7th Annual End of Year Meme
Dec. 24th, 2011 05:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
askygoneonfire1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before? Went on a holiday on my own - previously it had either been with parents or, when I got older, Ali. I had a great time as well - feel I proved something to myself.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year I resolved;
>To put myself out there and get dating again. It's getting to be an embarrassingly long time since I got close to someone and I don't want to let that side of myself atrophy to the extent I have to relearn it if I do ever meet someone. I managed this one. I dated two people, neither went anywhere but unfortunately, I lost interest in putting the effort in around July.
>To make a career decision - be it stick with this job and do the qualification being offered to me on a plate or play a riskier game for short term happiness/contentment. Either way, make the decision. I sort of did this - I applied for a PhD and got accepted but didn't get the funding so committed to doing a professional qualification at work for the next year with the hope I might be luckier next time round on the old PhD funding.
>Pay off the overdraft and save £2000 for the move-to-Brighton fund. Done and done. Although I no longer consider £2000 to be sufficient for a move to Brighton when I don't have a job there but come September?...Maybe.
My resolutions for 2012 are:
> Apply for a PhD and funding at two universities (at least) and, if I fail, make a two year plan regarding where I want to live and how (rental or mortgage). Stick to it.
> Fund-raise £2000 so I can go with the Guides to Uganda in 2013.
> Complete my School Business Management qualification by July and complete my Leadership qualification with Guides by the end of the year.
> Paint at least one painting.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Several people at work, but nobody I care about!
4. Did anyone close to you die? Sadly, yes. Beth, a woman I worked with had her life claimed by breast cancer which metastasized to her liver and bones. I still can't quite believe she went the way she did - so sudden, so unfair.
5. What countries did you visit? Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Hungary and Serbia.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? Certainty - in my actions and decisions.
7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 17th December - the Manics Christmas Party. I got hopelessly drunk, cried uncontrollably and was finally able to meet some of my wonderful 'Manics Family' who I have been talking to on Twitter for more than a year. And it was the last gig before the Manics self imposed 2 year hiatus; torture.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Saving all the money I need to make various options available to me in 2012. Saving enough money to go on holiday for the first time in 3 years.
9. What was your biggest failure? I guess I would have to say having not won funding for the PhD. Had I managed that I'd be home from uni for the Christmas break right now, instead of 'still' here for Christmas
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Seem to have developed migraines and caught ALL THE BUGS which ruined a weekend trip to Brighton. Stomach of Doom persists, basically.
11. What was the best thing you bought? My new car! Although I'm still paying off my parents for it...
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?harleyrose for always being pleased to see me and welcoming, not to mention Manics-fabulous!
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? The government; just chipping away at all that is good in this country.
14. Where did most of your money go? On my holiday and on [travel to and clothing for] the Manics. Couldn't have been better spent.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? THE MANICS! (see a theme here?!)
16. What song will always remind you of 2011? This is the Day - Manic Street Preachers
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? The same
ii. Thinner or fatter? A bit fatter
iii. richer or poorer? Richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Reading and thinking in preparation for a[nother] PhD application. Socialising, I've become something of a hermit.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Throwing up.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? At home as usual. Although for the first time in my life my middle brother won't be here as he phoned today to tell us he has gastroenteritis and will be spending Christmas throwing up. Rubbish.
21. Did you fall in love in 2011? No.
22. How many one-night stands? None. Sadface.
23. What was your favourite TV program? How I Met Your Mother; made me laugh and made me cry.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Nobody springs to mind.
25. What was the best book you read? As you can see by my 2011 reading list, I beat last year's 19 by quite a stretch but November and December is a shameful showing, Hoping to get at least one book finished by the 31st, so we'll see. Next year = more.
Anyway, best read this year is a hard one to call, there have been so many! Barbara Demick's Nothing to Envy was a real eye opener and became particularly relevant this month on the death of Kim Jong Il. The Manics bio I read led to other reads and made me laugh and cry whilst some of my re-reads (the first time I've 'allowed' myself to do a re-read in two years) have been an absolute delight. All in all I'd probably say Craig Thompson's Blankets was my favourite read; it changed how I felt about the graphic genre and really sucked me in.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? New music wise it would probably be The Joy Formidable who supported the Manics in Cardiff in May.
27. What did you want and get? A cat!
28. What did you want and not get? Funding!
29. What was your favourite film of this year? I've seen numerous disappointing films this year and although I could pick my favourite from the new releases I'm inclined to go for
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 27 and although I tried to celebrate my birthday in Brighton that weekend I instead ended up throwing up for 2 days and going home less than 24 hours after I arrived. Disaster.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? 'Given up' vs. 'channelling Richey Edwards circa 1992'
34. What kept you sane? I'm not sure I managed that.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Nicky Wire. And lust for Angelina Jolie was stirred all over again after I saw her in-the-flesh in July in Sarajevo.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? The top-up fees increase.
