2014

Yep, still doing it.

1. What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?

- Drove a potato catcher bin for 2 months, and backed it like a boss.

- Saved some cows' lives in the paddock with intravenous medication.

- Learned to ride a motorbike.

- Made a multi-thousand dollar mistake at work. (At least I think/hope it was the first time.)

- Planned the diets of 350 cows at a time.

- Hosted the family Christmas.

- Helped do a paddock burn-off.

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

- Last year: 'Keep farming.' Achieved.

- Coming year: start a (tiny) farming enterprise of my own.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

- No humans.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

- No humans.

5. What countries did you visit?

- Never left Canterbury.

6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?

- Some savings and/or assets.

- Considerably more time spent with other humans.

7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched in your memory, and why?

- Nah.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

- Earning the good opinion of my boss and colleagues.

9. What was your biggest failure of the year?

- Would have to be the spilt-milk incident I guess.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

- Got sick from drinking un-pasteurised milk. Pasteurise it.

- Have munted my wrists from milking too many cows. The pain has subsided but the waking up with numb hands persists. Probably carpal tunnel. Probably a contingent liability.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

- Have bought a car and a bunch of furniture and home stuff this year. A contender for 'best' would have to be my beautiful milk jug. Ooh, or my copper kettle.

12. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

- Mine, that one time I got so angry at unco-operative cows that I raged and yelled and didn't recognise myself. Vowed I would never do it again. Since then I have milked in silence and everything goes much better.

13. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

- My dear family for helping me through a very low patch this year, with extreme levels of generosity and understanding.

14. Where did most of your money go?

- I'm not totally sure. But it went. See Q11 I guess.

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

- Having a job with a contract, a job description and people running the business who are both sane and enjoyable.

16. What song will always remind you of 2014?

- Nah.

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

a) happier or sadder?

- Probably similar on the whole.

b) fatter or thinner?

- Thinner! Dropped 18% body weight just by going to work.

c) richer or poorer?

- Tiny bit richer I guess. But with a stable income.

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

- Seeing friends. I think I say this every year. I'm so sorry I've been so neglectful :(

- Looking after my garden properly.

- Making Things.

- Making music.

- Reading.

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

- Working. Hopefully as I get better at my job I'll spend less time on it and have more energy for the above things.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

- Worked an 8 hour day on the farm, and hosted a midday feast for 8 in my wee house in the middle of it. Mercifully Dan was on hand to do most of the cooking. 

21. Did you fall in love in 2014?

- ...possibly. Still not sure about that concept. But I fell in very-happy.

22. What was your favourite TV programme?

- No TV.

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

- Nope.

24. What was the best book you read?

- Sapiens: a Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. I believe it was the only thing I read. Took me about 4 months. But it was great.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

- Having a CD player in the car and some semi-decent speakers!! And have been loving the Foals.

26. What did you want and get?

- Dan.

- A stable job, on a farm, that I enjoy.

- The respect of my boss and colleagues.

- A pet lamb. Although I stopped wanting her so much once she became impossible to contain and ate all my tulips.

- Kept in touch with a few of my favourite classmates.

27. What did you want and not get?

- Matt.

- Shepherding work.

- Dogs. Must amend this.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

- Umm maybe Interstellar I guess?

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

- Worked. Turned 30. But a couple of days later my dippys took me out for tea and bought me a cake.

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

- Shepherding. But I'm happy with what I've done.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?

- Overalls. But also a couple of forgotten dresses and things have resurfaced now I'm back in shape.

32. What kept you sane?

- Meg.

- Working hard.

- Mental discipline.

- Facebook.

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

- Haven't been paying attention.

- Ok fine still Russell Brand.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

- Haven't been paying anywhere near enough attention. Another one for the 'once I get my work-life balance sorted out' category.

35. Who did you miss?

- Humans.

- Dogs.

- Matt.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

- Dan.

- My boss and his wife are pretty great.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

- "The milk is not coming out of any of the possible outlets I am aware of; therefore it must be going into the vat" is good logic, but not infallible. The 'aware of' part being the weak point.

