Meme of the Year 2015
Dec. 23rd, 2015 09:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
freya1. What did you do in 2015 that you'd never done before?
I passed my driving test! I drove a car on my own! I owned a car! I was in a fairly serious car crash! I could also legitimately refer to myself as a doctor. I went to Buckingham Palace. I knitted a jumper.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any last year, and the coming year has so many changes coming, that really challenging myself further is just going to be upsetting.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? 4. Did anyone close to you die?
Still no! Get going, people! Have babies! (Please don't die!)
5. What countries did you visit?
Definitely went to Scotland, went to Oxford, but didn't manage to leave the country. We're really the worst at travelling! Rob does it so much for work, and I was so tizzled by my thesis corrections this year, that we didn't manage anything.
6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
A sense of routine. I'm starting a new job in early January, moving to a new place, doing a weekly commute. I am excited, but also nervous. I started a job in September, which was also stressful. I did interviews all year, which meant I was in a constant state of limbo. I just want stability and routine.
7. What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
20th October. I crashed my car. It was a fairly major crash. Nobody was seriously hurt, but the car died a death and it was because I was stupid. It was a v. cheap car so it was written off. :(
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I finished my thesis corrections. Thesis corrections are the very worst of all things, because after your viva, you just want to be DONE, and having to go back to it again is really hard. I was super happy that I passed my driving test too! That was 12 yrs in the making!
9. What was your biggest failure?
I actually had a lot of time this year, and I really didn't make the best of it. That the answer to "What did you do for those 9mths you were unemployed?" is really unsatisfactory. (Fuck all, is the answer.)
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Oh boy did the brain weasels do their stompy dances this year. I added anxiety to my already rather rampant depression. I also had a tummy bug and it was the worst.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Uuuuuuuuuuuum, probably my thesis printing. It's so shiny and pretty. The big blue book what I wrote is really nice to see. I have also been po as fuck, so I didn't buy much. Although all yarn which has been bought was clearly a good idea.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Guys, guys, Rob. He is the best of all the things. He's been nothing but supportive of me this year as I looked for work and struggled with my crazyness. He's so fantastic, you don't understand.
His parents have actually been super helpful and great this year, too.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Clearly mine! Although recanting anything that I found traumatic or depressing would not be the most fun ever.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Socialising, really. Going places, seeing people, doing things! It was all fun. Definitely good things!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Being FUCKING DONE with my thesis. FOREVER. Going to Harry Potter Studios. Bren and Pip's wedding. HANNIBAL SEASON 3. OMG HANNIBAAAAAAAAL!
16. What song will always remind you of 2015?
I honestly don't know if I'm going to be able to place the year for it, but I listened to a lot of Post Modernjukebox, and also a lot of musicals sound tracks. Particularly Chess and Heathers. Heathers is a GREAT musical. A much better musical than a film. I really like all of the songs from it.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
It's hard to say. I think 'more mentally ill' is a given, but whether or not I'm unhappy is harder to say. I'm positive, but not necessarily happy. Partly because life is about to change so much, and I can't help but be anxious about that.
ii. thinner or fatter?
A squidge thinner, partly because working in Medical Records for the NHS had me walking a minimum of 15 km a day and lifting many heavy things, which helped.
iii. richer or poorer?
Much poorer! I didn't even get the NHS job till September, and I haven't started my proper new job yet, so I owe Rob a moderately large amount of money.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Unsure. I was free to do pretty much as I wanted for a large part of the year. I largely wish I'd started taking up more hobbies earlier, and really made more of it. But I have no specific burning desires.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I guess I wish I'd spent less time doing my corrections, or rather, that I'd procrastinated less and finished them sooner. It would have been nice to get on with my life earlier in the year. I didn't feel right doing any of thing else till my corrections were out of the way, but I didn't want them out of the way because I wasn't ready to move on. I should have been ready sooner.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At my parents house. This year was a little less stressful than last year. My dad's heart was twinging at him because my mum and sister were Christmassing too hard at him. After this, they calmed down a bit so that he'd be fine. My Grandma was hospitalised the weekend before Christmas, and though she was allowed to go home again, she was very weak and not very able to deal with us. Plus my parent's fridge freezer died. Basically, everything went wrong, so there was a lot less energy to focus on Christmas, which rather improved matters. My poor Gran is now deaf as a post and refuses to wear her hearing aid, so she was making little to no sense all holiday, as she was pretty much guessing what people were talking about.
