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Meme of the Year 2025
Here we are again! This year both felt really long and really short. It was both good and bad. I had some wonderful times, I had some very not wonderful times. My brain feels very small and cramped in at the moment, but I am surviving, which is all you can ask for. Meanwhile, I am most active on Instagram, so if you have one, hit me up!
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Meme of the Year 2025
1. What did you do in 2025 that you'd never done before?
I captained a space ship! And, unrelated, I had an MRI. (Nothing was wrong, they just had to check to confirm that. It was weird, both anxiety inducing and relaxing at the same time.)
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I… did not get as much exercise as I wanted. I joined a gym. We joined a gym! Then we got colds and Rob’s work exploded and both our brains with it.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not this year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Fortunately not.
5. What countries did you visit?
France! We went to Nice and it was nice. We were planning to sneak across the border to Monaco, but the trains were too busy. Gorgeous place, lovely holiday.
6. What would you like to have in 2026 that you lacked in 2025?
A new job. An ultrasound guided ileo-inguinal nerve block.
7. What date from 2025 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I’m so so bad at remembering dates. So bad. There are days I’d like to forget, but the days I’d like to remember are the ones I spent with friends and family.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably my Duolingo streak, to be fair. Managing to get one of my projects out of the mud and on a roll- though that was a bit of a team effort.
9. What was your biggest failure?
The job hunt. The longer it goes on, the worse it feels. I’ve got people supporting me, but I haven’t yet seen the job that feels like ‘mine’.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got sciatica and was pretty bad, and that’s alongside the chronic pain due to nerve damage which effects the front of my leg. It meant I was generally in a lot of pain for a good few months. Physio helps, but it kicks off sometimes, and whenever it’s my right ovary’s turn to go, it gets particularly bad.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I think it’s probably the two days at ‘Gulliver’s world’. It was so cheap, as theme parks go, but my niece and nephew had such a wonderful time. It’s a really nice place, it doesn’t nickel and dime you in the same way Merlin parks do, we had lovely weather, and everything was just right for a super timid 6yo and a dinosaur and tractor obsessed 2yo.
I also had fun kidnapping my niece to see Matilda in London. She loves London and I love spending time with her, especially when she’s seeing new things. She was so good at the Science Museum, and I have the best picture of her looking so excited to see the votive offerings for venereal disease.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I had a really good answer for this, but I forgot. Obviously Rob is wonderful, supportive, and superhumanly good at everything. Always celebrate him.
I had some wonderful adventures with Chris- his 50th Birthday was a lovely time. Weaver and his DASH ticket getting. Sarah K for being so strong.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
So, *gestures broadly* there’s that, obviously. One of my friends did have a bad day and was rude to a bunch of people, and that was disappointing.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Goblin entertaining! Presents for small goblins. I like being an aunt.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing niblings. Seeing Hercules with Sarah. Great Escape festival with Rob. It was great.
16. What song will always remind you of 2025?
It’s pretty damning that in a year where there was a new Taylor Swift album that it’s not one of those. I put in a concerted effort to make Barbara the Band my top artist, and she managed to pip them to the post.
It’s either ‘Tolerant Nation’ by Barbara, her it’s ‘Fuck It’ by Punchbag.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Sadder- but it’s largely due to having been in fairly chronic pain for about six months.
ii. thinner or fatter?
About the same.
iii. richer or poorer?
Richer, but not significantly.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Physio, and I really should fix that right now. Exercising- but I only wish I’d done it, I don’t actually want to do it.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Probably playing stupid games.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I had a quiet one with Rob and his family. Lots of food, then opening the ‘silly pressies’ from my aunt.
21. Did you fall in love in 2025?
Rob is the great and most bestest.
22. What was the best thing you made?
I made some mermaid socks during a training course. They’re so soft and comfy. I got 90% of the way through a cobweb yarn shawl, and now I am procrastinating in order to avoid the inevitable game of yarn chicken that is to come.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
I have been very low on TV fixations this year, but ‘Heated Rivalry’ did come in late with a really good run. I have been enjoying ‘JetLag the Game’ immensely, and I am super looking forward to the light and the weather getting to the point where we can play the home game.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yeah, I’m done with this question. I’ve decided, I’m going to change it to something else.
