end of year thoughts (only 12 days early)

Ha.  I've bought in to this posterity recording meme situation.  Warning, serious navel-gazing ahead.

1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?

Quit a job not knowing what was next.  Usually, I have the next job/study plans all lined up etc.  While I had options sorted prior to leaving the UK, I didn’t lock anything down until after I arrived back in New Zealand and that was pretty scary for me.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Do you know, I could probably find out what those resolutions were simply by looking back to January’s blog entries but fff that…cause I suspect I failed.  No doubt I’ll have some in mind come 1 Jan (garden variety: exercise more! Be better person! Drink less!) but even less doubt that it’ll go to the pot pretty quickly.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My sister-in-law gave birth to a gorgeous wee boy who I call Squishy and a variety of other awful pet names.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.  I am so grateful to be able to answer that question with a no, ‘specially given the health problems circulating in our family at the moment.

5. What countries did you visit?

It’s kind of ridiculous – what with our wedding trip, Le Grand Tour and moving back to the Southern Hemisphere we went quite a few places - (in rough chrono order) England, US, NZ, Hong Kong, Thailand, Scotland, France, Holland, Croatia, Bosnia, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, India!  (I know, I’ve counted the bits of the UK separately but throw me a bone here; they certainly FEEL very different!  Don’t even start on the Ireland thing).  We spent the most time in the UK and NZ but managed to visit France thrice during the year.  And Germany missed the cut in 2012 by a day or two – we were there for Xmas 2011 and a damn fine time we had there too.  Germany has the best schnitzel and some very tasty bakeries.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?

A home!  One of my own!  Probably unlikely but a girl can dream.  And a CAT. 

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

11 February.  CHEESE ALERT: I married the best man ever.  Not P's best man, I mean P is the best man.  Just in case that wasn't clear.   

15 June: I turned 30 and discovered a good friend was having a baby.

4 September: stepping out onto NZ soil, a resident.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Well, if getting married counts as an achievement, then that!  If not, it’s a toss up between moving back to the other side of the world and finding gainful employment or planning and experiencing an epic holiday.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Being an old grump far too often.  I feel like I’ve fought with P frequently this year which is very unusual for us (symptomatic of stress?).  It feels like a failure though – knowing I’m married to the most wonderful, thoughtful fella BUT YET still being a bitch on occasion.  From time-to-time.  Regularly. 

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

The Bowels of Death have been quite a regular feature on this old blog in 2012…

11. What was the best thing you bought?

That damned holiday.  But if it has to be a tangible, the camera.  Not that any of you’ve seen a photo I’ve taken with it; all you get here is the damn iPhone instagram BS.

12. Where did most of your money go?

Wedding and holiday! Oh yeah, rent was also a bitch. 

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Fuck this is getting repetitive.  MARRIAGE AND VISITING PLACES.

14. What song will always remind you of 2012?

Jono McCleery – no clue on the title of the song, but it was playing as we hit Barcelona’s motorway to the airport.  I hear it and I conjure up the most intense recollection of the place, the moment.  Um…don’t judge but Jay-Z and Kanye’s Watch the Throne album has the same effect for me driving over the hill from Cadaques to Roses on the Costa Brava.  Time, place, indelible.

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) Happier or sadder? Happier

b) Thinner or fatter? Fatty fatty boom boom. 
c) Richer or poorer? Poorer. Spent all that pinger as aforementioned, also was earning GBP rather than NZD (despite the fact the NZD is rapidly climbing!)

16. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Picture taking and enjoying time with P – too much is never enough.  Also, MORE travels.  MORE OF THEM.

17. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Being a witch to my husband.  Also, eating. 

18. How will you be spending Christmas?

Traipsing around the countryside to be with our various extended families.

19. Did you fall in love in 2012?

Yes, I did.  With France all over again, as well as Greece and Croatia (probably the stand outs…though how can I miss Istanbul off that list? Or Florence?!! Or Amsterdam!! Etc)

20. What was your favourite TV programme?

Game of Thrones (I’m embarrassed for me.  SUCH a nerd).  But 2012 is the year we finished watching The Wire, which = BEST EVER.

21. What was the best book you read?

Big call, this one.  Elizabeth Costello by Coetzee left a really indelible impression so it was probably the best, but it certainly wasn’t the book I enjoyed the most.

22. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Jono McCleery or Trixie Whitley.  Trixie could have been 2011, but that might have just been the year of obsession with Black Dub.  Anyway, claiming it.

23. What did you want and get?

A fancypants camera.  Also, love, light, sunshine etc. 

24. What did you want and not get?

I wanted a first year of complete newlywed bliss – but that was not to be of course, because, well, LIFE.  With its vagaries, frustrations, illnesses - - yet joys as well.

25. What was your favourite film of this year?

This is incredibly sad and it’s a 2011 film, but at the beginning of this year I saw Warrior on a plane between Hong Kong and London.  I freaking cried.  I HATE fighting movies, think they’re BULLSHIT, but seriously, LOVED it.  Could not get enough of huge, tattooed men beating on each other.  WHO AM I??!  I don’t even know me anymore.

26. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I went to work, and then I flew to Lithuania!  I turned 30 and I was not evil/hateful/despairing even.  We discovered on arrival that our very good friend was pregnant – it was so exciting!

27. What kept you sane?

P, the family, copious cups of tea, sushi lunches with a colleague in the UK.

28. What political issue stirred you the most?

Yeah, that whole abortion bit really wound me up.  LET’S NOT REHASH IT, shall we?!

29. Who did you miss?

My Mum, a lot.  Dad too.  Solved (in part) by moving back here…but they’re still 5 ½ hours away! Also, still missing my grandmother four years on.

30. Who was the best new person you met?

My newest nephew, Squish.  He’s delightful. 

31. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012

The sunscreen thing, again.  Also, your travelling companion WILL hear everything through the walls and dignity will be lost.  Resign yourself!