That end of year meme
I did that meme thing.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Had a full-time job. Kept a webcomic going for a few months. Unfortunately didn't manage to do both at the same time.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made one last year. I'm not planning on making any this year either. Unless the vegan thing counts. But making a new year's resolution seems a bit defeatist to me, since it only limits you to a year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
None. I'm assuming Wales doesn't count, considering I was visiting family.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A sure idea of what I'm doing with my life.
7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
There were some momentus occasions, like signing off at the JobCentre, but I wouldn't know the date off the top of my head.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting not only one, but three PhD offers. Though that headed straight into one of the most difficult decisions I've ever made in my life. See, this is why I get annoyed when someone forgets what subject I'm doing. It's a big deal for me.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Being unemployed for so long. I won't consider my slack in updating Paradox 101 to be a failure, since I'm still planning on starting that up again.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I just had flu for the longest time (a full 5 days) since I got blood poisoning when I was 13 and was ill for two weeks. At least, my mum thought it was blood poisoning. I realise most people get flu for about 5 days, but I'm usually never ill for more than a day so I was particularly annoyed at this. Didn't help that it lasted over Christmas and I lost most my appetite for Christmas dinner.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I haven't really bought much stuff other than parts for my bike. I'm going to bend the rules and say my bike, since while I didn't buy it (it was a birthday present 8 1/2 years ago), I re-acquired it from my Grandma's garage. And it's definitely among my top possessions now. Maybe the very top. I don't really value my laptop that much, despite how much I use it.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Nothing really comes to mind.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
I'm going to agree with Lux and say the coalition government. Some of the energy policies have been promising, but other than that I remain firmly unconvinced.
14. Where did most of your money go?
On miscellaneous stuff that's really hard to track. It's a bit worrying sometimes, until I realise I still don't spend that much at all.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Latitude. Starting my PhD.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Maybe a song from Jimmy Eat World Futures album. I have been listening to it a lot this year.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? I can't remember how I felt last year. I guess about the same.
ii. Thinner or fatter? Probably thinner.
iii. Richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Drawing. Especially Paradox 101.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Feeling sorry for myself.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Already spent it. I was in Sheffield, feeling like all of my energy and appetite had been drained and replaced with blocked sinuses and assorted pains.
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
No.
22. How many one-night stands?
None.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
The Walking Dead was very good, but I'm only 4 episodes in (still). I've also watched a lot of Daily Show, as I've been getting more politically minded this year.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, but I don't exactly hate easily.
25. What was the best book you read?
Anathem by Neal Stephenson. It was very good, but probably not for everyone. I've read actual Maths books with fewer mathematical proofs in them.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I listened to music far more this year than usual. Latitude probably helped with that, in addition to Last.fm and then Spotify. However, the band I have been listening to most has been Arcade Fire. I know they've been around for years, but I only started listening to them a couple of months ago. Either them or the New Pornographers. I think I'm just going through a Canadian indie-rock phase.
27. What did you want and get?
A funded PhD in something that I genuinely find interesting and useful.
28. What did you want and not get?
A decent house to live in this year.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
I don't want to steal Lux's answer, but I think mine was also Scott Pilgrim. I did watch it 3 times.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I had a BBQ as usual. I don't really remember it at all though. I think it rained.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Dyed.
34. What kept you sane?
Music. Edit: it was actually reading, much like every other year in my life. I'm not sure why I answered the way I did originally, other than the question being somewhat guided by the previous questions. I read a lot while I was working in Manchester, since I was spending 2 hours on the train every day.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None of them.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Environmental issues, particularly resource depletion.
