(no subject)
2015 Year in review
1. What did you do in 2015 that you'd never done before?
I started volunteering with Fantom and being one of the people who sits with the guests while they sign autographs. That was lots of fun, and for a shy person occasionally hard work. Having to keep thinking of things to say was challenging. But also very rewarding and lovely. To me getting autographs has always been a chance to talk to the actors, rather than getting autos so really enjoyed having more time with them. Taking William Russell on the train and back to Birmingham was particularly lovely as I'd not really had much time with him before and we talked a lot, especially on the way back, about all sorts of things.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No I don't make them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope
5. What countries did you visit?
Just France in January. Seems like it's getting harder to travel abroad with Bill's illnesses and Floyd being so old to leave now. I do hope we make a few more trips abroad this year though as cheap visits to Europe is one of my favourite things about living here.
6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
I'm not sure I really lacked anything in 2015. A healthier husband would be nice though. I wish he could be out and enjoying things more.
7. What events from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Utopia was simply the most fun of all. It always is, and I always think the next one couldn't possibly be any better and it always is. So much fun dancing with Anneke and then staying up and chatting with everyone afterwards. Bit of a shame about Sunday but definitely worth it.
LFCC with Sigourney Weaver was amazing! Most money I've spent for a guest but totally worth it. She was so sweet and generous and thoughtful about it all. Her panels were fantastic. And it was nice having a bit of a chat with her too.
Memorbillia for the days of chatting with Anneke and being the train escort.
Castle trips with Bill.
Paris in january.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
400k words of Beatrix notes written! For 4 archives visited and many British Library trips. This year I shall have to attempt to turn it into a book.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Goofing off too much at work.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Thankfully no.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Utopia ticket!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The Who family. I felt like we've built up a really nice support network of people on FB and at cons.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Only one (formerly close) friend lost this year. Which considering how many new friends I've made is still a good balance. But of people I don't know Cameron and Osbourne top the list!
14. Where did most of your (disposable) money go?
Conventions, books, knitting
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Something that never happened.
16. What song will always remind you of 2015?
Mostly this year I've been listening to the same music as last year.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier
about the same
and about the same
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Clubbing, seems like every year there's less and less goth clubs I enjoy. Both Dead and Buried and Invocation have gone from monthly to quarterly and I miss dressing up and dancing.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Nothing
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent it at home. Bill broke his foot a week before Christmas so weren't able to leave the house and go wandering. Though he's been doing a really good job of keeping his spirits up despite it. I think having a new Star Wars has probably helped.
21. Did you fall in love in 2015?
Still in love with Bill!
22. How many one-night stands?
None!
23. What was your favourite TV programme?
I think I watched only a handful of programmes for 2015, Orange is the New Black, Defiance, Miss Fisher Mysteries and Doctor who. The first three were probably joint favourite. I also watched a lot of old 70s shows I loved as a kid, Wonder Woman, Bionic Woman, Charlie's Angels and Scarecrow and Mrs King.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No not really.
25. What was the best book you read?
It's odd nothing has really stood out this year. The full list of books and Big Finish I listened to can be found here https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2015/5866692 It was over 250 again which is good. Jem was my favourite comic. I read a lot of nice scholarly books in French about Taoism. A lot of Lianhuanhua comics in Chinese. New authors I discovered were Tanith Lee, Micheal Arlen, JP Priestly. Favourite novel was probably Dahlgren.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I don't think I made any this year! The joys of being old!
27. What did you want and get?
To start volunteering with fantom
28. What did you want and not get?
nothing springs to mind
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
I only saw two films this year, Mad Max and Star Wars. I enjoyed both. But I'm much more of a theatre person. I saw Catherine Tate 5 times and loved her in Assasins, Judi Dench in the election night play and Winter's Tale and she was lovely in both. Louise 6 times I think in different plays, I enjoyed them all except Love loss and what I wore which I found just hideously materialistic. Katy Manning twice in her tiny play at the king's head. Paloma at the National Theatre was amazing, it felt like a play just for me. Everything we saw at the Wannamaker was gorgeous and perfect. Imelda Staunton in Gypsey was one of those performances that felt like history in the making. All told it was a fantastic year for theatre.
30. What did you do on your birthday?
I woke up in a castle! Had a lovely overnight trip to Hever castle and got their poshest room and got a private tour of the castle the next day.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A happier husband.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
Goth
33. What kept you sane?
Who family
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I'm not sure they count as celebrities! ;)
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Labour leadership election. Finally some hope in British politics!
36. Who did you miss?
Friends around the world.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Too many to single out. But nearly all came from Doctor Who fandom!
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015:
How to enjoy being sober!
