End of Year Survey 2023
Poor, poor neglected blag. I even (nearly) forgot about this survey!! It has now been running for over 20 years, maybe I should stop. But it’s so hard to let go. Who knows, I might appreciate the retrospective in a few decades. Esp. as social media is so ephemeral, and my memory so terribal. Er, terrible.
Previously:
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022
1. What did you do in 2023 that you’d never done before?
Put a bike on my wall. Visit the Vosges (with a bike, no less). There are probably some more, but this hasn’t been a big year of firsts. Like last year, actually. Maybe that will need to be my plan for next 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?
Yeah, two friends who I will now see even less than before. *lol*
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. Cancer uncle is alive and well. Bunch of celebs tho!
5. What countries/cities did you visit?
Alsace and Metz. Is that really all? I need to get away more. But I have old cats.
6. What would you like to have in 2023 that you lacked in 2023?
Last year I wished for “More of the same please – bike trips with Tristan and good weather! 😄” I actually got less of both. The summer was pretty bleh and we only went on one trip, I think.
So I’ll have to repeat my wish. I know, I’m boring. But for real this time. 😅
7. What date from 2023 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
None. I do remember 7 October now, the Hamas attack on Israel. But I doubt I’ll remember it in a few years.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Turns out I earned a lot more money this year than last. Don’t know if that was an achievement tho. I went up to squatting 58kg, then injured my back and now I’m at around 40kg and my back still hurts. Ehn. This survey is gonna be a bit whiney, uh?
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not fixing my back, despite physio and everything? I mean, I tried my best. (Okay, have made GP appt to try again.)
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yeah, see above, stupid back. 😂
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Maybe the fun Tigerbike on my wall? I didn’t buy that much (again). The best thing I didn’t buy (but Tristan did) was the portable Baby Kärcher, which I use sooo much and which is so great for cleaning bikes and other stuff. Oh, and maybe the cat tree I bough for Timmy was my best thing? He uses that a lot, too!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Ehn. I mean, Tristan cuz he’s the cutest badass ever?
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Ehn. Too many assholes to count.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Potentially my savings account. There were no cat disasters, and I did not buy expensive bikes (tho I did buy a cheap one… oh and an ebike conversion kit… still, I saved way more than I spent).
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Nothing I can think of.
16. What song will always remind you of 2023?
I dunno, but apparently Miley Cyrus was my top artist, haha. I’m still playing the same Spotify playlist on bike rides (I do update it sometimes). Miley is pretty great! I should maybe also give Taylor Swift a try… 😶
17. Compared to this time last year, are you…
i. happier or sadder?
Around the same, I think? Had a dip while exercising less cuz of my back, which I have remedied by exercising more again despite my back. But I’m still kinda eh. The weather is so crap, and my mood fluctuates with the weather. But the general circumstances of my life have not changed. Except my cats are getting older, of course.
ii. thinner or fatter?
Also around the same. Currently trying to get a bit thinner cuz it’d make cycling easier! (Same as this time last year.)
iii. richer or poorer?
A little richer, but on such a small scale it hardly counts, and potentially evened out by inflation.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Last year: creative stuff. A perennial problem.
Creative stuff? 😄 I almost did NaNoWriMo this year, then… didn’t. Now I’m studying Portuguese again, so have another pastime for my “sitting down” times. Okay, go on trips, probably. It’s such a palaver to organise. We didn’t even manage a night at the lake!
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Previously: play Bejeweled and eat chococlate. I still do a lot of both, with a short break playing Wordscapes, and now I’m on Bejeweled Stars. 😅
That probably means I should list the same ones again! Definitely can’t argue with that…
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas Eve with my mum, uncle and aunt, and Christmas Day with my bike at my lake.
21. How will you be spending New Years?
Not sure. Probably at home with the miaows. And in bed well before midnight.
22. Did you fall in love in 2023?
No.
