End of Year Survey 2013
It’s that time of year again! Previously:
1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
Run 5k. Run 10k. Run a half marathon. Run 25k (lol ok that’s where I am now, more or less). Join a gym. Get a personal trainer. Do a bike trip, even if it was only to Portsmouth. Get a sports therapist. Proper off road mountain biking. See a podiatrist. Sign up for a marathon.
Yes yes there’s also non-fitness-related stuff. :)) Actually have a Mon and a Jimmy (and baby) visiting and staying with me!!! Visit Cindy! (Visit Den Haag. Visit Amsterdam.) See Placebo in the Netherlands. Get a tattoo designed by the tattoo artist. Eat healthily for more than a few weeks in a row. Get and use a juicer. See Bitter Ruin live. Marshal at Pride. Spend two weeks cycling around NYC. 😡 Work as a freelancer (well I started in 2012, but only really took off this year).
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?
Quite a lot of people on FB, but they’re not that close to me.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Marcel Reich-Ranicki. :((
5. What countries/cities did you visit?
NOT NEARLY ENOUGH!!!!!!!!! NYC, Paris x2 (!), Norway x2, Stockholm, Netherlands, Leeds, Portsmouth.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
I would like to start selling stuff I make. I missed Christmas sales again this year and feel a bit silly. This was last year’s and applies again this year. =)) And more travelling, tho it was a conscious choice, really. 2013 was a pretty awesome year and I can’t complain!
Oh, but a Green Card would be nice. 😀 <– also last year’s and also applies again. F’real this time, come on, last chance!!
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Dunno, but I can tell you one from 2012 that hadn’t happened yet when I did the last survey: 22nd December, the first of my C25K runs. 😀
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Definitely the half marathon. :)) Oh and maybe losing around 30kg? Dude. My PT wrote “you’ve come soooo far! A massive well done” in his Xmas wishes. 😀 I’m quite proud. (I mean, not just cuz he wrote that, but also cuz my old creaky body is still capable of all this shit after everything I’ve put it through :)) ).
I’m also pretty happy with how my freelancing has evolved. I could definitely have put more effort / promo in, but it’s a pretty big step that I even started something of the sort, considering how terrified I used to be of self-employment (and convinced of my inevitable failure).
I also stood up to my mum. Tho it was unsuccessful in the end, I’m glad I did it. And I quit smoking. :))
9. What was your biggest failure?
STILL NO FUNCTIONAL ETSY STORE, tho at least there is something there now. =))
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just the usual niggles one cannot avoid when pushing one’s body to do stuff. My hip has been annoying on and off, but generally quite well behaved. My headaches are also not completely gone, but less frequent than they used to be. I’ve stubbed my toes and cut myself quite a few times.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane fare to NYC. :)) NYC tattoo? 😡 😀 My bike. Also tons and tons of pretty dresses. :)) The jury’s still out on the iPad mini.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My own? :)) I’m pretty awesome. =)) Also Edward Snowden.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
My mum’s during our… trying to fix things.
And quite a lot of people’s in the news and stuff.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Fitness stuff, no question. It’s bloody expensive!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
NYC. 😡 😡 😡 And it totally lived up to my expectations this time (and then some).
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Right now, Beyoncé’s Flawless. :)) Oh and Rihanna’s Diamonds cuz I was obsessed with that for a while. Most listened to is Bitter Ruin’s Trust, but I expect I’ll keep listening to that obsessively past 2013 cuz it’s fucking amaaaaaaaaaaaazing. (Same with Beyoncé actually.)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you…
i. happier or sadder?
Happier. I was quite content last year too, but I think I’m even better now. 😀
ii. thinner or fatter?
Maybe a bit thinner. :))
iii. richer or poorer?
Quite a bit poorer I’m afraid. Actually no, I think I’d already used up all those savings in 2012 and was gonna top them back up but then NYC happened and PT and other stuff and so I didn’t. 😀 But you know, we’re all gonna die anyway so might as well spend my money.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travelling, retrospectively, tho I didn’t really miss it cuz I had much fun here. Thank God for an awesome hot summer.
Sewing and creative stuff, for sure. I’m just not very good at being disciplined at that.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wasting time online, definitely. It’s just ridiculous how much of my day disappears into nothingness.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Either cleaning the flat or sewing / crafting, or both. Haven’t decided yet. Also possibly wasting time online, but I’ll try very very hard not to do that. :))
21. How will you be spending New Years?
In Norway, with Mon, Jimmy, (Heidi?), baby and dogs.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Yeah, with Beyoncé! 😡 =)) (Serious answer: no, of course not, don’t be silly.)
23. How many one night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Um… I dunno. I actually watched most episodes of Some Girls, even tho it’s so ridiculously bad. :))
I saw some good documentaries, but nothing stands out. The usual suspects: QI, HIGNFY, NMTB.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No one I can think of right now.
