Goodbye 2013

This is the fourth year I've done this meme on New Years Eve. Strange to think that I've been blogging that long. But thank you to , The Plastic Mancunian and JK for keeping me on track with this.

So here we go. 2012 in a nutshell.So, what was 2013 about?

1.What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?

Felt confident in my career choices - I managed to find a couple of roles that I loved. I now have writer in my job title. 

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

No. Not at all. I think I failed most of them. This is what got said at the start of the year.

I'm 7 kg heavier, not as fit (though still in good shape), but I've remained pretty good on the sunscreen, got the holiday and I'm making a conscious effort with the sugar. At last some of them came into fruition.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not this year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully, no.

5. What countries did you visit?

I had two weeks in Bali, Indonesia in April and I went to New Zealand in November for a few days.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?

This is a bit boring, but more discipline around saving money. 

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

 The 26 October was just lovely. Time with friends, a really nice hotel room that I got bumped to after a conference under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, a lovely meal at a good restaurant. It was just a lovely day. Unexpectedly really lovely.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

 I got the word writer in my job title. I always wanted to be a writer, it’s now in my job title.

9. What was your biggest failure?

 There is so much I set out to do – get that novel written, run a marathon, buy a house, save money, get a cat. I don’t see these as failures, more plans that got delayed.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing too major. A cold coming home from Bali wasn’t fun. The minor gall bladder attack in early November has rocked my world a bit as I now know that pork belly and fish and chips can’t be eaten at all – and I don’t leave home without Buscopan in my handbag. Thankfully nothing has to be done about it other than keep saturated fats and fried food to a bare minimum in my diet. I’m very fortunate with my health.

  

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The airline ticket to both Bali and Wellington, New Zealand were pretty special – though not things, they were both great experiences. The pass to the Yoga Barn in Ubud was great too as I got to experience Sound Healing – and I really want to go back and do more work with Shervin.

If you’re looking for things that I bought, there are a couple of Nars lipsticks that I purchased that I get a lot of joy out of – that and the vegetable mandolin that I bought recently. It’s makes chopping veggies a delight.

 12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

 Julia Gillard’s stoicism and pragmatism in what can only be described as one of the worst cases of bullying I’ve ever had the misfortune to witness – that and her grace in defeat. She gets my vote. I could not act with her bravery – could never do what she did, which is successfully lead a country though a recession. Not saying she didn’t make a few wrong turns, but fair dues, if I was to be dealing with the abuse she was getting on a daily basis from the opposition and the press, I’d be down the police station filing bullying charges. An amazing woman.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

In loose order:

Scott Morrison – Immigration Minister – modelling himself and his department’s principles on the Third Reich.

Christopher Pyne - “Education Minister” who has no regard for the value of education.

Greg Hunt – “ Environment Minister” who has no regard for the environment – i.e. allowing dredging and dumping near the Great Barrier Reef and taking off World Heritage Listing status of Tasmanian rain forest.

Joe Hockey – “Finance Minister” for rank incompetence.

Tony Abbott – for just breathing

Bronwyn Bishop – for having no regards for the Westminster rules when speaker of the house and being completely biased towards the LNPs.

George Brandis – for trying to dismantle laws that outlaw racism, bullying and vilification and allowing twits like Andrew Bolt to not have some boundaries

Julie Bishop – for not having a diplomatic bone in her body

And the bloke who bullied me at work earlier this year. Just appalling. Took three months to clear the incident from my psyche.

 14. Where did most of your money go?

Rent, travel, going out and unfortunately car repairs – two minor bingles this year – one my fault, the other some arsehole dickhead ran into my car on the street and left the car with a badly dinged panel. Grrrr. Karma will get them.

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

 In no order: Seeing Pinochet’s kittens, going on holidays, posh dinners, cooking (particularly cassata for Christmas), getting out of the job in which I was bullied, seeing old friends.... I excite quite easily.