23. How many one night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Oh man, 2022 was Veronica Mars year. This year will have to be Ted Lasso. I know, I’m years behind yet again. But so heart-warming.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nah.
26. What was the best book you read?
Wow, I gave 5 stars to six books this year, out of a total of 16 (and a bunch of DNFs. I am ruthless these days with dropping books if they suck).
I warmly remember Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee, and Bel Canto by Ann Pratchett (but they are the most recent five stars, haha). The rest are (in reverse chronological order):
Katherine Pancol – La valse lente des tortues
Téa Obreht – The Tiger’s Wife
Guillaume Musso – La jeune fille et la nuit
Angie Thomas – The Hate U Give
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
No recent additions I don’t think, tho I did favourite this year’s Slate Summer Strut shortlist and enjoyed a bunch of the songs, but I don’t know the artists beyond that. Discovering music is hard work! 😅
28. What did you want and get?
I bought an ebike conversion kit (which was on my list last year). I dunno what else I wanted. I buy everything I want (luckily I don’t want things I cannot afford).
29. What did you want and not get?
A hot summer! More bike trips.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Did I watch a single film this year? Maybe, but if so I can’t remember so it can’t have been that great.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I did go on a great bike ride to the north with Tristan. I remember it, it was that beautiful.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Hotter weather, but also more climate action. 😂 I am a living contradiction.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2023?
Wear whatever the fuck you want.
34. What kept you sane?
Exercise, happy pills.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Amandla Stenberg? This video, ZOMG.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Israel/Gaza? On a meta level, the way Israel/Palestine has such a huge influence on politics everywhere… political parties imploding, people being hauled before the US Congress etc.
(Obviously the people actually dying in the conflict is worse than the political fallout, but it’s also so uniquely polarizing in that way. It’s very exhausting.)
37. Who did you miss?
No one.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I don’t think I’ve met anyone new. Some of the people on the Mefi.social instance are cute.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2023.
I dunno. Obviously nothing that stuck with me. I’m no longer in therapy!
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my biiiiike… 😂 (same as the last three years, I am lazy. I know, maybe I should cut these questions I can’t be bothered answering.)
41. Was 2023 a good year for you?
It was fine.
42. What were your favourite moments of the year?
Oesling bike rides.
43. What was your least favourite moment of the year?
Um… dunno. Can’t think of anything.
44. What was your favourite month of 2023?
Probably still summer, even if it was a bit meh. I’m just a summer girl.
45. What was your favourite song from 2023?
Nothing new this year. Oh, Mika’s new album is out! I’ll get back to you. 😆
46. What was your favourite record from 2023?
See above.
47. How many concerts did you see in 2023?
Zero. *lol*
48. Did you have a favourite concert in 2023?
Nope. I have a ticket for Mika tho, and intend to go to Placebo in Schwetzingen or sth. Probably. We’ll see.
49. Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2023?
Nope.
50. Did you do a lot of drugs in 2023?
Nope.
51. Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Nah.
52. What was the worst lie someone told you in 2023?
*shrug*
53. Did somebody treat you badly in 2023?
No.
54. Did you treat somebody badly in 2023?
No.
55. How much money did you spend in 2023?
Not that much. I mean, for living in the richest country in the world, surprisingly little.
56. What was your proudest moment of 2023?
I dunno.
57. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2023 and change something, what would it be?
I would not do that deadlift with bad form that fucked up my back, and I definitely would not continue the workout after that!
58. What are your plans for 2024?
Plans for 2023 were:
No plans except “more of the same”. Bit torn between real bike trips and maximising time with my elderly kitties, but hopefully I can find a balance. Write a book? Ha ha ha ha ha ha…
So arguably, less of the same happened (fewer trips and total cycling distance is also less). I’m definitely around my cats a lot tho! And I did not write a book. There’s always next year.
Plans for 2024:
Not write a book. Reverse psychology. 😂 Keep up the Portuguese studies. Cycle more, fix back, go on at least a few trips.