That Was The Year That Was 2018
1. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?
Dyed my hair green.
Got a football-related tattoo.
Had my first ever ride in an ambulance. Erks.
Bought my first ever pair of jeans. (yes, really)
Won a trophy.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Don't make 'em. Can't break 'em.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
D's cousin in Canberra did, yes.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Ling-Ling, our eldest cat, died on the 6th of July. Vale, Queen of Noogalia.
And the social circle further diminished with the passing of our old friend Cahl - "Kanpai, motherfuckers!"
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia.
6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
About 20-25 thousand would pretty much change our lives. Seriously.
7. What dates from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The 6th of July - no longer just The Damned's anniversary.
And Halloween, when I discovered the hard way that I'm not good with opioids. (but got my first ever ride in an ambulance!)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Winning that trophy, I guess. "By the Currawong's Call" took out the Romance category at this year's Bisexual Book Awards in New York. It's also been nominated amongst the "Best of 2018" M/M books over on Goodreads. Warms the sub-cockles. :)
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not finishing any projects.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just that bad reaction to codeine, really.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
"Think of England" by K.J. Charles. (twice!) If you like the kind of stuff I like, you should probably check KJ out - http://kjcharleswriter.com/
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The #Resistance
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Everybody who wasn't the #Resistance.
14. Where did most of your money go?
...books?
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The Damned releasing their first new album in over a decade. It's called Evil Spirits. And it. Was. Magnificent.
16. What song will always remind you of 2018?
I've known since April that my song of the year would be something off The Damned's new album, and by about October I had it narrowed down to three, but actually choosing one is coming right down to the wire. I'm gonna go with "Procrastination" (narrowly nudging out "We're So Nice" and "Look Left"):
Click to view17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? about the same, all up
iii. richer or poorer? ever so slightly richer
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing. Finishing stuff.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Feeling like "I can't".
20. How did you spend Christmas?
We rented a car and went to my parents' place for the first time in a while. My family's had a bad year, health-wise, with lots of hospital, so it was nice to be together.
21. What LJ users did you meet for the first time?
This should, perhaps, be updated to "Twitter users", eh? Did I meet anyone for the first time? I... don't think so. Not offline anyhoo. @ozAntinnippon on Twitter has been a delightful addition to the pack.
22. Did you fall in love in 2018?
With "Think of England" by K.J. Charles, oh yes. :) And with its main characters Archie Curtis and Daniel da Silva, most especially the latter - HELLO. (But self, how did you not realise heroic queer jews are your kryptonite?)
23. How many one-night stands?
Nada.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Berlin Station... The Halcyon... we watched a lot of shows this year but I'm finding it hard to say anything was outstanding... (though Berlin Station is certainly the best spy drama we've seen in many a year)
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate's too good for 'em.
26. What was the best book you read?
"Think of England" by K.J. Charles! (yes, I *AM* going to keep banging on about it, sue me) Also really enjoyed "Spectred Isle" also by K.J. Charles, "Salt Magic, Skin Magic" by Lee Welch, and two biographies -one literary, one painterly- "Melville: His World & Work" by Andrew Delbanco and "S.T. Gill & his Audiences" by Sasha Grishin. I've really got back into books in a big way this year. Thankfully! So nice to have the spark of enthusiasm for my chosen artform back.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
We happened upon Mongolian folk-metal band The Hu just in the last few days of 2018 and they're pretty damned cool.
Their name cracks me up. :D :D
28. What did you want and get?
Fictional worlds.
29. What did you want and not get?
Money. The satisfaction of writing "The End." and meaning it.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
It's... not been a great year for movies, I don't think. Deadpool 2? That's about all I've got right now. There's a few that I'm sure are great that I haven't actually seen yet.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Just went to the pub for tea, I think. 48. Dood.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Bloody finishing something!
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
As always "black 'n' blokey". This year with added jeans.
34. What kept you sane?
Fictional worlds. Geek Lunch. My darling D and the cats. The Evil Spirits album.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Dan Feuerriegel
Dave Vanian
Archie Curtis & Daniel da Silva
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
37. Who did you miss?
The usual suspects, plus now Ling-Ling, Cahl and Pete Shelley. :(
38. Who was the best new person you met?
My fellow writers on Twitter are pretty rad.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.
Stay the fuck away from codeine!
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"Get on or be left behind"
--Procrastination, The Damned