It's that time of year again
That time where I self-indulgently complete a meme! Hooray!
Year in the life of Lone Cow, 2008
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
(Not in order) Went to Darwin, graduated university, got an office job and started driving in rush hour traffic regularly (bleh), was made redundant from Starbucks, got a working holiday visa, got my full driving licence, slept under the stars (pretty) and risked getting attacked by cane toads while sleeping (not pretty).
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Hah. Surprise, surprise, I did pretty much nothing on my resolutions to help survive a zombie apocalypse. I am cooking more often, however, and am starting to make meals without recipes and from scratch. Non-zombie resolutions (save money and finish the photo P365) were both completed successfully.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Rob and Lucie, earlier this year. Pete and Jen too. (Congratulations!)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Back to England! Hopefully we’ll visit Scotland soon over these holidays.
I still think interstate travel should count - it takes 4 hours by plane to reach Darwin from Melbourne! That's like flying over most of Europe!
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Hm. An idea of what I really want to do with my future. Not what I should do, or would love to do in an idealised world, but something I can actually see myself doing, enjoying, and getting satisfaction out of.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 15th, leaving for England. I had to look up the date of my graduation, so I guess I can’t really say that date is etched into my memory. August 21st, J came to visit again.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
A part of me feels like I should say graduation, but to be honest I’ve been feeling pretty disenchanted with the whole process of university - I didn’t do much more than the minimum I was capable of, and it just happened to be enough for me to get through.
I guess organising travel to Darwin, and camping out under the stars in the National Parks. That was pretty cool, and I'm glad we got to go.
I haven’t been in England long enough to achieve anything yet. Ask me later.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not preparing more for a future after university, I guess. On the other hand, I think that’s what this time away is for, so I’m not sure. Lapses in judgement are always fun, too.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Hayfever this year was medicated quite successfully - it was lovely! I highly recommend being able to breathe.
Oh, and that one time when something got stuck in my eye and then we spent 5 hours waiting in the so-called emergency room and then when my eye FINALLY got examined they couldn’t find anything? Remember that time? What a great time.
Apart from all that, just the usual colds and coughs.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I bought Henry last year - I think I’m quite fond of his macro lens. Makes everything look interesting when you zoom up on them.
My laptop is a lot happier now that I have an external hard drive - the photos are no longer clogging it up so it’s doing pretty good. I have a year’s worth of photos on it now. The laptop’s still a grumpy old beast, but it no longer takes 10 minutes to start up! Hooray for external hard drives!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
J, for putting up with my various melt-downs and rants, not just this year but all the time previously we’ve been together.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Mine, sometimes.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Probably on my very expensive photography hobby now. Flights to Darwin and England. Next year will probably be rent, though.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Finishing university. America electing Barack Obama. Seeing Doug Jones at Armageddon.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2008?
Jonathan Coulton - The Future Soon
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Not sure.
b) thinner or fatter? No idea. I expect I’m mostly the same, though.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I should have tried more new restaurants back in Melbourne - now I’m away and reading about all these great places and I’m homesick all over again.
Spent more time with Basil. I feel the worst about leaving him behind - everyone else I can still communicate with, let them know I'm OK and still around. I know he's probably forgotten I exist, but still, I feel guilty about just abandoning him.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
The dumb things, the embarrassing things, the frivolous things.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At J’s house with his family. After that we will hopefully go see some snow.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes. His name is Henry and he is short, dark and handsome and takes excellent photos.
22. How many one-night stands?
Eleventy squillion. I just get better every year.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
Hm. Just finished catching up with Merlin with the BBC iPlayer function (I love iPlayer - we have no TV so this is what we use). I love how terribly dumb the characters can be sometimes, and I snark the fashion and J snarks the weapons and armour. I will always be a sucker for Arthurian legend, though.
Also, it’s so nice to see Anthony Head (Giles) back on TV again.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not individuals, really. Hate takes real sustained effort, you know.
25. What was the best book you read?
I should make a new question for this part - what is the best book and a separate one for what is the best comic book. For the book I’d say Claudia Gray’s vampire novel Evernight.
For the comic book I think I love Jamie McKelvie’s Suburban Glamour too much to not mention it. The art is pretty, it involves fairies and I just love it to pieces.