26. What was the best book you read?
Can’t really call it “read”, but the HONY book made me inordinately happy. I really should join GoodReads or sth cuz I do forget books as soon as I finish them. See? Here I have Half of a Yellow Sun (by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who is incidentally featured on Beyoncé’s rather amazing song Flawless) and even leafing through it I can’t tell if I’ve read it or not. 😐
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Bitter Ruin. 😀 😡 THEY ARE AMAZING! All thanks to Amanda Palmer (last year’s greatest musical discovery, hehe). Wow, they’re my most listened to artist this year, even before Placebo.
28. What did you want and get?
A PROPER SUMMER!!!! 😀 😀 😀 An iPad mini retina finally, a fucking amazing NYC trip, a magnetic knife rack. :))
29. What did you want and not get?
Green card. A first row spot for Placebo in London? But it’s okay. My mum to be more empathetic.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I think Gravity is the only cinema film I saw, so that one. Tho I wasn’t that keen on it.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
36. Can’t remember. Oh wait, I have my journal app now. I had a visit from Mandy, went for a 19km run and wrote 7 articles.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Shitloads of money. 😀
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
OMFG SUMMER DRESSES!!!!! =)) (First time that I’m actually answering this question. *lolol*)
34. What kept you sane?
I was not at risk of going insane. I stopped going to therapy! My head is fixed! Mens sana in corpore sano and all that jazz! So, what contributed to my happiness: not working too much, great weather, good music, mental stimulation and lots of exercise. Life is great! 😀
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Freddie Mercury! P!nk and Beyoncé. Brian Molko at concerts.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Snowden NSA revelations, no doubt. And the reactions to it, or mostly lack thereof. Oh also Thatcher’s death and the political mood in this country afterwards.
37. Who did you miss?
Meh, no one. (Not even MJ? Maybe sometimes.)
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I met quite a lot of new people actually. I really like E. from OKCupid.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
Never ever give up. *lol* No, not quite (yet), but I got better at persevering and not giving up at the very first obstacle.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Aw man I quoted Beyoncé last year! Might have to do that again. Will sleep on it first tho. :))
[Still stuck on this a day later. It’d have to be sth inspirational yada yada. Too lazy to find sth now.]
41. Was 2013 a good year for you?
Hells yeah! 😀
42. What were your favourite moments of the year?
NYC and Placebo. Pride was also pretty emotional. But honestly, NYC was sooooooooooooo great.
43. What was your least favourite moment of the year?
Hmmm. Having to leave NYC? 😐 Also had a tax-related crisis that made me kinda scared.
44. What was your favourite month of 2013?
June cuz NYC, no doubt. But the rest of the summer was also fucking awesome.
45. What was your favourite song from 2013?
God, P!nk’s new album was already last year. So I’ll say Bitter Ruin’s Trust (also older but I didn’t know it yet :)) ) and Beyoncé’s… Flawless or Pretty Hurts, undecided. Or Jealous. I also listened to a lot of Rihanna, so I’ll include Diamonds. Oh hell, Placebo’s LLL was released in September! With my new favourite sexy song Exit Wounds! =P~
46. What was your favourite record from 2013?
Guess I’ll have to say Placebo Loud Like Love, tho overall I don’t like it that much.
47. How many concerts did you see in 2013?
Four Placebo, one P!nk, one Amanda Palmer, one Bitter Ruin, and I believe that’s it?
48. Did you have a favourite concert in 2013?
They were all very good, but first place is a tie between Placebo Amsterdam and London. :))
49. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2013?
Nope. 😀
50. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2013?
No.
51. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Dunno. Did I? Probably some small stuff, nothing major.
52. What was the worst lie someone told you in 2013?
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII dunno. I don’t have enough drama in my life anymore it seems.
53. Did you treat somebody badly in 2013?
Yeah. *lol* Not dramatically, horribly, but I could’ve been a better friend.
54. Did somebody treat you badly in 2013?
My mum?
55. How much money did you spend in 2013?
Not THAT much. But still quite a lot. :))
56. What was your proudest moment of 2013?
Half marathon under 2 hours! 😀 (Actually I didn’t feel that proud immediately afterwards. But am now.)
57. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2013 and change something, what would it be?
I wouldn’t leave the queue at the Placebo concert on the tenuous promise that some dude would let us in early. (lmao last year’s was Placebo-related too) I’m pretty sure I could think of more here but Beyoncé’s distracting me. =P~
58. What are your plans for 2014?
Plans for 2013 were:
I have none! Well, I do have some things I know will happen:
– P!nk live in April
– Paris with Cindy?
– Paris with Charlotte at some point
– NYC 6-15 June =P~
But apart from that there is little planned, except I really wanna try and have a handmade business running before Christmas season next year. :))
So Paris with Cindy didn’t happen, Paris with Charlotte did but was rainy & miserable, and NYC ended up being 6-18 June, hehehehehehe.
Handmade business has already been mentioned.
Plans for 2014:
I have none. =)) Well, first I will concentrate on marathon prep until April, then I want to cycle to Paris sometime in May or June, and maybe cycle along the Loire in summer. And I guess I need to either develop my freelancing business more seriously or maybe find some other stable income solution. And I really really really need to be more creative. Really. And after May (when I find out whether or not I’ve won the Green Card *lol*) I will think about whether I want to re-emigrate or not..
The End!!! 😀