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

I don't want to wait any more; I'm tired of looking for answers

Take me someplace where there's music and there's laughter

I don't know if I'm scared of dying but I'm scared of living too fast, too slow

Regret, remorse, hold on, oh no I've got to go.

There's no starting over, no new beginnings; time races on

And you've just gotta keep on keeping on

Gotta keep on going, looking straight out on the road

Can't worry 'bout what's behind you or what's coming for you further up the road

I try not to hold on to what is gone, I try to do right what is wrong

I try to keep on keeping on

Yeah I just keep on keeping on

I hear a voice calling, calling out for me

These shackles I've made in an attempt to be free

Be it for reason, be it for love

I won't take the easy road

-First Aid Kit 'Silver Lining'

2013

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

- Owned and hand-raised a farm animal of my very own :) 

- Bunch of new farm tasks, e.g. operating feed-out wagon, loader, baleage wrapper, mower, hay rake. Driving a tractor all over the neighbourhood towing implements about 8m long.

- Got up at 4am every Saturday and Sunday for 4 months, to milk 4 times as many cows as I'd ever milked before. Too many cows.

- Pretty much ran all the operations of a (different) dairy shed for a couple of months.
- Did a tiny bit of deer work.
- Shot at some animals and killed them.
- Ate crayfish.
- Knitted something from my own home-spun wool :D
- Oh, hangovers. Hangovers. My first, second and last. And yeah, drinking till I spewed. Nice.

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

- I again began the year with the intention of kicking the arse of my studies, and did so. I think I also intended to be more disciplined in not helping out my classmates when they didn't deserve it, but it was just too much fun to resist. Next year: keep farming.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

- Did Jim and Joy have theirs this year? And my boss's partner.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

- No humans.

5. What countries did you visit?

- Again didn't leave the South Island. Don't think I even swam in the sea. May not have even jumped.

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

- A permanent job in South Canterbury that I like a lot.
- More animals, especially a dog.

7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched in your memory, and why?

- Hm don't think so.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

- 'A' average for my agriculture studies I guess. But then that was probably the easy part of the year. Getting drunk was probably more of an achievement for me. I promised I would and I did.

9. What was your biggest failure of the year?

- That damn B- for one paper. Sticks out like a B- on my transcript. 

- Failed to stay thin after getting all trim over the summer.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

- Nothing significant.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

- Diploma in Farm Management.

12. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

- My boss's partner, who appears to hate everybody, including me, and seems to have a talent for making any task profoundly unenjoyable for everyone.

13. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

- My awesome flatmates, for being top blokes.

14. Where did most of your money go?

 - Survival, study.

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

- The people I love.
- No doubt heaps of agricultural information and ideas that came my way.

16. What song will always remind you of 2013?

- Blurred Lines. 

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

a) happier or sadder?

- I think at this time last year I was worried about being good enough at my job, but was just about to get much happier. The former is about equally true of now; hopefully the latter is too.

b) fatter or thinner?

- Fatter. Started the year about the thinnest I've ever been, then got study-belly.

c) richer or poorer?

- Still got nothin’. Richer in knowledge.

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

- Reading and discussing non-agricultural stuff. My philosophy muscles are getting out of shape. 

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

- Same as last year: fretting about whether or not I’m doing well in my job(s). Can’t seem to help it though.

- And, if it weren't for the fact that regrets are for suckers, I suppose I might regret the amount of time spent playing Candy Crush. But regrets are for suckers. And for people who do dumb shit I guess...

20. How did you spend Christmas?

- With Matt's family. It rained, we feasted, exchanged materials and played trivial pursuit. Pleasant.

21. Did you fall in love in 2013?

- I fall in love with the universe every year. Which is lucky, coz we're hitched.

22. What was your favourite TV programme?

- Country Calendar, and all the Tuesday night wildlife type shows.

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

- I'm pretty close to hating the aforementioned boss's partner, I think. But then again, you know, I wish her well.

24. What was the best book you read?

- I barely read in 2013.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

-The Attic radio. They make me look forward to getting in the car.

26. What did you want and get?

- Oh, heaps much stuff.

- Two part time jobs to get me through my studies and increase my skills. 

- A wonderful flat with 5 farming lads from whom I learned heaps, and with whom I was on balance much happier than last year when I lived alone.

