End of Year Survey 2017
Hello from Luxembourg! Well. Here we go again. I’d locked myself out of this account, so am a bit paranoid now, but also a bit lazy so I’m just gonna pretend nothing happened. For the same reason I am not going to proof this and just publish.
Previously:
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016
1. What did you do in 2017 that you’d never done before?
Sell a house. Um… I’n sure there’s more? Oh! Move countries with a proper, big, removal company. Move with two cats etc etc. Register as self-employed in Luxembourg. Live in Senningerberg. I’m sure I did stuff this summer I hadn’t done before? I did do a very long 130km bike ride, but I think I’d cycled that far in NYC before. I went on the little mail train in London? Oh! And I finally went to Crossness Pumping Station after planning to for years and it was amazing!!!
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?
No.
5. What countries/cities did you visit?
Paris and Luxembourg. I know, shocking. I didn’t miss travelling at all tho. I had cats and bikes and the South Downs!
6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017?
Non-shitty neighbours. Cats who don’t hate each other. 😀
That was last years and still kinda applies tho has been achieved to some extent. My cats still don’t love each other, but are somewhat improved. My direct neighbours are a gay couple who sound lovely. I’d also like to resolve my health issues (my knee, mostly). Apart from that 2017 was pretty alright!
7. What date from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
12th December, when I moved back to Luxembourg… for now? Maybe. Don’t know what else.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Selling the nightmare house. Just generally not going nuts. I did pretty well, cycling-wise, until I got abscesses. *lmao*
9. What was your biggest failure?
Hm I dunno, some stuff with the sale and with builders I’d wish to have done differently… generally tho I think I did the best I could.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yeah, I got abscesses and my knee got pretty bad and oh, I twisted my ankle in May and that took aaaaaaaages to heal (mostly cuz I never gave it enough time) and then my shoulder cuz I overdid it at the gym and it was all a bit frustrating, injury-wise. I tell myself it was mostly stress-induced and will aaall get better now. Except the knee, I definitely need to get that looked at.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I bought a bunch of art I like: Oneness, Finn Hopson prints, rainbow cats… I got an amazing tattoo… hm yeah. I’m sure there’s more, but I obviously tried not to make major purchases before moving with all my stuff.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The Resistance.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Same as last year: 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. in addition to everyone who has made stupid decisions and voted evil people into power since.
14. Where did most of your money go?
For once, I saved most of it cuz I knew I would have to live on a lot less for a while.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Nothing, really. Well, I was gonna cycle the South Downs Way with Chris, but then that didn’t happen, so… 😐
16. What song will always remind you of 2017?
*consults Last.fm* Wow, my top track was Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance with Somebody!? *lol* It was mostly Stromae tho. And P!nk apparently!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you…
i. happier or sadder?
Mostly the same I think.
ii. thinner or fatter?
Probably a little fatter as haven’t been exercising as much, and eating LOTS OF DELICIOUS CONTINENTAL CHOCOLATE!!
iii. richer or poorer?
Depends how you look at it. In pure money on accounts, richer, but since my regular income has decreased considerably, I am poorer day-to-day.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Meditate, for sure, I’m so bad at it tho I know it would be so good for me. More cycling and running, but it wasn’t possible (so in fact I did more than I should’ve and it was bad for my injuries). And as usual, creative stuff.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Waste time online and, most importantly, played mindless iPhone games (oh look, I said that last year, too!). Worry?
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Christmas Eve I spent with the lovely Joanne from HK and her family, then the evening with myyy family. Christmas Day with my cats catching up on work.
21. How will you be spending New Years?
Dunno, probably at home with my cats.
22. Did you fall in love in 2017?
Nope. I was already in love with my furmonsters.
23. How many one night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Woah, so I had Netflix and Amazon Prime for a while and was/am obsessed with Lucifer and Riverdale and some others.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No, I think the most despicable actors have remained the same, tho some have come and gone I’m sure.
