End of Year Survey 2016
I know, this blag is pathetically dead, but I’ve just spent about an hour reading through old End of Year surveys, so I will continue to do these… until we all die in a massive nuclear war next year. Previously:
1. What did you do in 2016 that you’d never done before?
Buy a house. Deal with lots of shitty builders to decorate said house. Own two cats. Visit Poland. Own three (and four…) bikes simultaneously. Have really awful neighbours. *lol*
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t make NY’s resolutions.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My nan finally died on Xmas Eve, after a long and slow decline. Also a bunch of celebrities I was kinda sad about. Also Freedom. And Hope.
5. What countries/cities did you visit?
Paris x2, Warsaw, Luxembourg. I know, no time for travels with house and cats.
6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
Non-shitty neighbours. Cats who don’t hate each other. 😀
7. What date from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
16th February, when I moved into the money pit rainbow house.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Dealing with all this house shit without going NUTS!
9. What was your biggest failure?
Hm. Not sure! I did okay, I think. 😛 I could say “buy this house”, but that’s more of a regret than a failure.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just the usual running niggles. *lol* But I am running again!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Not this house, that’s for sure! =)) My Minipuss, my new mountain bike, my new Trek bike… also I bought a bunch of great stuff for the house, cuz, like, I have great taste!!! Lots of great art, too.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I think there’ve been a bunch of people in the public eye who’ve stood up for what’s right, and kudos to them. Also Beyoncé is fucking awesome. I’ll try to think of more names. Maureen Johnson! J.K. Rowling! Charles M. Blow! Deray McKesson! The people at NoDAPL! This woman! I know, I should not be so focussed on the US. *sigh*
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Oh my God. Half the fucking world. The entire British political class. All the idiots (yes, fucking idiots!) who voted Out, and who voted for the orange fascist, and who are making the world a darker, crueller place.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Into the money pit.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Hm. I didn’t, really. It was a pretty low key year.
16. What song will always remind you of 2016?
I don’t think there will be a song. Maybe the Lemonade album? Doubt it tho.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you…
i. happier or sadder?
Sadder. The world is a scary place and this time last year I hadn’t realised this yet.
ii. thinner or fatter?
About the same, maybe slightly thinner.
iii. richer or poorer?
Maybe a bit richer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Creative stuff! Travelled, maybe? But I didn’t mind not travelling. Meditate. I am not very diligent with that. Foam rolling. *lol*
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
So for once I won’t say “waste time online” cuz I don’t think I did too much of that. I did spend too much time playing iPhone games tho!
Maybe eat chocolate, but you know what, fuck that, I am happy with my body and chocolate is bloody delicious.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Christmas is over and I spent it running and cycling, playing with my cats, doing some linocutting… was a great day!
21. How will you be spending New Years?
Dunno, probably at home with my cats.
22. Did you fall in love in 2016?
I slowly fell in love with this little thing, tho not as head over heels as with this perfect creature. Oh, oh! Also with MPI Discovery! =))
23. How many one night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
None, have stopped watching TV altogether.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word, but sure. There are many people I feel strong dislike and disdain for. Okay, I fucking hate them. *lol*
26. What was the best book you read?
I rated three books 5/5. Tragically, none of them seem to have left a big impression cuz I’m mostly “huh” now. *lol*
Khaled Hosseini – And The Mountains Echoed
Toni Morrison – Song of Solomon
Eric-Emmanuel Schmidt – L’Enfant de Noé
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Christine and the Queens and Stromae! Also Leonard Cohen. *cough*
28. What did you want and get?
A mountain bike. A second cat. A house?
29. What did you want and not get?
I had wanted to go to NYC in May, but that didn’t happen cuz of house move.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Only saw Fantastic Beasts. Also saw Cursed Child at the theatre and it was awesome!
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 39 and I don’t remember. I think Geoff came to hang out? Did we play Lego?
