(no subject)

[puddingcat]

1.What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
I can't think of anything. Bother.

2.Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Some of them:
- Stay sane ;) - yes
- Get back to the office - yes
- Get back to karate and get at least one more belt (blue). I doubt I'll be able to carry on long after that, since when I'm back in the office I won't get home in time for the classes, but I want to prove I haven't been beaten. No, but I can't make the class times now I'm back at work.
- Try to achieve Neil Gaiman's advice ("I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't to forget make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.") Yes, yes, no, no. Not bad overall.
- Do something exclusively for me, as decadent or luxurious as I like, every month. Yes, if not that regularly.
- Visit the US to see wendy_lady, and hopefully others too :) - No. Poo for not having money.
- Get a merit on the Medical Imaging module as well (hey, it's physics. How hard can it be?) No. Dropping out when I found Mum had cancer kind of stopped that. I was on track through.
- Tidy my spare room. If it kills me. I *will* get a sofa bed in there so people can visit.Hah!

I need more productive ones this year, I think.

3.Did anyone close to you give birth?
No. Though I think Sister is trying.

4.Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank goodness.

5.What countries did you visit?
Um - Scotland. That's it.

6.What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
More money (enough not to worry)
A car that wont cost a couple of hundred a year in repairs.
More space (less clutter).
A hobby I can do *with other people*. All mine are solitary whatnots.

7.What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
12 July - the day I went back to work after 3 1/2 years of chronic depression, self harnm & suicidal impulses.

8.What was your biggest achievement of the year?
See (7) :)

9.What was your biggest failure?
I don't like that I dropped out of the MSc, although it was for a perfectly understandable reason.
I'd like to have saved a bit more, though at times spending money on myself was necessary to convince me that I was worth it.

10.Did you suffer illness or injury?
I started off the year with a seriously broken wrist. No real illnesses other than commuter colds though.

11.What was the best thing you bought?
I can't think of anything. How odd. Some cracking pairs of shoes, certainly, but nothing stands out.

12.Whose behavior merited celebration?
The BBC newsreaders, for their performance of "Bohemian Rhapsody" for Children in Need.

13.Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Gordon Bloody Brown's. And Tony Bliar, of course.

14.Where did most of your money go?
Food & bills & mortgage payments.

15.What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
Both Whitbys, Go Ape, almost test driving a 911.

16.What song will always remind you of 2005?
Nothing, really. I tend to ignore the charts, so I lose track of what comes out when.

17.Compared to this time last year, are you:
i.happier or sadder? Happier. Sane!
ii.thinner or fatter? Fatter, thanks to being unable to exercise for 6 months and now having no energy to do so. Poo.
iii.richer or poorer? Similar (leaving out effects of house prices), though I think I've turned the corner after hitting bottom a few months ago. If I'm not richer this time next year, something will be very wrong.

18.What do you wish you'd done more of?
Music - I wish I'd got round to sorting out singing lessons. Creative stuff. Tidying, though I hate it.

19.What do you wish you'd done less of?
Impulse buying.

20.How will you be spending Christmas?
Depends on Mum's chemo progress. If she's feeling ok, we'll be going to Bath to see Dad's sister & her family of Giants, & with any luck get an upclose look at their neighbour's Ferrari collection... If she's not feeling well, either I'll go to Bath with Dad, or we'll stay at home to look after her.

21.Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Mum & Dad. Weekly "how are you?" stuff plus updates on Gran's dementia take up time.

22.Did you fall in love in 2005?
No. Crushes, yes, but not love.

23. How many one-night stands?
None. Well, I intended to have one, but it carried on a bit :)

24. What was your favorite TV program?
TOP GEAR. Daft question ;)
Also, Doctor Who & Strictly Come Dancing. I rather liked the BBC's updates of Shakespeare, too.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. Still just the CJTC, though with less immediacy & RAGE. I'd still watch her get hit by a bus, but I don't daydream about it any more :)

26. What was the best book you read?
Manda Scott's Boudica trilogy. Holy crap, they're fantastic.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
Discovery: New Model Army. I get them, 10 years after I should have done.
Rediscovery: Queen, after ripping all my CDs to WinAmp :)

28. What did you want and get?
Cars in my ears.

29. What did you want and not get?
A new car. One in particularly 911Carrera, but a new car in general would have been great. Wondering whether *this* gear change is the one where my clutch is going to go isn't reassuring.

30. What were your favorite films of this year?
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Oliver Twist, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid (because it's always my favourite film), Cabaret (because I worship Liza).

31.What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
This. I was 31 - the 3rd Mersenne Prime ;)

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Test driving a Porsche ;)
Finishing my MSc module.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Black.
A mix of business casual, corporate goth, motoring journalist (I like blue jeans & velvet jackets, ok?) and rock chick. But mainly black.

34. What kept you sane?
Remembering what the CBT taught me, and venlefaxine.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most/least?
Most - *mumbles*RichardHammond*mumbles* Look, the question says "fancy", not "like" or "admire" or "respect", ok? James Martin's a close second.
Least - Where do I start? Bruce Forsyth, that's an easy example.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Civil Partnerships Act. It's about time, and a good start :)

37. Whom did you miss?
I'm sure that should be "Who", not "Whom".

38. Who was the best new person you met?
snapesbabe, minspi and dr_wez.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
It's all right to be me.

40. Do you have any lost feelings of others.
Not really "lost", but I had it confirmed that I have no feelings *at all* left for my ex, beyond a middlingly distant friendship.

Comments

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

Ooooooooooh I got a mention!

* poke *

Pervy Hammond-fancier!

[vampwillow]

8.What was your biggest achievement of the year?
See (8) :)

ahuh ... ;-P

[tooth-fairy.livejournal.com]

cars in your ears!!!!!!!!!!

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

1) Get photographs taken of yourself which you're really happy with? :o)

Related to 27: remember the track at the last ARA you asked the DJ about? Just read an article about Amorphis in the last edition of Sonic Seducer, apparently they're are usually rather dark/deathish metal but experiment a lot with different styles and influences. I'll have a look if I can find the recent album when I'm in Nuremberg on the 27th.