A Little Bit Louder, A Little Bit Worse
Is anyone even still on livejournal? I like this little quiz. I don't know how accurate it can really be, especially given that I will sacrifice truth for funny, but I like having some sort of record of the year.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Helped organise a Ladyfest! It was a great thing to be involved in and I feel super proud of the work everyone involved put in to it.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any. Never do.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope
4. Did anyone close to you die?
A friend I cared about very deeply died, but I wasn't as close to her as I should have been for a while and I'll never get a chance to make it up now. I used to think that "I think about her every day" was just an expression. She was smart and gorgeous and funny as fuck.
5. What countries did you visit?
None, actually. I'm pretty OK with that. I'm short on money and I'm not flying with some nasty-ass budget airline and boosting my carbon emissions without a damn good reason.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Disposable income and personal space. Space is one of the most expensive things in London. It's become a luxury to me, something I daydream about.
7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 23rd; I served Tom Stoppard a flat white, finished my shift and never went back.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting out and involved with Ladyfest, seeing music, making friends, getting political, making the banners (with mucho help from Paul), one of which will be on permanent display in the women's library.
Thinking it over, I remember now that I re-learned block printing, designed and produced 5 prints, exhibited them in my local pub as part of the Leytonstone Arts Trail and sold two. That was a very big deal for my ego. It just seems like such a long time ago now.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Probably walking out of aforementioned shitty job and the subsequent breakdown.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Spent all night in Whipp's Cross following May 23rd. Some guy there freaked the hell out and started ripping fixtures out of the walls and all the security guards just stood around saying "yep, that's definitely criminal damage."
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm. Maybe my brown leather satchel from Barnardos in Wanstead. I get mad props for that. And this year I actually had to buy my Latitude ticket (?!) so that might be No1.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My boys are the best friends a person could have and they’ve seen me through some really nasty times this year.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
The Con-Dems. I didn’t think I could be much more lefty with my politics but by golly these fucks have got me motivated.
14. Where did most of your money go?
On my oyster card.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Ladyfest.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
RAH RAH RAH-AH-AH, ROMA RO-MA-MA, GAGA OH-LA-LA, WONCHABAHROMANCE.
(actually it's probably "Crystalised" by the XX but that's kind of boring.)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? I think happier, actually.
ii. Thinner or fatter? No idea.
iii. Richer or poorer? About the same.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Sitting in the back garden, writing stories while the sun shone.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Sitting in front of the PC, trying to make myself click the link to the job site.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent it, as is typical, with my ever-decreasing family. Really enjoyed it though. The pleasures of Christmas become more subtle as you grow up and it can be tricky to train yourself to take them as they come.
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I am in love, but love, like Christmas, takes on different flavours as you both grow.
22. How many one-night stands?
None at all.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
The boys and I watched all of “30 Rock” in pretty much one happy gulp.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not really, which is good considering what an angry little person I am.
25. What was the best book you read?
Shirley Jackson, “We Have Always Lived In The Castle.” I actually read it twice, which is not something I tend to do.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Between Latitude, Ladyfest and discovering 6 Music, 2010 has been a brilliant year for musical discovery. I saw Sleigh Bells at KOKO at the start of the year and they’ve taken off in a big way, which was good to see. Highlights of Ladyfest included the brilliant “She Makes War,” who won the battle of the bands, Batant, MEN, Viv Albertine and so many more I can’t even. Latitude highlights were dancing with my friends to such as Rodrigo I Gabriella and Vampire Weekend and the happy rediscovery of Belle and Sebastian, whose new stuff has rocked. Warpaint might be my favourite new band of the year though. Gorgeous and slightly spooky.
27. What did you want and get?
Some new friendships. They’re still little things, but I think I’m finally learning the tricks of growing them up into something strong.
28. What did you want and not get?
Gainful employment that didn’t make me want to claw my eyes out.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
I think it might have been “Scott Pilgrim v The World.”
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 25 this year and had the best frickin birthday party I’ve had since my mum was still making my birthday cakes. A bunch of great people came to visit for sushi and karaoke and I got joyfully drunk and extremely happy.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
D.I.Y.
34. What kept you sane?
Embroidery and the X-Files.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Probably the pretty one on “Supernatural.” Look, I don’t get out much, OK?
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Rape culture.