- Lots of good times with fun people. Again, big improvement on last year.

- Good marks.

- A radiantly happy sister and a new brother in law.

27. What did you want and not get?

- Straight 'A's

- Have been looking for my perfect job and haven't found it yet.

- Well, come on, there's heaps of stuff I would like. A farm. Ain't got it.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

- Tree of Life

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

- Nothing I think. Probably studied for exams. Turned 29.

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

- If I had skills and confidence to match my knowledge and 'potential'.

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

- Capitulated to Lincoln dress code, more or less.

32. What kept you sane?

- Animals.

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

- Didn't meet any. Ok fine, Russell Brand.
- Oh, and.

Lana.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

A few that have got me notably riled up have been:

- The apparent lack of understanding and effective discourse between town and country folks on issues on which they disagree. I would love to see this improved in some way, as it only makes things worse. Makes me quite angry when I hear either side of the argument make straw men out of the other side as an excuse to ignore their points of view.

- The content of the above disputes, e.g. the environmental impacts of modern farming.

- The economic structure of our society, and where it's all heading. E.g. that stuff Russell Brand's been going on about.

- The culture around sex, consent and alcohol amongst the generation with whom I've been spending most of my time this year.

- The crazy stuff Johnkey's been up to, and the importance (on the one hand) of being vigilant in a democracy about what your leaders are doing beneath the evasive/placatory talk, and the difficulty (on the other hand) of putting in enough time and effort to become adequately informed.

35. Who did you miss?

- Since uni finished I have missed my flatmates and classmates. And all the people I've been bad at keeping in touch with.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

- My flatmates probably. Well, I was dimly acquainted with them before this year.

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

- Hangovers bad.

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

- I dunno, it hasn't been a particularly lyrical or conceptually unified year.

2012

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

- Got seriously let down by an employer, and decided to seriously let them down in return.

- Helped deliver calves.

- Injected things into cows.

- Shore some sheep!

- Used a lawnmower.

- Went out boozing with teenagers.

- Cultivated some paddocks.

- Had a full-on, genuine shouting match with someone.

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

- Well I certainly began the year with the firm intention of kicking the arse of my studies - which I did. Next year: repeat.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

- Many cows, and my cousin, and various friends. Guess we’re that age now, huh.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

- Yeah, my Nana, and my dog.

5. What countries did you visit?

- Haven’t left the South Island this year. However, I have lived in 3 different provinces (Otago, Canterbury and Westland).

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

- A dog. (I’ve lacked one for about 85% of 2012.)

- My mojo back.

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

- Nothing comes to mind.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

- Was quite pleased with myself for securing a job within 5 days of quitting the previous one.

9. What was your biggest failure of the year?

- Just kinda...lost myself somewhere along the way this year. Don’t know where I’ve gone.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

- Last week some chemicals burned holes in my skin. That was pretty unpleasant. I’ve been quite battered and bruised for most of the year. Otherwise nah.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

- Loom and spinning wheel. 

12. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

- The aforementioned employers. Him: the most distressingly racist person I’ve ever met; her: possessor of the most terrifying temper.

- My classmates, who just can’t get their acts together. Sigh.

- Myself, for not finishing that jumper. Just can’t get my act together. Sigh.

13. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

- My classmates, who, despite-or-because-of the above, can be quite good fun.

- Matt, for buying that place.

- Andrew, my soon-to-be brother-in-law, for making my sister sublimely happy.

14. Where did most of your money go?

- Groceries and petrol. Not much money was circulated via me in 2012. 

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

- Grass. (not the drug; the interesting kind.)

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?

- Red Solo Cup.

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

a) happier or sadder?

- Sadder. Don’t know quite why, but I’ve become wayless, nervy, and more cynical than ever. And, like, even kinda bitchy and sour. (Mostly on the inside, but occasionally on the outside.) Where did that come from?

b) fatter or thinner?

- Thinner. Got fatter while studying, but then I started working on a dairy farm. Far out. 

c) richer or poorer?

- Still got nothin’. 

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

- Shearing sheep.

- Being in the company of people who inspire me and lead me to grow instead of crumble away. And whom I inspire too. That would have been nice.

