2003: Year-end meme
Dec. 27th, 2003 04:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
radegundCoz look: I'm on my holidays!!! And I like this meme.
1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
Started two online journals. Raised almost €1000 for charity (Oxfam's Iraq campaign). Became head of my office at work. Had a story translated into Italian (and published as part of a European anthology). Attempted NaNoWriMo, and successfully wrote 50,000 words in November - didn't finish the novel, but then I didn't expect to. Sang the Mouse solo in Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb. Had a poem accepted by a literary magazine with which I have no familial or institutional connection (it will allegedly be printed in January).
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I started the year in a very black state of mind. As a result, my resolutions were more crisis management than bouncing optimism - and thus probably much easier to keep. They can be read here. I had a stab at most of them, but overall, I have a long way to go. I reckon I'll retain the same ones for next year.
Specific goals for 2004 include finishing both of my novel drafts, resurrecting my other journal, saving lots of money and turning 30. I reckon I can achieve at least one of those.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not close to me, but several of my friends had births in their close circles.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
England. Italy. France. Belgium. Bah. Pathetic.
6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
Two finished novel drafts! A literary agent. An orderly house. Enough sleep. Unformatted time.
7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I've had quite a gradual year in many ways - no Events Of Great Significance That Occurred On A Specific Day - so I'll say 8 February, which was the fourth anniversary of my getting together with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
niallm. An auspicious date.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
It was a pretty good year, all told, but the thing that gave me the most intense sense of achievement was successfully finishing NaNoWriMo. It proved to me that the sheer joy of writing, the coming to life of characters, the thrill when a plot problem untangles itself without conscious intervention from me, the excitement of telling a story that just tumbles from my mind onto the page, is still accessible to me. That is by far the most precious thing this year has brought.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not finishing my novel draft. But I reckon half of another novel is a reasonable price to pay for that.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
A several-months-long stress-related headache at the beginning of the year, but otherwise just the usual colds and stuff. And one scar-producing thumb-slice.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My princely shoes. Photograph towards the bottom of this page.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My sister, who despite fighting emotional turmoil of all colours, did her law finals and got a First, then proceeded to go straight to Geneva to take up a six-month research assistantship at the UNCHR, Human Rights Defenders section. From what she told me (and she's by no means one to boast), she did a splendid job in extremely difficult circumstances. She's one of the best people in the world, and they were damn lucky to have her.
And Mícheál Martin, our Minister for Health, for (so far) sticking to his guns with relation to the smoking ban.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Dubya. Blair. The rest of the lying warmongers. People on both sides who used the war as an excuse to peddle their own intolerant crap.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My NaNoWriMo novel.
16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
Don't know. I'll have to wait and see.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Oh, most definitely happier. I was not in a good state this time last year.
ii. thinner or fatter?
No idea. Which I presume implies that I'm about the same.
iii. richer or poorer?
Somewhat richer in real terms - my salary is bigger on foot of the promotion. Also,niallm's income is rather more regular now than it was last year. But we have big things to save for, so in terms of cashflow we're probably a bit poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing. Relaxing. Sleeping.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fretting. Procrastinating.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
It's already been spent. My last entry gives a run-down.
(21 seems to have been lost somewhere...)
22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
I haven't been out of love withniallm for a single day since February 1999.
23. How many one night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
I rarely watch current TV, but the best TV programme I encountered this year was undoubtedly, and by a long shot, Babylon 5.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
People are too complicated to hate. I hate intolerance, and mindless tribalism, and lying, and deliberate harm, and manipulation of public opinion for selfish ends, and all sorts of other things like that. But not people.
26. What was the best book you read?
*Pats self on back for keeping a list of books read*
I've read comparatively little this year that really struck me as excellent. The book that I loved the most - which I don't claim makes it the best - was Terry Pratchett's The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. When I finished it I turned it over and read it again.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
New music didn't feature much in my year. I should really go hunting for more good stuff.
28. What did you want and get?
My writerly spirit back.
29. What did you want and not get?
A consistent writing routine.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I saw about five films all year, so it's a thin enough choice. Maybe Goodbye Lenin.
31. What did you do on your birthday?
Took a half day from work (yay!), had lunch with my father, wrote my NaNoWriMo quota, went out for dinner in a tapas restaurant with friends. It was lovely.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Cue stuck record: finishing my novel draft.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
See this entry. I don't really have a fashion concept, and I don't change my style much from year to year. I've been wearing lots of cords and polonecks this winter. Does that help at all?
34. What kept you sane?
niallm.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't tend to fancy celebs. My mild likings for John Cusack and Sigourney Weaver were not much catered to in 2003.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The fucking stupid war in Iraq and its ongoing consequences. ("We beat him: we made him look like a street person" - I mean, what the blue buggering fuck?)
37. Who did you miss?
My expat friends.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Ailbhe. Although she wasn't strictly new.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003.
Even sloppily done housework results in a relatively cleaner, tidier house.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
From Billy Bragg, "There is Power in a Union":
Now the lessons of the past were all learned with workers' blood,
mistakes of the bosses we must pay for.
From the cities and the farmlands to trenches full of mud,
war has always been the bosses' way, sir.
Or from Leonard Cohen, "Anthem":
Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack, a crack in everything -
that's how the light gets in.