26. What was the best book you read?
I’ve recently stopped logging them cuz my app no longer syncs. I read two “Dalai Lama’s Cat” books about mindfulness (there are three) which I enjoyed. Also The Color Purple, which I really loved. And Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad was great, and Janice Y K Lee’s The Expatriates. Do I have to choose one? The Color Purple then I guess. My review of it is very effusive.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
No one new it seems like, still pretty in love with Stromae, and… yeah.
28. What did you want and get?
Not sure. I didn’t really want anything, strongly anyway. It was mostly by default stuff. It all went according to plan tho.
29. What did you want and not get?
Um. Nothing I guess, since it all went according to plan?
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Dunno, did I even go to the cinema? I feel like I did, once, with Geoff, but what was that for? Oh, Wonder Woman! Was a bit shit, innit.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Geoff came to hang out.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Non-shitty neighbours, for sure. It really was quite an experience to discover how much this level of stress can affect your day to day life.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017?
Same as last year: Fitness gear. Mini skirt in summer and mini skirt with tights in winter. Cat Tshirts.
Will be interesting to see if it changes now I’m in Luxembourg and have to make a statement (or not). *lol*
34. What kept you sane?
Exercise, sunshine, not enough cats. Therapy, at times.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hm. Beyoncé is still pretty hot. Oh, and Stromae. *lol*
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Trump and all the awfulness. Way too much since I am so far away. Brexit and the horrible right wing propaganda in the UK, too.
37. Who did you miss?
Same as last year: My Miaows whenever I wasn’t with them. :]
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Dunno if I met new people. I’m sure I will now!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017.
We must do our best. Even if the so many are arseholes and it makes you angry that they get away with their arseholery, all I can do is be the best I can be.
Still working on this, for sure! I am vindictive and resentful and full of anger. But I try not to be, or less so.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Um. Can’t think of anything now, but imagine something about being one with he universe and marveling at the beauty of it all.
41. Was 2017 a good year for you?
I did okay considering the circumstances, but I’ll say that there’s been a bunch of stuff (health etc) I could’ve done without.
42. What were your favourite moments of the year?
Definitely something involving cycling on the Downs. I’ll miss the Downs! But Luxembourg has much to explore too, and many QOMs to conquer!!!
43. What was your least favourite moment of the year?
I dunno, there were no real shock results this year, were there?
44. What was your favourite month of 2017?
Always summer, always. Not sure which was nicest this year… it wasn’t the best summer. Maybe early summer? June? When Castle Hill was bright, radiant green.
45. What was your favourite song from 2017?
Dunno.
46. What was your favourite record from 2017?
P!nk Beautiful Trauma by default? If it has to be released this year.
47. How many concerts did you see in 2017?
Um… two Placebo and one Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox.
48. Did you have a favourite concert in 2017?
Placebo in Luxembourg, cuz Placebo in London with broken voice was not so great. SBPJ was also amazing, tho!!!
49. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2017?
Nope.
50. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2017?
Nope.
51. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
No.
52. What was the worst lie someone told you in 2017?
That cunt of an electrician and his bullshit.
53. Did somebody treat you badly in 2017?
Some people.
54. Did you treat somebody badly in 2017?
Probably.
55. How much money did you spend in 2017?
Not that much. I mean, I guess the move etc cost. And the sale cost, too! But I was frugal, generally.
56. What was your proudest moment of 2017?
Dunno. I got some good work feedback.
57. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2017 and change something, what would it be?
Errrr I dunno. Actually I’m pretty sure there was a bunch of stuff I felt stupid about, but I forget. Oh, I did get caught “speeding” (34mph in a 30!) and had to do a course. *rolleyes*
58. What are your plans for 2018?
Plans for 2017 were:
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!
Yeah, so I didn’t do that last bit. *lmao* Nor did I travel around Europe. Or do any races. *sigh* I did move home tho.
Plans for 2018:
Explore Luxembourg by bike, try to get by without a car.
Get my knee fixed (or at least looked at) and Get Moar Fit again.
Maybe do a podcast about Luxembourg, but maybe not.
Maybe do a Luxembourgish spelling course.
Enjoy life and take it easy!