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

- Fretting about whether or not I’m doing well in my job(s). Can’t seem to help it though.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

- My family had Christmas 10 days early, at my folks’ house. The usual politely-enjoyable day with a moderate feast. On the real Christmas day I cooked parts of another feast, consumed it with the family I’m working for, and milked cows.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012?

- Yes - with grass.

22. What was your favourite TV programme?

- Country Calendar.

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

- I despise/have no respect for a few people. Hate isn’t quite the word for it.

24. What was the best book you read?

- A collection of essays about pastures that my uncle lent me.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

- I’ve been out of the habit of making musical discoveries this year. Or out of the social circles for it. Oh, M83 are fun though, and Lykke Li.

26. What did you want and get?

- More farming knowledge and experience.

- Friends in my class.

- A farm to live on during the year.

- A [small] scholarship for next year.

- Into the habit of baking my own bread.

27. What did you want and not get?

- A farmer to marry-or-whatever. Probably won’t find one. And kinda don’t want one anyway. Gah, this whole subject is a mess in my head.

- A more bigger scholarship. (still time though.)

- A clear career path all figured out. Though I probably didn’t really want this - otherwise I would have it.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

- Melancholia. (was that this year? I watched it this year anyhow.)

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

- Don’t think I did anything much. Might even have been during mid-year exams. Turned 28.

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

- More internet.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?

- I *tried* to maintain my individuality in a class that pretty much has a uniform (stubbies, jandals-or-gumboots, plaid shirt)...but a little differentness goes a long way in that class.

32. What kept you sane?

- I like how this question presupposes that I stayed sane in 2012. If I did, it was thanks to Meg, animals and facebook.

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

- Senjougahara Hitagi

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

- The future of agriculture, re sustainable possibilities etc. Like, what's our plan for when phosphate runs out, after we've flushed it all down the toilet?

35. Who did you miss?

- My dog Fly. 

36. Who was the best new person you met?

- ...gonna have to go with Hamish, my amoral but highly entertaining classmate, whom I love beyond all reason.

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

- Sign papers. There’s a reason everyone else always does that.

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

- “Love is the king of the beasts, and when it gets hungry it must kill to eat.” (Bill Callahan, ‘Eid Ma Clack Shaw’) (I don’t really know what this means, but it seems to share my Mood of the Year in some way.)

2011

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

-Delivered lambs. Lots of lambs.

-Found paid employment in farming, twice.

-Machine-milked some cows.

-Caught sheep with a crook.

-Rounded up sheep with a sheep dog. Well I guess I won't list *all* the new things I've done through having several new jobs.

-Feared for my life in my own living room.

-Bought a car from someone I didn't know.

-Skinned a rabbit and turned it into dinner.

-Went cross-country skiing, including on a frozen lake and a frozen sea.

-Was interviewed for a Finnish radio station.

-Witnessed a cat eating her own kitten.

-Made my brother proud.

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

-Didn't make any, and again won't.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

-Many sheep gave birth extremely close to me! And yeah, a few humans too.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

-Ditto with the sheep. Humans no.

5. What countries did you visit?

-Scotland, Wales, England, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, New Zealand.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

-Just some more farming knowledge will do nicely.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched in your memory, and why?

-Feb 22, of course. Coming down for breakfast in Finland with the lamb I'd been reviving in my room through the night, all delighted and proud that she'd survived till morning, and then hearing the news from home on Swedish radio.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

-Getting employment as a shepherd, twice, and doing, it seems, tolerably well at it.

9. What was your biggest failure of the year?

-I guess I failed to save up enough for next year's study fees, or to get any scholarships.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

-Developed this weird breathing thing.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

-Spindle.

-Quite love my wee car.

12. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

-Racism in Southland is pretty appalling.

-Petey, this Australian guy at our staff party at my flat in Edinburgh. He'd previously been banned from our flat for peeing on the couch, and he DID IT AGAIN in a drunken stupor, and THEN later the next day peed on our carpet while asleep at the dining table. GET OUT PETEY.

13. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

-Most people in Chch.

-Matt and Ulla, my hosts in Finland, who love their sheep.

-Fly, my canine friend and colleague, who is a remarkable creature.

