Goodbye 2014
As per tradition, this year's new year meme. I actually wrote half of this up last year but got really lazy.
- What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?
I bought a house!!! I also did all the things that come with buying a house, like get a mortgage and a financial adviser, learn how to paint a wall and pull skirting boards off the wall. I also (finally!!) graduated and was handed my degree by ex-Victorian Police Chief Commissioner and the first female state Chief Commissioner, Christine Nixon. This photo resulted from accidently making eye contact with her after the ceremony and being forced into an awkward conversation of how I admire her role in breaking glass ceilings. On a side-note, I also did my first chin-up this year!
- Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year I apparently wanted to "get ripped." I tried, but admittedly not to the point where I ate like an athelete and I'm okay with that. I really got into HIIT and have slowly taken up running. Next year my career will probably be amping up, so my resolution will be to maintain the current fitness and diet lifestyle I have. I'd also like to be able to run four kilometers, roughly the length of a bushwalk near my house, without stopping. But we'll see how my knees and ankles hold up.
I think there are abs in there somewhere, but honestly I'm pretty happy with my body as it is. What I've learnt is that a six pack isn't an indication of someone's fitness and everyone's going to have some form of a gut after eating lunch.
- Did anyone close to you give birth?
Another one of Ken's cousin had a baby girl. - Did anyone close to you die?
A close family friend passed away, which made me realise how time flies. It feels like yesterday when he was driving me home from the hairdressers after getting my hair done for the Year 11 formal. A work colleague from work also passed away unexpectantly and far from his time. That hit home the importance of family before work and looking after your body. - What countries did you visit?
Ken and I travelled to Hong Kong for a week and a bit. Out first international trip in two years. - What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
I wish I'd worked with more motivation and efficiency than I did. Likely a byproduct of working from home. - What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
24th November, the day we left for Hong Kong. - What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Doing my first chin-up; there was a lot of dancing when that happened. Also buying my first house, but that seems so far away now. - What was your biggest failure?
Eh, working inefficiently. - Did you suffer illness or injury?
My plantar fascittis in my left foot is constantly inflammed, which makes walking and standing painful sometimes :( - What was the best thing you bought?
I'm pretty sure buying a house just about tops every single purchase ever made in my lifetime thus far. 2014 was also the year I truly discovered eBay. Nothing like a mortgage to make you more thrifty. My workout wardrobe grew substantially (there's actually a whole lot more aweseome crop tops and shorts I have yet to post on here), J.Crew overtook my life (in a good way, I mean, who doesn't aspire to look like a J.Crew model as they get older??) and I got to own two amazing Lady Petrova dresses. Oh yeh, and lots and lots of beautiful lingerie too. - Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I work with a really amazing bunch of developers in India and Sri Lanka that get shit done. I am constantly amazed at what they're able to achieve and how on-point it is with my out-of-the-box directions. Also my mum is constantly stella and the rock in our ever-moving family. - Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
My bosses, because I deserve a pay rise. - Where did most of your money go?
Paying for the house and to the government. The amount I payed for stamp duty could have payed for a deposit on another house; ridiculous!! - What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Buying a house!!! Going to Disneyland in Hong Kong (and going to Hong Kong in general because two years without a proper holiday makes you happy to go just about anywhere) and previewing Petrova's latest collection also had me having heart palpitations. - What song will always remind you of 2014?
Taylor Swift's entire 1989 album. - Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? Stronger, and actually bigger!
c) richer or poorer? Poorer; thanks mortgage! - What do you wish you'd done more of?
Working efficiently and taking life by the horns. - What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying about my life. - How will you be spending NYE?.
Ken and I had a late dinner at Red Spice Road (again, because it's really good value and really yum!) and spent an hour wandering the city before watching the fireworks. - Did you fall in love in 2014?
Still in love. - How many one-night stands?
None. - What was your favourite TV programme?
I started watching Avatar: The Legend of Korra in the dying days of 2014, which is turning out to be all sorts of awesome and that will likely be my favourite show of 2015 too. DaVinci's Demons was a real surprise and Orange is the New Black is so unbelievably hilarious. - Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't think I really hated anyone this year. Except for some asshole contractors I had to work with, but that's nothing new. - What was the best book you read?
I don't even think I read a book :( - What was your greatest musical discovery?
None. I honestly had no time to find and download new stuff. - What did you want and get?
I wanted a house and I got a house. I wanted all the furniture currently in our house, and I was lucky enough to have a boyfriend who trusts my taste in furniture, so I got all that too. I also wanted to be significantly fitter, and that happened too! - What did you want and not get?
I wanted this ridiculously priced bed frame (hand-made out of Australian hardwood), but honestly that was never going to happen. I also really wanted a six-pack, for no other reason other than the assumption that all really fit people have them. - What was your favourite film of this year?
I honestly really liked the third Hunger Games film. I thought the acting from the entire cast was stella and J.Law almost made me tear up a couple of times. The Hundred Foot Journey was so satisfying too. In actuality, The Grand Budapest Hotel should have been my favourite, had I actually gotten around to seeing it (but I haven't. Maybe it'll be my favourite fim on 2015). - What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 25 and I honestly can't remember what we did. It looks like I worked on my birthday. Very exciting, I know. - What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting a pay rise! - How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
Moving into a more stream-lined silhouette with classic cuts in unique prints and fabrics. Also thinking more about how individual pieces will work with my current wardrobe (because, you know, mortgage and all). And also a tiny bit of Lady Petrova thrown in. - What kept you sane?
Ken and my pet rabbit. - Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Eddie Redmayne has just completely blown up. Bless. Ken also started watching Strike Back again, which makes me want Richard Armitage all over again. - What political issue stirred you the most?
The fact that Tony Abbott is a complete dick. - Who did you miss?
I missed New York. - Who was the best new person you met?
All the new Lady Petrova ladies! Sometimes you just need people who you can talk endlessly about stupid things like lipglosses, fabric composition and wedding dresses. These are my girls.
- Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.
Perseverance and hard work will pay off and it's not the end result that matters, but what you learn along the way.