That Was The Year That Was 2014
The end-of-year 40 questions meme.
1. What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?
Attended football matches completely on my own. Terrifying, but I feel proud of having done it. And shall do it again.
Got paid for publications! Though that has happened before, it has been quite some time.
Connected with a community of fellow Richmond supporters.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Don't make 'em. Can't break 'em.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I got another great-niece and another great-nephew this year, didn't I? (I'm a great-aunt, don't expect my memory to be brilliant *wink*)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My original answer here was "So far, no. Ask me again at midnight and this answer may've changed. I'm serious.", but I got the phone call while I was filling out this meme...
My eldest brother, Bill, passed away last night, around 1:30am, after losing his battle with cancer. Vale.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia.
6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
A vastly better job opportunity for my lovely love.
7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Well, today's certainly going down in family history, for starters.
Also the very first days of September - a heady time to be a Richmond supporter this year, it was intense and delightful, but Dan Jackson retired suddenly and I'm still sad about that.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Firstly, getting through some of the brain shittiness that happened this year. Secondly, recommitting to my writing in a big way. And it feels good.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not taking care of us well enough.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just brain weasels.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My trusty Richmond F.C. membership.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My darling D, as always. Always.
Also, Richmond who, after a very ordinary start to the year, turned everything around and made me so bloody proud I can't tell you. X-)
Also, whoever this lone Richmond supporter was in the sea of Port Adelaide fans...
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Our fucking government. Sad excuses for human beings, one and all.
14. Where did most of your money go?
As with last year, "surviving".
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My resurgent writing endeavours.
Richmond's 9-game winning streak & getting into the Finals.
16. What song will always remind you of 2014?
My song of the year this year is Messin' With The Kid by Australia's first punk band The Saints.
Also, because there's no place in this meme to talk specifically about gigs, I shall do so here: we saw D's favourite band together this year, which was a lovely thing. So now D's seen The Damned and Died Pretty with me, and I've seen Veruca Salt with him. :)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? probably happier, after enduring great swathes of "much sadder" earlier in the year
ii. thinner or fatter? lighter, definitely (currently lightest I've been in about a decade!)
iii. richer or poorer? about the same, sadly
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Even more writing / submitting / getting published (but hey, I'm pretty happy with what did get done).
Even more footy (even if it was to be on my lonesome).
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being frightened.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Just the two of us again. Plates on our laps 'cos I hadn't found the wherewithal to clean up & clear all the junk off the table.
21. What LJ users did you meet for the first time?
None, I don't believe. Hang on - Countess Reynaldo from twitter is an LJ person too, isn't she?
22. Did you fall in love in 2014?
Re-fell in love with my wonderful Richmond boys. X-)
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Wrote all about this year's telly over here. 2014 being most notable for being the year I gave up on Supernatural. :( Favourite show, then, would still be Spartacus, of which I enjoyed several re-watchings.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Our fucking government. But I hated them this time last year, too.
26. What was the best book you read?
My one wot isn't one as yet, of course. ;)
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
"Old" band discovery - Pagans
"New" band discovery - Savages
Honourable mention (also under the "old" discoveries) to Pantherman by Pantherman. :)
28. What did you want and get?
Publications happening again.
29. What did you want and not get?
An employer who fully appreciates just how wonderful kits_the_dm is. :(
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Pride. Need to see again. And buy on dvd. :)
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Subdued things. It was around the time I realised I'd been seriously depressed for most of the past decade. On the upside, I received a signed photo of Dan Feuerriegel! X-)
And once more with feeling Sparty's big boofhead getting in the way:
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
For both of us - financial security.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Same as it's been for the past umpteen years. Black'n'blokey.
34. What kept you sane?
Hah! :P
Seriously though... D and Geek Lunch and Richmond.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Dan Feuerriegel. Andy Park. Dan Jackson. Brett Deledio. Steven Morris. Australians, one and all whatthefuckingfuck.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Equality. Still, and always. Fuckin' fucks. Arrgghhhhh. *froth*
37. Who did you miss?
Too many to mention. And Mister, the beat-up stray gentleman cat who lived in our backyard for ages and ages and who I suspect may've been Sparty's father. We haven't seen him since mid September. :(
38. Who was the best new person you met?
For internet varieties of "met"... cool Richmond supporters with great taste in music (all via twitter) and sparklemotion74 on tumblr. :)
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
Like the tigers of old / We're strong and we're bold.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Sometimes you get that old lost feeling
Sometimes it hits you when you're feeling down
It's that old feeling, honey, brings you down
I say it makes you crawl
- Messin' With The Kid
The Saints (Chris Bailey / Ed Kuepper)
1. What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?
Attended football matches completely on my own. Terrifying, but I feel proud of having done it. And shall do it again.