-Sheep are overdue for some celebration.

14. Where did most of your money go?

-Plane ticket home, transport around Europe, car.

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

-Oh, everything!

-Sweden.

16. What song will always remind of you of 2011?

-Well there's plenty, but only because I've been listening to them; no deeper reason.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?

-About equally jubilant I think. Ever so slightly less cocky.

b) fatter or thinner?

-About the same.

c) richer or poorer?

-About equally close to destitution. Well I have one asset now I suppose.

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

-Since coming home 6 months ago, I definitely wish I'd spent more time with people I liked.

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

-Watching TV and refreshing facebook, when I could have been getting some spinning and knitting and weaving done.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

-Very, very quietly with family. The average age among us was 61, and between the 8 of us a single bottle of wine was consumed. Meg and I cooked the midday feast, which was great fun.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?

-Not exactly.

22. What was your favourite TV programme?

-David Attenborough's 'Planet Earth'.

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

-No, I'm still too much of a coward to hate. I sometimes try to hate thistles. But really I should transfer my hate to the people that brought them here.

24. What was the best book you read?

-Currently enjoying the massive tome, "Sheep and Man", by Professor somebody.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

-That listening to RDU now makes me feel old and out of touch.

26. What did you want and get?

-Job satisfaction!

-A tan.

-More time in Scandinavia.

27. What did you want and not get?

-Even more time in Scandinavia.

-Didn't win Lotto. (After a particularly depressing conversation with some locals about farm prices, yes, I really did buy my first ever Lotto ticket. It was kind of exciting. But useless.)

-Tractor driving experience.

-Fence constructing experience.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

-Meek's Cutoff, probably. I have not been much of a media consumer this year. Oh Harry Potter 7a had some lovely British scenery moments and an awesome song.

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

-Turned 27 a few days after coming home from overseas. I actually can't remember what I did. Something with friends I hope.

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

-Secret.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

-Steelcap boots. Merino tops. Waterproof overalls. Long breezy dresses for after hours.

32. What kept you sane?

-I was in no danger of insanity in 2011.

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

-Salma Hayek.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

-Occupy Wall St was stirring, but I did nothing about it.

-Anything involving land management in NZ.

35. Who did you miss?

-Matt, but then he came over.

-James.

-Susan.

-Harry.

-Matt and Ulla.

-Having a social circle.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

-Andreas, our couchsurfing host in Trondheim, Norway. He dressed like a pirate. And Lars, the cheery blacksmith, our couchsurfing host in Tingersjo, Sweden.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

-Determination and a good attitude and much passion are necessary, but not sufficient, for being as valuable in this kind of work as a big strong man would be.

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

"Looking at life through a farmer's eyes

Always aware of the changing skies

Working with nature as all round the farm

He tries to make sure that things come to no harm."

-from the Postman Pat record we listened to as kids.

The Madman

Once when I was living in the heart of a pomegranate, I heard a seed saying, "Someday I shall become a tree, and the wind will sing in my branches, and the sun will dance on my leaves, and I shall be strong and beautiful through all the seasons."

Then another seed spoke and said, "When I was as young as you, I too held such views; but now that I can weigh and measure things, I see that my hopes were vain."

And a third seed spoke also, "I see in us nothing that promises so great a future."

And a fourth said, "But what a mockery our life would be, without a greater future!"

Said a fifth, "Why dispute what we shall be, when we know not even what we are."

But a sixth replied, "Whatever we are, that we shall continue to be."

And a seventh said, "I have such a clear idea how everything will be, but I cannot put it into words."

Then an eighth spoke -- and a ninth -- and a tenth -- and then many -- until all were speaking, and I could distinguish nothing for the many voices.

And so I moved that very day into the heart of a quince, where the seeds are few and almost silent.

--Kahlil Gibran

Oh I forgot to mention

My new year's resolution. Or rather, I hadn't actually made it till a few days into January. Anyway, it is: less anthropomorphism. It's a bad habit.

2010

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

-Ask me in private.
-Also, went to like Venice and stuff. Saw an opera in an open-air Roman amphitheatre.
-Plucked, gutted, jointed and cooked a pheasant.
-Was a bridesmaid.
-Was homeless for 4 months.
-Drove on the righthand side of the road (in countries where you are supposed to).
-Made a wall in a real live house.
-Stomped grapes for wine-making.
-Crocheted stuff.