It’s nice tracking the books I’ve read with Facebook’s ReadingSocial application. It will be good to use it throughout 2009.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Empires. Their album Howl has been on repeat many times now.
27. What did you want and get?
To be finished with uni. To return to England and J.
28. What did you want and not get?
SNOW! Having my snuggly puppy throughout the year.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
It is hard to say. It’s pretty close between Cloverfield, Iron Man, and The Dark Knight.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
J and I went out into Nottingham city and went shopping, revisited a sandwich place we loved 3 years ago, saw Quantum of Solace at the independent cinemas and then went and had dinner at a Cantonese restaurant. I turned 24.
31. What would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
To have everyone I want to be with in the same country at the same time and hopefully within easy reach of me.
Also, finding decent cafes in England.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Having to adjust to office life - lots of cardigans. Otherwise mostly unchanged. Wearing more black again, still love hooded tops, thinking of getting more accessories like armwarmers and necklaces.
Once in England - many lots of warm things. Going out for milk becomes a whole big exercise just to get dressed.
33. What kept you sane?
Retail therapy. Going on walks with Basil. Music.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I could say I find Merlin’s Colin Morgan quite cute when he grins but that still doesn’t mean I actually fancy anyone. Out of a zero-sum-total of fancying going on, he is merely noted for looking prettier when he smiles.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Questions of race in the American elections. The internet censorship plans in Australia. The court cases the CBLDF deals with regarding readers owning alleged child porn.
36. Who did you miss?
I missed J when I wasn’t with him. Now I miss my friends and family and my puppy.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
I don’t believe anyone really stands out - it’s probably a combination of I haven’t met that many new people this year, and I don’t really make a note of what year I do meet people.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Moving to another country (to live, rather than just holiday) challenges everything you’ve ever believed about yourself and your worth.
Previous years' memes are available through the "marking time" tag, or through memories (under "wrap up"). You know, if you're curious enough and/or are procrastinating doing something.
----------------
Listening to: The Nightmare Before Christmas - This is Halloween
http://foxytunes.com/artist/the+nightmare+before+christmas/track/this+is+halloween
Year in the life of Lone Cow, 2008
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
(Not in order) Went to Darwin, graduated university, got an office job and started driving in rush hour traffic regularly (bleh), was made redundant from Starbucks, got a working holiday visa, got my full driving licence, slept under the stars (pretty) and risked getting attacked by cane toads while sleeping (not pretty).
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Hah. Surprise, surprise, I did pretty much nothing on my resolutions to help survive a zombie apocalypse. I am cooking more often, however, and am starting to make meals without recipes and from scratch. Non-zombie resolutions (save money and finish the photo P365) were both completed successfully.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Rob and Lucie, earlier this year. Pete and Jen too. (Congratulations!)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Back to England! Hopefully we’ll visit Scotland soon over these holidays.
I still think interstate travel should count - it takes 4 hours by plane to reach Darwin from Melbourne! That's like flying over most of Europe!
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Hm. An idea of what I really want to do with my future. Not what I should do, or would love to do in an idealised world, but something I can actually see myself doing, enjoying, and getting satisfaction out of.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 15th, leaving for England. I had to look up the date of my graduation, so I guess I can’t really say that date is etched into my memory. August 21st, J came to visit again.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
A part of me feels like I should say graduation, but to be honest I’ve been feeling pretty disenchanted with the whole process of university - I didn’t do much more than the minimum I was capable of, and it just happened to be enough for me to get through.
I guess organising travel to Darwin, and camping out under the stars in the National Parks. That was pretty cool, and I'm glad we got to go.
I haven’t been in England long enough to achieve anything yet. Ask me later.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not preparing more for a future after university, I guess. On the other hand, I think that’s what this time away is for, so I’m not sure. Lapses in judgement are always fun, too.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Hayfever this year was medicated quite successfully - it was lovely! I highly recommend being able to breathe.
Oh, and that one time when something got stuck in my eye and then we spent 5 hours waiting in the so-called emergency room and then when my eye FINALLY got examined they couldn’t find anything? Remember that time? What a great time.
Apart from all that, just the usual colds and coughs.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I bought Henry last year - I think I’m quite fond of his macro lens. Makes everything look interesting when you zoom up on them.
