My year in retrospect
1.What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before? Gave a speech to 200 people, interviewed by media & appeared on Ch 31, visited Tasmania and Woollongong, went sea kayaking, stayed at the largest Buddhist Temple in the Southern hemisphere (in Woollongong of all places), Cadbury factory tour in Tasi…
2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions and will you make more for next year? Do not really believe in making them…I prefer to look at my achievements at the end of each year which is usually much more encouraging
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes my Nephews wife had their 3rd child and I am the godmother.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Luckily No
5. What countries did you visit? Did not visit o'seas, but visited Tasmania and Wollongong for the first time
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005? Motivation to exercise and more time for family and friends
7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The last day of the conference at the Buddhist Temple in March. The children sang to all the conference delegates and taught us how to sing the songs with sign language…it was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever experienced
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Giving a speech in front of 200 people as I normally avoid public speaking
9. What was your biggest failure? Not exercising enough and putting on weight that I had lost the previous year
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? A sinus infection…would not recommend getting one
11. What was the best thing you bought? A lovely house in Bassendean
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? George Takei (the guy who played Hikaru Sulu on Trek) for coming out.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Our beloved PM and his cronies for many many things...
14. Where did most of your money go? Buying a house !!!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My parents 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration
16. What song will always remind you of 2005? 'Gamble everything for love' by Ben Lee and the single (Hung up) off the new Madonna album that I have been playing constantly
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer? Happier, fatter, poorer (because of the house)
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Exercising...and spending more time with family and friends
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Working and eating chocolate
20. How will you be spending Christmas? Christmas Eve with gf and my family, Christmas Day at home with gf and friends
21. Did you fall in love in 2005? Developed the usual crushes and fell more in-love with gf.
23. How many one-night stands? None
24. What was your favourite TV programme? New Who and Lost
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No just hate the same people I hated last year ie Bush and Howard
26. What was the best book you read? Without Reservations: the travels of an Independent Woman by Alice Steinbach.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Ben Lee and Green Day
28. What did you want and get? A job without having to go to interviews.
29. What did you want and not get? A body like Madonna's.
30. What was your favourite film of this year? Sideways and Somersault
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old did you turn? Flew to Tasmania and turned 37
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Disappearance of US President and Australia's PM.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? Have no idea.
34. What kept you sane? My gf and friends.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Don't ask me to chose between Madonna and Beyonce I just can't
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Have to agree with gf and say Gay marriage but there are a number eg Industrial Relations, Anti-Terrorism, Voluntary Student Unionism etc etc
37. Who did you miss? Friends who have moved to Canberra (there are a few) and my Grandma.
38. Who was the best new person you met? Hard to name only 1…there are a number of people I work with that I like very much.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005. The amount of $ I have spent on DVDs could have probably bought a herd of goats…the lesson would be to think carefully about how much stuff you really need!!!
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "Don't want to be an American Idiot…I'm not part of a redneck agenda" by Greenday