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
“Shitloads of money.” You know what, for once I’m not gonna say that. More money would have made little difference. Well, maybe if I was obscenely rich the house business would’ve gone down rather differently. But money isn’t everything (tho to be fair, without money I wouldn’t have my PT and physio and counsellor and those do make my life better! *lol*).
Oh, I just noticed I already said “well, actually…” about money last year.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
Fitness gear. Mini skirt in summer and mini skirt with tights in winter. Cat Tshirts.
34. What kept you sane?
Exercise, sunshine, meditation.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Beyoncé by default.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Oh, I just wanna quote this from last year: “And the anti-EU rhetoric, which will end up directly affecting me when the UK leaves the EU. Idiots.” When, not if! So I did predict Brexit! Then why the fuck did I buy a house here? =)) Ah well.
Anyway, easy one for this year: US Election – way ahead of Brexit actually. But that, too.
37. Who did you miss?
My Miaows whenever I wasn’t with them. :]
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Did I meet any new people? Oh! The non-psycho neighbours. They are very nice.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.
Something something resilience and perseverance. Girl power. Humans are garbage.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Revolution für eine bessere Welt.
Wir haben sie uns so einfach vorgestellt.
Wir haben geträumt. Es war ‘ne lange Nacht.
41. Was 2016 a good year for you?
It was a solidly average year. I’ve had better in terms of the shit I’ve had to deal with (house, politics…), but in terms of mental and physical health it was still pretty good, aside from some neighbour-induced anxiety. Well, I am back in therapy, but that wasn’t really caused by a crisis or anything.
42. What were your favourite moments of the year?
Pretty great (late) summer with much time spent on the Downs. The Downs are amazing. Also my cats, man. And Placebo!
43. What was your least favourite moment of the year?
Many house and neighbour related ones. And waking up to Brexit and to orange fascist election results. Ugh.
44. What was your favourite month of 2016?
September or something. Summer. I like summer, and heat.
45. What was your favourite song from 2016?
Something off Lemonade? I am unimaginative. I know, music used to be more important. 🙁 I listen to a lot more again tho!
46. What was your favourite record from 2016?
Lemonade.
47. How many concerts did you see in 2016?
Only two Placebo. They were great tho!!!
48. Did you have a favourite concert in 2016?
Yes, Placebo. :)) Brighton was better cuz 2nd row, but Warsaw was also exciting cuz first time hearing the set list, and it was just pretty cool. Even tho I was seated. =))
49. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2016?
Nope.
50. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2016?
Nope.
51. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
No.
52. What was the worst lie someone told you in 2016?
[insert endless litany of unreliable builder promises.] These people are a fucking nightmare! Oh also my arsehole vendors about pretty much everything about the house. *lol*
53. Did somebody treat you badly in 2016?
If the above counts, sure.
54. Did you treat somebody badly in 2016?
I dunno, did I? 😕 Probably, without intending to.
55. How much money did you spend in 2016?
A whole bunch on the money pit! 😀 And some on new bikes. =))
56. What was your proudest moment of 2016?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm dunno.
57. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2016 and change something, what would it be?
I would not go speak to the psycho neighbours that one evening where I got shouted at. *lol* Okay, I also wouldn’t offer on this nightmare house at all. =))
58. What are your plans for 2017?
Plans for 2016 were:
Right now, there is only one thing, that is finding a place to live, and moving. And hopefully getting a second Miaow.
And of course fix my weak glutes and core and become a stronger runner and do races again.
So, I did all of those! Gynaecologist nurse said I had a strong pelvic floor! 😀 =)) And I’m up to 17km again. Okay, I didn’t race (except a colour fun run), but that’s okay. Next year!
Right, so plans for 2017:
Do races again! I don’t really have anything else planned cuz eeeeeeverything (move home? Stay here? Go to NYC despite the orange fascist?) is so up in the air.
I have “saved up” some catsitting credits (and found a potential housesitting solution!) , so I’m hoping to maybe do some travel around Europe (bike?) to sniff out other living options.
Oh, and I need to get active. Resist. Fight the rise of the Far Right here and elsewhere. Stand up, speak up. Yes. I will!