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
Sometimes, always or never
1. What did you do in 2015 that you'd never done before?
I started volunteering with Fantom and being one of the people who sits with the guests while they sign autographs. That was lots of fun, and for a shy person occasionally hard work. Having to keep thinking of things to say was challenging. But also very rewarding and lovely. To me getting autographs has always been a chance to talk to the actors, rather than getting autos so really enjoyed having more time with them. Taking William Russell on the train and back to Birmingham was particularly lovely as I'd not really had much time with him before and we talked a lot, especially on the way back, about all sorts of things.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No I don't make them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope
5. What countries did you visit?
Just France in January. Seems like it's getting harder to travel abroad with Bill's illnesses and Floyd being so old to leave now. I do hope we make a few more trips abroad this year though as cheap visits to Europe is one of my favourite things about living here.
6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
I'm not sure I really lacked anything in 2015. A healthier husband would be nice though. I wish he could be out and enjoying things more.
7. What events from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Utopia was simply the most fun of all. It always is, and I always think the next one couldn't possibly be any better and it always is. So much fun dancing with Anneke and then staying up and chatting with everyone afterwards. Bit of a shame about Sunday but definitely worth it.
LFCC with Sigourney Weaver was amazing! Most money I've spent for a guest but totally worth it. She was so sweet and generous and thoughtful about it all. Her panels were fantastic. And it was nice having a bit of a chat with her too.
Memorbillia for the days of chatting with Anneke and being the train escort.
Castle trips with Bill.
Paris in january.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
400k words of Beatrix notes written! For 4 archives visited and many British Library trips. This year I shall have to attempt to turn it into a book.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Goofing off too much at work.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Thankfully no.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Utopia ticket!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The Who family. I felt like we've built up a really nice support network of people on FB and at cons.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Only one (formerly close) friend lost this year. Which considering how many new friends I've made is still a good balance. But of people I don't know Cameron and Osbourne top the list!
14. Where did most of your (disposable) money go?
Conventions, books, knitting
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Something that never happened.
16. What song will always remind you of 2015?
Mostly this year I've been listening to the same music as last year.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier
about the same
and about the same
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Clubbing, seems like every year there's less and less goth clubs I enjoy. Both Dead and Buried and Invocation have gone from monthly to quarterly and I miss dressing up and dancing.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Nothing
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent it at home. Bill broke his foot a week before Christmas so weren't able to leave the house and go wandering. Though he's been doing a really good job of keeping his spirits up despite it. I think having a new Star Wars has probably helped.
21. Did you fall in love in 2015?
Still in love with Bill!
22. How many one-night stands?
None!
23. What was your favourite TV programme?
I think I watched only a handful of programmes for 2015, Orange is the New Black, Defiance, Miss Fisher Mysteries and Doctor who. The first three were probably joint favourite. I also watched a lot of old 70s shows I loved as a kid, Wonder Woman, Bionic Woman, Charlie's Angels and Scarecrow and Mrs King.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No not really.
25. What was the best book you read?
It's odd nothing has really stood out this year. The full list of books and Big Finish I listened to can be found here https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2015/5866692 It was over 250 again which is good. Jem was my favourite comic. I read a lot of nice scholarly books in French about Taoism. A lot of Lianhuanhua comics in Chinese. New authors I discovered were Tanith Lee, Micheal Arlen, JP Priestly. Favourite novel was probably Dahlgren.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I don't think I made any this year! The joys of being old!
27. What did you want and get?
To start volunteering with fantom
28. What did you want and not get?
nothing springs to mind
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
I only saw two films this year, Mad Max and Star Wars. I enjoyed both. But I'm much more of a theatre person. I saw Catherine Tate 5 times and loved her in Assasins, Judi Dench in the election night play and Winter's Tale and she was lovely in both. Louise 6 times I think in different plays, I enjoyed them all except Love loss and what I wore which I found just hideously materialistic. Katy Manning twice in her tiny play at the king's head. Paloma at the National Theatre was amazing, it felt like a play just for me. Everything we saw at the Wannamaker was gorgeous and perfect. Imelda Staunton in Gypsey was one of those performances that felt like history in the making. All told it was a fantastic year for theatre.
30. What did you do on your birthday?
I woke up in a castle! Had a lovely overnight trip to Hever castle and got their poshest room and got a private tour of the castle the next day.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A happier husband.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?
Goth
33. What kept you sane?
Who family
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I'm not sure they count as celebrities! ;)
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Labour leadership election. Finally some hope in British politics!
36. Who did you miss?
Friends around the world.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Too many to single out. But nearly all came from Doctor Who fandom!
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015:
How to enjoy being sober!
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
Sometimes, always or never