1. What did you do in 2003 that you'd never done before?
Started two online journals. Raised almost €1000 for charity (Oxfam's Iraq campaign). Became head of my office at work. Had a story translated into Italian (and published as part of a European anthology). Attempted NaNoWriMo, and successfully wrote 50,000 words in November - didn't finish the novel, but then I didn't expect to. Sang the Mouse solo in Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb. Had a poem accepted by a literary magazine with which I have no familial or institutional connection (it will allegedly be printed in January).
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I started the year in a very black state of mind. As a result, my resolutions were more crisis management than bouncing optimism - and thus probably much easier to keep. They can be read here. I had a stab at most of them, but overall, I have a long way to go. I reckon I'll retain the same ones for next year.
Specific goals for 2004 include finishing both of my novel drafts, resurrecting my other journal, saving lots of money and turning 30. I reckon I can achieve at least one of those.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not close to me, but several of my friends had births in their close circles.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
England. Italy. France. Belgium. Bah. Pathetic.
6. What would you like to have in 2004 that you lacked in 2003?
Two finished novel drafts! A literary agent. An orderly house. Enough sleep. Unformatted time.
7. What date from 2003 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I've had quite a gradual year in many ways - no Events Of Great Significance That Occurred On A Specific Day - so I'll say 8 February, which was the fourth anniversary of my getting together with
niallm. An auspicious date.8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
It was a pretty good year, all told, but the thing that gave me the most intense sense of achievement was successfully finishing NaNoWriMo. It proved to me that the sheer joy of writing, the coming to life of characters, the thrill when a plot problem untangles itself without conscious intervention from me, the excitement of telling a story that just tumbles from my mind onto the page, is still accessible to me. That is by far the most precious thing this year has brought.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not finishing my novel draft. But I reckon half of another novel is a reasonable price to pay for that.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
A several-months-long stress-related headache at the beginning of the year, but otherwise just the usual colds and stuff. And one scar-producing thumb-slice.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My princely shoes. Photograph towards the bottom of this page.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My sister, who despite fighting emotional turmoil of all colours, did her law finals and got a First, then proceeded to go straight to Geneva to take up a six-month research assistantship at the UNCHR, Human Rights Defenders section. From what she told me (and she's by no means one to boast), she did a splendid job in extremely difficult circumstances. She's one of the best people in the world, and they were damn lucky to have her.
And Mícheál Martin, our Minister for Health, for (so far) sticking to his guns with relation to the smoking ban.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Dubya. Blair. The rest of the lying warmongers. People on both sides who used the war as an excuse to peddle their own intolerant crap.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My NaNoWriMo novel.
16. What song will always remind you of 2003?
Don't know. I'll have to wait and see.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Oh, most definitely happier. I was not in a good state this time last year.
ii. thinner or fatter?
No idea. Which I presume implies that I'm about the same.
iii. richer or poorer?
Somewhat richer in real terms - my salary is bigger on foot of the promotion. Also,
niallm's income is rather more regular now than it was last year. But we have big things to save for, so in terms of cashflow we're probably a bit poorer.18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing. Relaxing. Sleeping.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Fretting. Procrastinating.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
It's already been spent. My last entry gives a run-down.
(21 seems to have been lost somewhere...)
22. Did you fall in love in 2003?
I haven't been out of love with
niallm for a single day since February 1999.23. How many one night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
I rarely watch current TV, but the best TV programme I encountered this year was undoubtedly, and by a long shot, Babylon 5.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
People are too complicated to hate. I hate intolerance, and mindless tribalism, and lying, and deliberate harm, and manipulation of public opinion for selfish ends, and all sorts of other things like that. But not people.
26. What was the best book you read?
*Pats self on back for keeping a list of books read*
I've read comparatively little this year that really struck me as excellent. The book that I loved the most - which I don't claim makes it the best - was Terry Pratchett's The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. When I finished it I turned it over and read it again.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
New music didn't feature much in my year. I should really go hunting for more good stuff.
28. What did you want and get?
My writerly spirit back.
29. What did you want and not get?
A consistent writing routine.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I saw about five films all year, so it's a thin enough choice. Maybe Goodbye Lenin.
31. What did you do on your birthday?
Took a half day from work (yay!), had lunch with my father, wrote my NaNoWriMo quota, went out for dinner in a tapas restaurant with friends. It was lovely.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Cue stuck record: finishing my novel draft.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2003?
See this entry. I don't really have a fashion concept, and I don't change my style much from year to year. I've been wearing lots of cords and polonecks this winter. Does that help at all?
34. What kept you sane?
niallm.35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't tend to fancy celebs. My mild likings for John Cusack and Sigourney Weaver were not much catered to in 2003.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The fucking stupid war in Iraq and its ongoing consequences. ("We beat him: we made him look like a street person" - I mean, what the blue buggering fuck?)
37. Who did you miss?
My expat friends.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Ailbhe. Although she wasn't strictly new.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2003.
Even sloppily done housework results in a relatively cleaner, tidier house.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
From Billy Bragg, "There is Power in a Union":
Now the lessons of the past were all learned with workers' blood,
mistakes of the bosses we must pay for.
From the cities and the farmlands to trenches full of mud,
war has always been the bosses' way, sir.
Or from Leonard Cohen, "Anthem":
Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack, a crack in everything -
that's how the light gets in.