37. Who did you miss?
My mum.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I met a lot of new people this year. First there were all the people who I worked with in Manchester, then there were the people in my course, and in Engineers Without Borders. I guess Tim is the one I've hung out with most from my course, so I'll say him.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
It's not enough to want to get away from somewhere. It's also useful to know where you're going.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I don't know any song lyrics.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Had a full-time job. Kept a webcomic going for a few months. Unfortunately didn't manage to do both at the same time.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made one last year. I'm not planning on making any this year either. Unless the vegan thing counts. But making a new year's resolution seems a bit defeatist to me, since it only limits you to a year.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
None. I'm assuming Wales doesn't count, considering I was visiting family.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A sure idea of what I'm doing with my life.
7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
There were some momentus occasions, like signing off at the JobCentre, but I wouldn't know the date off the top of my head.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting not only one, but three PhD offers. Though that headed straight into one of the most difficult decisions I've ever made in my life. See, this is why I get annoyed when someone forgets what subject I'm doing. It's a big deal for me.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Being unemployed for so long. I won't consider my slack in updating Paradox 101 to be a failure, since I'm still planning on starting that up again.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I just had flu for the longest time (a full 5 days) since I got blood poisoning when I was 13 and was ill for two weeks. At least, my mum thought it was blood poisoning. I realise most people get flu for about 5 days, but I'm usually never ill for more than a day so I was particularly annoyed at this. Didn't help that it lasted over Christmas and I lost most my appetite for Christmas dinner.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I haven't really bought much stuff other than parts for my bike. I'm going to bend the rules and say my bike, since while I didn't buy it (it was a birthday present 8 1/2 years ago), I re-acquired it from my Grandma's garage. And it's definitely among my top possessions now. Maybe the very top. I don't really value my laptop that much, despite how much I use it.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Nothing really comes to mind.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
I'm going to agree with Lux and say the coalition government. Some of the energy policies have been promising, but other than that I remain firmly unconvinced.
14. Where did most of your money go?
On miscellaneous stuff that's really hard to track. It's a bit worrying sometimes, until I realise I still don't spend that much at all.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Latitude. Starting my PhD.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Maybe a song from Jimmy Eat World Futures album. I have been listening to it a lot this year.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? I can't remember how I felt last year. I guess about the same.
ii. Thinner or fatter? Probably thinner.
iii. Richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Drawing. Especially Paradox 101.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Feeling sorry for myself.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Already spent it. I was in Sheffield, feeling like all of my energy and appetite had been drained and replaced with blocked sinuses and assorted pains.
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
No.
22. How many one-night stands?
None.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
The Walking Dead was very good, but I'm only 4 episodes in (still). I've also watched a lot of Daily Show, as I've been getting more politically minded this year.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, but I don't exactly hate easily.
25. What was the best book you read?
Anathem by Neal Stephenson. It was very good, but probably not for everyone. I've read actual Maths books with fewer mathematical proofs in them.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I listened to music far more this year than usual. Latitude probably helped with that, in addition to Last.fm and then Spotify. However, the band I have been listening to most has been Arcade Fire. I know they've been around for years, but I only started listening to them a couple of months ago. Either them or the New Pornographers. I think I'm just going through a Canadian indie-rock phase.
27. What did you want and get?
A funded PhD in something that I genuinely find interesting and useful.
28. What did you want and not get?
A decent house to live in this year.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
I don't want to steal Lux's answer, but I think mine was also Scott Pilgrim. I did watch it 3 times.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I had a BBQ as usual. I don't really remember it at all though. I think it rained.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Dyed.
34. What kept you sane?
Music. Edit: it was actually reading, much like every other year in my life. I'm not sure why I answered the way I did originally, other than the question being somewhat guided by the previous questions. I read a lot while I was working in Manchester, since I was spending 2 hours on the train every day.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None of them.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Environmental issues, particularly resource depletion.
37. Who did you miss?
My mum.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I met a lot of new people this year. First there were all the people who I worked with in Manchester, then there were the people in my course, and in Engineers Without Borders. I guess Tim is the one I've hung out with most from my course, so I'll say him.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
It's not enough to want to get away from somewhere. It's also useful to know where you're going.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I don't know any song lyrics.