37. Who did you miss? Becky and Harley. Nicky, James, Sean.
38. Who was the best new person you met? The 'Manics Family' from twitter and I *think* this was the year I metforthwritten in person, so award for 'best new irl person' goes there.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011: Nobody has an answer.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: The future is what we believe in.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year I resolved;
>To put myself out there and get dating again. It's getting to be an embarrassingly long time since I got close to someone and I don't want to let that side of myself atrophy to the extent I have to relearn it if I do ever meet someone. I managed this one. I dated two people, neither went anywhere but unfortunately, I lost interest in putting the effort in around July.
>To make a career decision - be it stick with this job and do the qualification being offered to me on a plate or play a riskier game for short term happiness/contentment. Either way, make the decision. I sort of did this - I applied for a PhD and got accepted but didn't get the funding so committed to doing a professional qualification at work for the next year with the hope I might be luckier next time round on the old PhD funding.
>Pay off the overdraft and save £2000 for the move-to-Brighton fund. Done and done. Although I no longer consider £2000 to be sufficient for a move to Brighton when I don't have a job there but come September?...Maybe.
My resolutions for 2012 are:
> Apply for a PhD and funding at two universities (at least) and, if I fail, make a two year plan regarding where I want to live and how (rental or mortgage). Stick to it.
> Fund-raise £2000 so I can go with the Guides to Uganda in 2013.
> Complete my School Business Management qualification by July and complete my Leadership qualification with Guides by the end of the year.
> Paint at least one painting.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Several people at work, but nobody I care about!
4. Did anyone close to you die? Sadly, yes. Beth, a woman I worked with had her life claimed by breast cancer which metastasized to her liver and bones. I still can't quite believe she went the way she did - so sudden, so unfair.
5. What countries did you visit? Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Hungary and Serbia.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? Certainty - in my actions and decisions.
7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 17th December - the Manics Christmas Party. I got hopelessly drunk, cried uncontrollably and was finally able to meet some of my wonderful 'Manics Family' who I have been talking to on Twitter for more than a year. And it was the last gig before the Manics self imposed 2 year hiatus; torture.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Saving all the money I need to make various options available to me in 2012. Saving enough money to go on holiday for the first time in 3 years.
9. What was your biggest failure? I guess I would have to say having not won funding for the PhD. Had I managed that I'd be home from uni for the Christmas break right now, instead of 'still' here for Christmas
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Seem to have developed migraines and caught ALL THE BUGS which ruined a weekend trip to Brighton. Stomach of Doom persists, basically.
11. What was the best thing you bought? My new car! Although I'm still paying off my parents for it...
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
harleyrose for always being pleased to see me and welcoming, not to mention Manics-fabulous!13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? The government; just chipping away at all that is good in this country.
14. Where did most of your money go? On my holiday and on [travel to and clothing for] the Manics. Couldn't have been better spent.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? THE MANICS! (see a theme here?!)
16. What song will always remind you of 2011? This is the Day - Manic Street Preachers
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? The same
ii. Thinner or fatter? A bit fatter
iii. richer or poorer? Richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Reading and thinking in preparation for a[nother] PhD application. Socialising, I've become something of a hermit.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Throwing up.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? At home as usual. Although for the first time in my life my middle brother won't be here as he phoned today to tell us he has gastroenteritis and will be spending Christmas throwing up. Rubbish.
21. Did you fall in love in 2011? No.
22. How many one-night stands? None. Sadface.
23. What was your favourite TV program? How I Met Your Mother; made me laugh and made me cry.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Nobody springs to mind.
25. What was the best book you read? As you can see by my 2011 reading list, I beat last year's 19 by quite a stretch but November and December is a shameful showing, Hoping to get at least one book finished by the 31st, so we'll see. Next year = more.
Anyway, best read this year is a hard one to call, there have been so many! Barbara Demick's Nothing to Envy was a real eye opener and became particularly relevant this month on the death of Kim Jong Il. The Manics bio I read led to other reads and made me laugh and cry whilst some of my re-reads (the first time I've 'allowed' myself to do a re-read in two years) have been an absolute delight. All in all I'd probably say Craig Thompson's Blankets was my favourite read; it changed how I felt about the graphic genre and really sucked me in.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? New music wise it would probably be The Joy Formidable who supported the Manics in Cardiff in May.
27. What did you want and get? A cat!
28. What did you want and not get? Funding!
29. What was your favourite film of this year? I've seen numerous disappointing films this year and although I could pick my favourite from the new releases I'm inclined to go for
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 27 and although I tried to celebrate my birthday in Brighton that weekend I instead ended up throwing up for 2 days and going home less than 24 hours after I arrived. Disaster.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? 'Given up' vs. 'channelling Richey Edwards circa 1992'
34. What kept you sane? I'm not sure I managed that.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Nicky Wire. And lust for Angelina Jolie was stirred all over again after I saw her in-the-flesh in July in Sarajevo.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? The top-up fees increase.
37. Who did you miss? Becky and Harley. Nicky, James, Sean.
38. Who was the best new person you met? The 'Manics Family' from twitter and I *think* this was the year I met
forthwritten in person, so award for 'best new irl person' goes there.39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011: Nobody has an answer.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: The future is what we believe in.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-12-26 11:52 pm (UTC)I'm sorry 2011 has been such a tough year - I hope 2012 is much better and brings all sorts of lovely and exciting things for you.