My laptop is a lot happier now that I have an external hard drive - the photos are no longer clogging it up so it’s doing pretty good. I have a year’s worth of photos on it now. The laptop’s still a grumpy old beast, but it no longer takes 10 minutes to start up! Hooray for external hard drives!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
J, for putting up with my various melt-downs and rants, not just this year but all the time previously we’ve been together.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Mine, sometimes.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Probably on my very expensive photography hobby now. Flights to Darwin and England. Next year will probably be rent, though.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Finishing university. America electing Barack Obama. Seeing Doug Jones at Armageddon.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2008?
Jonathan Coulton - The Future Soon
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Not sure.
b) thinner or fatter? No idea. I expect I’m mostly the same, though.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I should have tried more new restaurants back in Melbourne - now I’m away and reading about all these great places and I’m homesick all over again.
Spent more time with Basil. I feel the worst about leaving him behind - everyone else I can still communicate with, let them know I'm OK and still around. I know he's probably forgotten I exist, but still, I feel guilty about just abandoning him.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
The dumb things, the embarrassing things, the frivolous things.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
At J’s house with his family. After that we will hopefully go see some snow.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes. His name is Henry and he is short, dark and handsome and takes excellent photos.
22. How many one-night stands?
Eleventy squillion. I just get better every year.
23. What was your favourite TV program?
Hm. Just finished catching up with Merlin with the BBC iPlayer function (I love iPlayer - we have no TV so this is what we use). I love how terribly dumb the characters can be sometimes, and I snark the fashion and J snarks the weapons and armour. I will always be a sucker for Arthurian legend, though.
Also, it’s so nice to see Anthony Head (Giles) back on TV again.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not individuals, really. Hate takes real sustained effort, you know.
25. What was the best book you read?
I should make a new question for this part - what is the best book and a separate one for what is the best comic book. For the book I’d say Claudia Gray’s vampire novel Evernight.
For the comic book I think I love Jamie McKelvie’s Suburban Glamour too much to not mention it. The art is pretty, it involves fairies and I just love it to pieces.
It’s nice tracking the books I’ve read with Facebook’s ReadingSocial application. It will be good to use it throughout 2009.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Empires. Their album Howl has been on repeat many times now.
27. What did you want and get?
To be finished with uni. To return to England and J.
28. What did you want and not get?
SNOW! Having my snuggly puppy throughout the year.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
It is hard to say. It’s pretty close between Cloverfield, Iron Man, and The Dark Knight.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
J and I went out into Nottingham city and went shopping, revisited a sandwich place we loved 3 years ago, saw Quantum of Solace at the independent cinemas and then went and had dinner at a Cantonese restaurant. I turned 24.
31. What would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
To have everyone I want to be with in the same country at the same time and hopefully within easy reach of me.
Also, finding decent cafes in England.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Having to adjust to office life - lots of cardigans. Otherwise mostly unchanged. Wearing more black again, still love hooded tops, thinking of getting more accessories like armwarmers and necklaces.
Once in England - many lots of warm things. Going out for milk becomes a whole big exercise just to get dressed.
33. What kept you sane?
Retail therapy. Going on walks with Basil. Music.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I could say I find Merlin’s Colin Morgan quite cute when he grins but that still doesn’t mean I actually fancy anyone. Out of a zero-sum-total of fancying going on, he is merely noted for looking prettier when he smiles.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Questions of race in the American elections. The internet censorship plans in Australia. The court cases the CBLDF deals with regarding readers owning alleged child porn.
36. Who did you miss?
I missed J when I wasn’t with him. Now I miss my friends and family and my puppy.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
I don’t believe anyone really stands out - it’s probably a combination of I haven’t met that many new people this year, and I don’t really make a note of what year I do meet people.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Moving to another country (to live, rather than just holiday) challenges everything you’ve ever believed about yourself and your worth.
Previous years' memes are available through the "marking time" tag, or through memories (under "wrap up"). You know, if you're curious enough and/or are procrastinating doing something.
----------------
Listening to: The Nightmare Before Christmas - This is Halloween
http://foxytunes.com/artist/the+nightmare+before+christmas/track/this+is+halloween