2014 meme
1. What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?
Went to a bunch of new nations, had a random guy give me his number, one night stand, lost friends due to politics, went to a camel show, flown on a 13 hour domestic flight, nearly got arrested at a political rally, stood for hours outside the Belorusian embassy in Moscow, visited a Buddhist temple, seriously considered jacking in a job with no notice, had jewellery custom made, worn a niqab, visited a death camp, visited Niagara falls, gambled, went to Tomsk, went to Kamchatka. I will be going to an embassy party!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Well, I worked hard and saved! But But then I spent it all. And I failed to read Das Kapital.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A few friends
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sergei Koshkovitch :(
5. What countries did you visit?
Russia and the UK (if they count), Spain, Belarus, Poland, Canada, the US, Saudi Arabia (I'm living there so I don't know if visit is the right word), Sri Lanka, Bahrain. It's been a record for new countries! And the airports at Doha and Beirut.
6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
More money, calm, a boyfriend
7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January, having fun with Mum in Barcelona, early March, when I was worried due to the invasion of Crimea and I saw my first arrest at a political rally and wondered what was with the Russia I loved. 22nd May, leaving Russia. End of August - Saudi.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Saving!
9. What was your biggest failure?
Losing students, Spending too much, putting weight back on
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Books and train tickets, a ticket to Sri Lanka and a trip to Bahrain.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My chums :)
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Politicians. People who I thought were my friends learning to dislike me because they thought because I didn't like Putin I hated Russia.
14. Where did most of your money go?
books, travel, jewels
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Travel!
16. What song will always remind you of 2014?
Family of the Year - Hero (for the delightful film Boyhood, and the rare feeling of optimism in the summer), Blixa Bargeld - what if
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier/sadder; fatter/thinner; richer/poorer?
a) Sadder
b) Fatter
c) About the same.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Improving my mind, writing
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Faffing
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Marking and then in a car to Bahrain where I drank and danced the night away :)
21. Did you fall in love in 2014?
I had my hopes up, but no.
22. How many one-night stands?
Two. One of which I had hoped wouldn't be...
23. What was your favourite TV program?
I didn't watch any tv. Game of Thrones I guess.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No
25. What was the best book you read?
Barracuda, The handmaid's tale, One Summer
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Discovering Blixa Bargeld's collaboration with Terho Teatro. The Kinks.
27. What did you want and get?
Money, travel
28. What did you want and not get?
Love
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
Calvary. Boyhood. Grand Budapest Hotel.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
33 I was working but I went for a curry with my friend in the evening.
31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Love, calmness.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Garish!.
33. What kept you sane?
Concentrating on a happier future.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Not saying.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Crimea, the Tory sell off of the NHS. Iron Dome and the Gaza shit.
36. Who did you miss?
The family.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
My new housemates here at the university.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
Take mental health over money.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Another year and then you'll be happy.
There have been a lot of highlights this year, but it's also been a year of emotional upheaval and bloody seismic shifts in my life.
My friendly, benevolent Russia showed her ugly side, I cannot say I like my new life in KSA much at all and I only hope I can last till June. I feel permanently on edge here and I hate the angry, sour person I am turning into. All my energy is concentrated on getting through the year.
I had some fun at a party in October with a guy but he has since been blowing cold so that's been a sadness lately.
One thankfulness is that my parents seem to be ok and my sister has a new job to enable her to spend more time with the kids. But I worry whenever I think of them.
Dreams of settling have seemed ever more elusive, I am gradually reconciling myself to the fact that stillness is going to be a pipe dream, maybe even forever and perhaps I should start looking at downsizing my life yet further.
I've got my beachball feeling again, where I am tossed on the waves and don't know what will happen - hoping only the sharks don't bite me nor the waves overpower and puncture me.
Went to a bunch of new nations, had a random guy give me his number, one night stand, lost friends due to politics, went to a camel show, flown on a 13 hour domestic flight, nearly got arrested at a political rally, stood for hours outside the Belorusian embassy in Moscow, visited a Buddhist temple, seriously considered jacking in a job with no notice, had jewellery custom made, worn a niqab, visited a death camp, visited Niagara falls, gambled, went to Tomsk, went to Kamchatka. I will be going to an embassy party!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Well, I worked hard and saved! But But then I spent it all. And I failed to read Das Kapital.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A few friends
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sergei Koshkovitch :(
5. What countries did you visit?
Russia and the UK (if they count), Spain, Belarus, Poland, Canada, the US, Saudi Arabia (I'm living there so I don't know if visit is the right word), Sri Lanka, Bahrain. It's been a record for new countries! And the airports at Doha and Beirut.
6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
More money, calm, a boyfriend
7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January, having fun with Mum in Barcelona, early March, when I was worried due to the invasion of Crimea and I saw my first arrest at a political rally and wondered what was with the Russia I loved. 22nd May, leaving Russia. End of August - Saudi.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Saving!
9. What was your biggest failure?
Losing students, Spending too much, putting weight back on
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Books and train tickets, a ticket to Sri Lanka and a trip to Bahrain.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My chums :)
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Politicians. People who I thought were my friends learning to dislike me because they thought because I didn't like Putin I hated Russia.
14. Where did most of your money go?
books, travel, jewels
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Travel!
16. What song will always remind you of 2014?
Family of the Year - Hero (for the delightful film Boyhood, and the rare feeling of optimism in the summer), Blixa Bargeld - what if
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier/sadder; fatter/thinner; richer/poorer?
a) Sadder
b) Fatter
c) About the same.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Improving my mind, writing
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Faffing
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Marking and then in a car to Bahrain where I drank and danced the night away :)
21. Did you fall in love in 2014?
I had my hopes up, but no.
22. How many one-night stands?
Two. One of which I had hoped wouldn't be...
23. What was your favourite TV program?
I didn't watch any tv. Game of Thrones I guess.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No
25. What was the best book you read?
Barracuda, The handmaid's tale, One Summer
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Discovering Blixa Bargeld's collaboration with Terho Teatro. The Kinks.
27. What did you want and get?
Money, travel
28. What did you want and not get?
Love
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
Calvary. Boyhood. Grand Budapest Hotel.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
33 I was working but I went for a curry with my friend in the evening.
31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Love, calmness.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Garish!.
33. What kept you sane?
Concentrating on a happier future.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Not saying.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Crimea, the Tory sell off of the NHS. Iron Dome and the Gaza shit.
36. Who did you miss?
The family.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
My new housemates here at the university.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
Take mental health over money.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Another year and then you'll be happy.
There have been a lot of highlights this year, but it's also been a year of emotional upheaval and bloody seismic shifts in my life.
My friendly, benevolent Russia showed her ugly side, I cannot say I like my new life in KSA much at all and I only hope I can last till June. I feel permanently on edge here and I hate the angry, sour person I am turning into. All my energy is concentrated on getting through the year.
I had some fun at a party in October with a guy but he has since been blowing cold so that's been a sadness lately.
One thankfulness is that my parents seem to be ok and my sister has a new job to enable her to spend more time with the kids. But I worry whenever I think of them.
Dreams of settling have seemed ever more elusive, I am gradually reconciling myself to the fact that stillness is going to be a pipe dream, maybe even forever and perhaps I should start looking at downsizing my life yet further.
I've got my beachball feeling again, where I am tossed on the waves and don't know what will happen - hoping only the sharks don't bite me nor the waves overpower and puncture me.