Got paid for publications! Though that has happened before, it has been quite some time.
Connected with a community of fellow Richmond supporters.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Don't make 'em. Can't break 'em.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I got another great-niece and another great-nephew this year, didn't I? (I'm a great-aunt, don't expect my memory to be brilliant *wink*)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My original answer here was "So far, no. Ask me again at midnight and this answer may've changed. I'm serious.", but I got the phone call while I was filling out this meme...
My eldest brother, Bill, passed away last night, around 1:30am, after losing his battle with cancer. Vale.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia.
6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
A vastly better job opportunity for my lovely love.
7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Well, today's certainly going down in family history, for starters.
Also the very first days of September - a heady time to be a Richmond supporter this year, it was intense and delightful, but Dan Jackson retired suddenly and I'm still sad about that.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Firstly, getting through some of the brain shittiness that happened this year. Secondly, recommitting to my writing in a big way. And it feels good.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not taking care of us well enough.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just brain weasels.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My trusty Richmond F.C. membership.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My darling D, as always. Always.
Also, Richmond who, after a very ordinary start to the year, turned everything around and made me so bloody proud I can't tell you. X-)
Also, whoever this lone Richmond supporter was in the sea of Port Adelaide fans...
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Our fucking government. Sad excuses for human beings, one and all.
14. Where did most of your money go?
As with last year, "surviving".
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My resurgent writing endeavours.
Richmond's 9-game winning streak & getting into the Finals.
16. What song will always remind you of 2014?
My song of the year this year is Messin' With The Kid by Australia's first punk band The Saints.
Also, because there's no place in this meme to talk specifically about gigs, I shall do so here: we saw D's favourite band together this year, which was a lovely thing. So now D's seen The Damned and Died Pretty with me, and I've seen Veruca Salt with him. :)
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? probably happier, after enduring great swathes of "much sadder" earlier in the year
ii. thinner or fatter? lighter, definitely (currently lightest I've been in about a decade!)
iii. richer or poorer? about the same, sadly
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Even more writing / submitting / getting published (but hey, I'm pretty happy with what did get done).
Even more footy (even if it was to be on my lonesome).
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Being frightened.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Just the two of us again. Plates on our laps 'cos I hadn't found the wherewithal to clean up & clear all the junk off the table.
21. What LJ users did you meet for the first time?
None, I don't believe. Hang on - Countess Reynaldo from twitter is an LJ person too, isn't she?
22. Did you fall in love in 2014?
Re-fell in love with my wonderful Richmond boys. X-)
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Wrote all about this year's telly over here. 2014 being most notable for being the year I gave up on Supernatural. :( Favourite show, then, would still be Spartacus, of which I enjoyed several re-watchings.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Our fucking government. But I hated them this time last year, too.
26. What was the best book you read?
My one wot isn't one as yet, of course. ;)
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
"Old" band discovery - Pagans
Click to view"New" band discovery - Savages
Honourable mention (also under the "old" discoveries) to Pantherman by Pantherman. :)
28. What did you want and get?
Publications happening again.
29. What did you want and not get?
An employer who fully appreciates just how wonderful kits_the_dm is. :(
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Pride. Need to see again. And buy on dvd. :)
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Subdued things. It was around the time I realised I'd been seriously depressed for most of the past decade. On the upside, I received a signed photo of Dan Feuerriegel! X-)
And once more with feeling Sparty's big boofhead getting in the way:
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
For both of us - financial security.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Same as it's been for the past umpteen years. Black'n'blokey.
34. What kept you sane?
Hah! :P
Seriously though... D and Geek Lunch and Richmond.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Dan Feuerriegel. Andy Park. Dan Jackson. Brett Deledio. Steven Morris. Australians, one and all whatthefuckingfuck.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Equality. Still, and always. Fuckin' fucks. Arrgghhhhh. *froth*
37. Who did you miss?
Too many to mention. And Mister, the beat-up stray gentleman cat who lived in our backyard for ages and ages and who I suspect may've been Sparty's father. We haven't seen him since mid September. :(
38. Who was the best new person you met?
For internet varieties of "met"... cool Richmond supporters with great taste in music (all via twitter) and sparklemotion74 on tumblr. :)
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
Like the tigers of old / We're strong and we're bold.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Sometimes you get that old lost feeling
Sometimes it hits you when you're feeling down
It's that old feeling, honey, brings you down
I say it makes you crawl
- Messin' With The Kid
The Saints (Chris Bailey / Ed Kuepper)