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

-Apparently, I resolved: 'less sugar'. Nah fail.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

-Yeah several friends and cousins, whose offspring I look forward to meeting one day.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

-No.

5. What countries did you visit?

-England, Scotland, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Finland, passed ever so briefly through Austria.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

-A home, I suppose. And some sheep.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched in your memory, and why?

-Dates? Nah none particularly. Sister's wedding I guess, August 6.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

-Choosing a vocation. And I am pretty proud of my relationship with my sister.

9. What was your biggest failure of the year?

-Didn't do a very good job of things like staying in touch with people. Like, telling people they're loved is one thing, but contributing to their lives is another. I have, in short, been rather selfish.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

-Seem to have recently developed a propensity for migraines. i.e. in the last 6 months. Don't know why.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

-Interrail Pass for my Europe trip was pretty great.

12. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

-The People of Edinburgh, who, it seems, all think it's someone else's job to shovel the snow from the footpath in front of their house, and then complain about the state of the roads. (Though please note, I didn't do it either.)
-Also, I encountered some more disastrous parenting at one of the homes I stayed in. Appalled and depressed are good words for what it made me.

13. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

-Whoever it was who did get around to shovelling the paths in my housing estate after the second bout of snow. Thanks.
-Also, the behaviour in general of Scandinavians merits celebration, especially with regard to cold endurance and getting on with things.

14. Where did most of your money go?

-Transport.

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

-Wool.

16. What song will always remind of you of 2010?

-All trance music.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?

-About equally jubilant I think.

b) fatter or thinner?

-Same.

c) richer or poorer?

-Same. Well now. That was a bit of a boring one. Ok, well, but I do feel a lot stronger, in both mind and body. Like, I feel pretty close to invincible. Despite having spent last night vomiting stomach acid into the toilet for no clear reason :S But you know, I'll be fine tomorrow.

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

-Spinning and weaving. But that's what the rest of my life is for :)

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

-Crack.
-Nah jk :) Could probably have done without cooking quite so many burgers, to be honest. But they weren't that interested in paying me for doing nothing, so there it is.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

-At Meg's flat in Edinburgh. We woke to a flooded kitchen, got grumpy with each other, made up, cooked roast duck with fig, cranberry and port relish, and made merry for the rest of the day. Phoned mum and dad, and got at least a second-hand experience of these earthquakes y'all have been having.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?

-Still don't believe in 'in love' - at least not for me. I have loved many people though. And also many dogs lol. Well, the entire canine species really.

22. What was your favourite TV programme?

-what? don't fucking care.

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

-I actually came weirdly close to hating someone this last month. One of my workmates. A perfectly nice guy, but kind of dopey and vaccuous in a way that just never failed to piss me off, and keep me in a simmering bad mood all day. But that can't really be hate, can it?

24. What was the best book you read?

-Currently very much enjoying Michel Faber's 'The Crimson Petal and the White'.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

-Dancing :D

26. What did you want and get?

-A good ragging.
-Friends.
-Colourful life experiences.
-Free gigs!

27. What did you want and not get?

-Devendra Banhart.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

-Harry Potter. Did I see any others? Not sure.

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

-I sold pies to punters on the Isle of Wight. My boss bought me a cake. I turned into a person well through her twenties. Nah, but 26 is fun.

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

-Nothing really springs to mind. It was about as satisfying as I could have wished, really.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

-Gumboots. Again. Fiercely practical for the most part, but always made sure I had something feminine to change into for dinner :)

32. What kept you sane?

-Weed.
-Jk. Facebook.

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

-Hm, can't think of any really. I dunno, list some public figures and I'll tell you if I fancied them.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

-The big ones. Mostly.

35. Who did you miss?

-You.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

-Hm, how to choose? Possibly Gordie, the toothless plumber from Manchester who had a song, a smile and a lewd joke for every occasion.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

-I can change myself less than I thought, and my life/circumstances more than I thought.

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

I am no longer afraid of anything,
Save the life that here awaits