did you visit?

Does England count?

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

A notion of my Purpose In Life. The wherewithall to fund my shoe habit. An easily-maintained edgy haircut that doesn’t look like a home-cut bob after 2 weeks (my fault, not the hairdresser, I hasten to point out!)

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

June 10th – meeting Sal (the day before her wedding) December 16th – finding out that the divorce had finally been granted.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?


Making it through? Not going and smacking my ex-husband for being a self-involved twat?

9. What was your biggest failure?

The fund-raising event that I was organising. It never happened because I was crippled with depression when I should’ve been working on that.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

The depression came back, though it doesn’t seem to have been as bad as it could’ve been.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12. Where did most of your money go?

Coffee shops.

13. What did you get really excited about?

The above shoes? Getting a new phone? I spent like, a month, researching what Android phone I wanted. More seriously though; going to Sal’s wedding and spending Christmas with Rich and my family.

14. What song will always remind you of 2011?

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

– happier or sadder? Happier. It’s not a straight line, but the general trend is upward.
– thinner or fatter? Fatter.
– richer or poorer? Poorer, what with being ill and not working.

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?


Writing. The muse up and left and I’m struggling to get back in the habit.

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?


Caring so much about people who have shown they don’t really care that much about me.

18. How did you spend Christmas?

With Rich and immediate family. We ate, played Scrabble, faffed around and generally had a quite nice time. Well, I did.

19. What was your favourite TV program?

Ringer. I can’t wait for it to start up again. It’s so bad it’s good, you know? Except it’s not that bad, really.

20. What were your favourite books of the year?

I got a Kindle earlier this year, which I love. I still haven’t read all the books I’d like to read though. One of Us by Michael Marshall Smith (Only Forward is also wonderful, I read that in 2010) comes to mind. I have read other books, but I can’t recall anything particular.

21. What was your favourite music from this year?


MEN, OK Go and School of Seven Bells, though I was well-versed in OK Go’s music before 2011. The others I came across in the past year.

22. What were your favourite films of the year?

I watch so few films, it’s laughable. I bought Whip It though. It’s not perfect, but it’s quite something for me to actually buy a copy of a movie.

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 32 and I went out and bought Fallout: New Vegas. My brother sent me an HMV giftcard; the game was just out and I had recently spent a weeks’ holiday playing Fallout 3. I still haven’t taken the cellophane off it, or finished Fallout 3. Getting there, though…

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

My online friends living on my street. Finding out my Purpose and doing it.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

If I like something, wear it. Hence the shoes pictured above. Wearing them, I discovered that they make my dodgy knees sore. I’ll persevere.

26. What kept you sane?

Maggie.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.


Be the person I want to be, not what I think someone else wants me to be (especially if that’s not me as I am). There’s someone pretty gosh darned amazing who loves me as I am, who doesn’t want me to be Me 2.0. It’s the best feeling and the joy of it surprises me fairly regularly still.