21. Did you fall in love in 2015?
Over and over again. Rob is totes the best. (Yuck!)
22. How many one-night stands?
Yeah, I need to change this question. Or at least start lying about it.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Hannibal, tho. How To Get Away With Murder was good, but Hannibal is my heart, my soul, my favourite, the best thing ever.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I honestly do not need that type of negativity in my life.
25. What was the best book you read?
I really enjoyed 'Ender's Game', largely because I went "YES. It's like 'Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality' but less annoying!", and there are probably others. Mostly, this year, my opinion of reading is "Fuck Radcliffe Hall, and fuck 'The Well of Loneliness'.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I discovered 'Heathers' the musical. It's beautiful. Seriously, "Blue" and "Dead Gay Son" make me laugh, "Tiniest Lifeboat" and "Seventeen" are beautiful. "Candy Store" is crazy catchy. It is super good and you'll like it. 'Hamilton' has grown on me, although I am still baffled by Hispanics being not white in America. Why use racism when you can just stick to good old fashioned xenophobia?
27. What did you want and get?
Hannigram to be canon*. Also, I got a job, eventually. A car.
*Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham from Hannibal.
28. What did you want and not get?
To keep that car. It died a smashy smashy death at the hands of my stupidity.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
It was going to be Kingsman, but then I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens and really liked it.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Am 90% sure that for some reason Rob couldn't make it home for my birthday, so Mr Mikey and I went for drinkies at the Good Companions and I got ID'd. It was so satisfying to go "I'm actually 29 today!".
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting a job earlier. I wouldn't have had time to feel quite so useless and hopeless.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
Pyjamas! Jeans and hoodies! Then...what's the scruffiest thing that could pass for office wear.
33. What kept you sane?
Sertraline. Also propanolol. And Rob.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I didn't really fancy anyone. I deeply love Hannigram but the actors don't actually do anything for me. I am strangely attracted to Rhett from Rhett and Link, and I find TyrannosaurusLexxx distressingly pretty. (Youtube is a huge theme!)
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
America, let's you and I make a pact. Let's both try to elect socialists in our next elections. We'll vote for Corbyn, you vote for Sanders, we both have Secret Communist Grandpa as our leaders. It works out great. Also, you sort out your police force. It's scary how many people they murder. (I *like* Corbyn. I don't necessarily agree with him on everything, but he at least has the courage of his convictions. And just because he doesn't play the game like Blair and Cameron play it, doesn't mean he's not playing it well.)
36. Who did you miss?
I've been actually pretty terrible about seeing people this year, but I'm also completely crazy and my fractured mental health has meant that sitting in a ball on my own has not led to me missing many people. I do wish I'd seen people more, but in a more abstract way than a visceral one.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
My colleagues at the NHS job were all very lovely. I really enjoyed working there. Especially Zach and Sam, my fellow bank staff types. I really enjoyed shooting the shit with them, and really wish them both the best for their lives. Particularly Zach, who I really hope gets the confidence to go and explore the world. He's clearly just starting out his life and has a lot of growing to do.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015:
If there is a quick and risky way, and a slow and safe way, take a bit longer and do it properly. It will work out better for you. Stop trying to cut corners.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Time stood still for a while,
Your hand was holding mine,
The stars that shined in your eyes,
Don’t let them go by,
Fly on, you golden girl,
And take on your fears,
I’ll be with you in your dreams,
The world is darker than it seems,
And I’ll be waiting for the light,
That guides us through the worst of nights,
And I’ll be waiting for the sign you’re coming back,
And you have found your path...
Off To Sleep - Coeur De Pirate.
Right. This year has been very in limbo, but next year is set to bring a lot of changes. I'm starting a job as a Senior Technician. I'm moving to the north west (Rob tells me, with some emphasis,) of London, meaning Rob and I will be living apart during the week. I'll have housemates. I'm really nervous, but sort of excited. I hope they pan out, but at least things are moving forward. Eeeeek!
Hope you're all okay and doing well! *Waves to anyone still reading this!*