16. What song will always remind you of 2013?

On the good side, Lorde’s “Royals”

On the not so good side, that awful “Blurred Lines” song gets stuck in my head. Truly repugnant (even without the sexist film clip)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?

a)      Happier

b)      Fatter

c)       Richer in many ways

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Exercise, write, sleep, saved money, relaxed.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

 Eat bad food, procrastinated, sat on my hands when getting bullied.

20. How will you spend New Year's Eve?

Probably at home watching telly or reading a book at midnight, but going round to Gloria and Gaynor's place for a light dinner now.

 21. Did you fall in love in 2013?

 No. Maow Maow is still the main man in my life. Strange that the love of your life is your best friend’s cat.

22. What was your favourite TV program?

A couple of standouts – the second series of The Hour was wonderful. I’ve also just found out about Orange is the New Black – wonderfully edgy. There are still the same old shows I watch regularly – Embarrassing Bodies, Masterchef, Mad Men. I’m halfway through season three of Breaking Bad too – now that is superlative telly. The Doctor Blake Mysteries were also wonderful.  

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don’t hate  anybody, but I do have a near pathological dislike for most of the current front bench. Ignorant, small-minded, bullying fascists that they are. The sooner Scott Morrison is up on crimes against humanity charges the better. If there’s something like that for the environment, Hunt and Abbott should be up there with them. I’ve never really liked Rupert Murdoch – he can join them. Evil men. 

24. What was the best book you read?

I read a lot over the year. The two books that sticks out the most to me the most were Christos Tsiolkas’s “Dead Europe” and Michel Faber’s “The Crimson Petal and the White.” Both are older books but wonderful for different reasons. I rather liked JK Rowling’s “The Casual Vacancy” too.
 

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Alt-J, first heard in a café in Wellington. Interesting, cool, thought provoking. Rodriguez is up there too. He’s incredible.

 

26. What did you want and get?

I paid off my car this year. Never a bad thing. I don’t want for much.

Actually, I love my Jawbone Up – a sleep monitor and pedometer in one – great little device.

27. What did you want and not get?

A rich husband who is loving, affectionate, incredibly good in bed who bought me two story town house in Richmond. A cat or two of my own to live in the house with us. A flat stomach - but I take responsibility for that one)  A longer holiday.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

Of the films I’ve seen this year here are a few of my favourites.

“The Best Offer” with Geoffrey Rush – wonderful, wonderful film.

I really enjoyed “The Great Gatsby” – thought Luhrmann did a great job on that.

“Lincoln” was great – wonderful performance by Daniel Day Lewis.

“The Stories we Tell” a documentary by Sarah Polley – saw it on the plane after missing it in the cinemas. Incredible stuff.

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

 I was 45 in August and I got all my friends and we went on Puffing Billy then had lunch at a pub in Emerald and it was great!

30. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

 I’m not answering that in the grounds that it will incriminate me J

Oh, okay. Lots of gin and tonic. A decent holiday. Good friends.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

 Relaxed, not expensive, subdued.

32. What kept you sane?

 Friends. Gin and tonics (Bombay Sapphire or Hendricks) Good books and movies. Sleep.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

 I’m still completely besotted with Clive Owen. However, I’ve got a small thing for Anthony Albonese – there is something wicked in that smile. There is something about Brian Cranston too. I’m showing my age…

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

 The Australian political climate has been inflamed since Abbott and his band of fascist muppets came in. The asylum seeker issue and the environment are the things that concern me most.

35. Who did you miss?

I still miss Reindert, but we talk regularly. There are a few people I miss periodically - that's human, isn't it?

36. Who was the best new person you met?

 Not that I met him this year, but I'm enjoying my new personal trainer, Slap. He's been around since Pinochet left the gym in April - though I still see Pinochet now and then. 

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

 If you feel something isn't right, do something about it quickly to make the situation better. Don't suffer in silence. Shout about what's going on when nobody is listening. Make them hear you.

Bullying is awful. 

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"Comfort comes to those with faith in mysterious ways." Josh Pyke, Memories and Dust

Here's to a wonderful 2014.