24. What was the best place you went?
This is the new one. Nice was gorgeous, and there was this absolute lunatic who decided that he was going to build a villa that is a recreation of the ancient greek ones which were in the area. It’s pretty cool and it’s the most sensible thing that anyone could possibly do when rich. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Kerylos
25. What was the best book you read?
I actually read many books this year. Not as many as I did in days of yore, but I actually have been making substantial use of the Library’s online app. For most of this year it was going to be ‘The Iron Widow’ by Xiran Jay Zhao, but she was just pipped to the post by ‘Breathless’ by Amy McCulloch. Only on the basis that there is a sequel to ‘Iron Widow’ and I haven’t read it, but there is no sequel to ‘Breathless’ and I want one so badly.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I had such a great time at the Great Escape and saw so many great bands. ‘Son Mieux’ were an awesome experience, ‘Winnetka Bowling League’ were amazing, and Punchbag were electrifying. Of the ones there that I have listened to the most, it’s probably ‘Carol Ades’. Of the ones that I didn’t see there, I have been listening to ‘Horror Disco’ a lot recently.
27. What did you want and get?
A nice sunny holiday.
28. What did you want and not get?
Most of it is health related. I’d really like the neurodivergence clinic to be adequately funded so that ADHD screening doesn’t take years. I’d really like the pain clinic to be adequately funded so the waiting list doesn’t take years.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn’t go to the cinema, and I don’t remember anything moving me. I really enjoyed ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ and do want to see it again.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 39 and I took my niece, my nephew, my sister and my parents to Cadbury World. It was a great time.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My projects not being paused, and actually being able to hit the milestones.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2025?
Wide leg trousers, plain jumpers, plain t-shirts, brown shoes.
33. What kept you sane?
Sane?
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None really.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The UK Supreme Court ruling on trans people and the subsequent shenanigans. I have OPINIONS. You can probably guess them.
36. Who did you miss?
My Mum and Dad. I didn’t see them much, or I saw them when they were being Mimi and Dai rather than Mum and Dad. I hope to see them more next year.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Look, if I met you this year and I tell you that ‘I don’t think I met anyone new this year?’ And you read this and get madly offended, well, firstly, that’s amazing, how did you find this? Secondly, I am so sorry, I just don’t really remember anyone new coming into my life this year.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2025:
I think the best I can come up with is ‘never underestimate the power of being vulnerable with people’. I think it really helps people to bond in a team if you’re honest, open, and admit your faults. I also think that this is terrible to internalise when you’re trying to apply for jobs.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
All around the world
People are ringing their hands,
Why oh why oh why oh why,
Can’t we learn to love each other?
Is what they say,
As if that’s the only way
Maybe it’s not,
Maybe that kinda jumped up sentiment’s part of the mess we got ourselves into
Maybe it’s best to let people get on with it,
Maybe they’ll let you get on too…
Seems to me,
That toleration holds the key,
Yeah it’s the very foundation of a dream situation,
Can’t you see?
It’s such a wonderful thing,
I want to raise your expectations,
I want to say what I’ve been dying to say,
Want to achieve my aspiration,
I want to be part of a tolerant nation
Maybe it’s true,
Maybe just putting up with each other’s a remarkable thing to do,
For me and you
Maybe it’s best to say live and let live each day,
Maybe they’ll say the same thing too…
Seems to me,
That toleration holds the key,
Yeah it’s the very foundation of a dream situation,
Can’t you see?
It’s such a wonderful thing
I want to raise your expectations,
I want to say what I’ve been dying to say,
Want to achieve my aspiration,
I want to be part of a tolerant nation
I wanna go, I wanna see,
I wanna know, I wanna be
I want to raise your expectations,
I want to say what I’ve been dying to say,
Want to achieve my aspiration,
I want to be part of a tolerant nation…
Tolerant Nation- Barbara