37. Who did you miss?
Ali and all the Montreal people were on my mind a great deal this year. A really great group of people: so supportive and so fun. I missed some of my Sheffield posse who I didn’t get to see as much as I wanted. And my cat, Little Nel, died this year too. She was truly the best cat.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
So many! Nikki, Annette, Jen, Elizabeth, Rosemary, Steph, Jane, Jacqui, Gianna…the list goes on.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
I suppose to seize chances while they’re around, because nothing lasts forever. But that doesn’t mean I’ve been living by it, necessarily…
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I've been working on a piece that reeks of sex and desperation.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Helped organise a Ladyfest! It was a great thing to be involved in and I feel super proud of the work everyone involved put in to it.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any. Never do.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope
4. Did anyone close to you die?
A friend I cared about very deeply died, but I wasn't as close to her as I should have been for a while and I'll never get a chance to make it up now. I used to think that "I think about her every day" was just an expression. She was smart and gorgeous and funny as fuck.
5. What countries did you visit?
None, actually. I'm pretty OK with that. I'm short on money and I'm not flying with some nasty-ass budget airline and boosting my carbon emissions without a damn good reason.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Disposable income and personal space. Space is one of the most expensive things in London. It's become a luxury to me, something I daydream about.
7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 23rd; I served Tom Stoppard a flat white, finished my shift and never went back.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting out and involved with Ladyfest, seeing music, making friends, getting political, making the banners (with mucho help from Paul), one of which will be on permanent display in the women's library.
Thinking it over, I remember now that I re-learned block printing, designed and produced 5 prints, exhibited them in my local pub as part of the Leytonstone Arts Trail and sold two. That was a very big deal for my ego. It just seems like such a long time ago now.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Probably walking out of aforementioned shitty job and the subsequent breakdown.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Spent all night in Whipp's Cross following May 23rd. Some guy there freaked the hell out and started ripping fixtures out of the walls and all the security guards just stood around saying "yep, that's definitely criminal damage."
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm. Maybe my brown leather satchel from Barnardos in Wanstead. I get mad props for that. And this year I actually had to buy my Latitude ticket (?!) so that might be No1.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My boys are the best friends a person could have and they’ve seen me through some really nasty times this year.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
The Con-Dems. I didn’t think I could be much more lefty with my politics but by golly these fucks have got me motivated.
14. Where did most of your money go?
On my oyster card.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Ladyfest.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
RAH RAH RAH-AH-AH, ROMA RO-MA-MA, GAGA OH-LA-LA, WONCHABAHROMANCE.
(actually it's probably "Crystalised" by the XX but that's kind of boring.)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? I think happier, actually.
ii. Thinner or fatter? No idea.
iii. Richer or poorer? About the same.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Sitting in the back garden, writing stories while the sun shone.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Sitting in front of the PC, trying to make myself click the link to the job site.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent it, as is typical, with my ever-decreasing family. Really enjoyed it though. The pleasures of Christmas become more subtle as you grow up and it can be tricky to train yourself to take them as they come.
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I am in love, but love, like Christmas, takes on different flavours as you both grow.
22. How many one-night stands?
None at all.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
The boys and I watched all of “30 Rock” in pretty much one happy gulp.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not really, which is good considering what an angry little person I am.
25. What was the best book you read?
Shirley Jackson, “We Have Always Lived In The Castle.” I actually read it twice, which is not something I tend to do.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Between Latitude, Ladyfest and discovering 6 Music, 2010 has been a brilliant year for musical discovery. I saw Sleigh Bells at KOKO at the start of the year and they’ve taken off in a big way, which was good to see. Highlights of Ladyfest included the brilliant “She Makes War,” who won the battle of the bands, Batant, MEN, Viv Albertine and so many more I can’t even. Latitude highlights were dancing with my friends to such as Rodrigo I Gabriella and Vampire Weekend and the happy rediscovery of Belle and Sebastian, whose new stuff has rocked. Warpaint might be my favourite new band of the year though. Gorgeous and slightly spooky.
27. What did you want and get?
Some new friendships. They’re still little things, but I think I’m finally learning the tricks of growing them up into something strong.
28. What did you want and not get?
Gainful employment that didn’t make me want to claw my eyes out.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
I think it might have been “Scott Pilgrim v The World.”
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 25 this year and had the best frickin birthday party I’ve had since my mum was still making my birthday cakes. A bunch of great people came to visit for sushi and karaoke and I got joyfully drunk and extremely happy.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
D.I.Y.
34. What kept you sane?
Embroidery and the X-Files.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Probably the pretty one on “Supernatural.” Look, I don’t get out much, OK?
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Rape culture.
37. Who did you miss?
Ali and all the Montreal people were on my mind a great deal this year. A really great group of people: so supportive and so fun. I missed some of my Sheffield posse who I didn’t get to see as much as I wanted. And my cat, Little Nel, died this year too. She was truly the best cat.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
So many! Nikki, Annette, Jen, Elizabeth, Rosemary, Steph, Jane, Jacqui, Gianna…the list goes on.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
I suppose to seize chances while they’re around, because nothing lasts forever. But that doesn’t mean I’ve been living by it, necessarily…
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I've been working on a piece that reeks of sex and desperation.