2009 - a year in review
Shamelessly stolen from flyingblogspot ( 2008, 2007, 2006 )
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Lots of things leading up to moving to Canada.. then once we got there, drove in Canada and the US, Got a Canadian drivers licence, Canadian Social Insurance Number, BC Health Care card, worked in another country.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't really remember what they were, and I suspect I know what they would have been (mostly living healthier), but I didn't keep them. I'll try next year with renewed vigor.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A friend from my time in Canada did? But we're not terribly close. But she liked one of my recent FB status updates, so maybe.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my former boss, mentor and friend, Mike Neville. It was unexpected, and he's left a huge hole in a lot of people's lives.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia, Canada, US
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
I don't really know. Maybe a car?
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
09 June - Some human pieces of shit stealing $15,000 worth of our stuff from my mum's house
24 June - Arriving in Vancouver
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Moving out of our lovely house at Monash Ave - and getting the deposit back, dealing with the break-in and getting everything fixed and replaced in the 2 weeks between that and leaving Australia, finishing everything up at UWA, getting three job offers in Canada
9. What was your biggest failure?
Hmm. I think I've done ok so far.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes, appendix out in Jan, flu in June, my asthma has been pretty bad since we got over here, and tonsillitis in december. So not great.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I'm happy with all of my purchases. I did like the plane ticket to canada.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
lizbyrd , for continuing to be awesome.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Stephen Conroy, and the people who stole our stuff.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Furnishing our apartment here in Vancouver
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Funnily enough, we had so much on our plate that we didn't get really excited about Canada until we were in the car on the way to the airport. I was really excited about my two Boeing visits, which were great.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
You Sound Like Louis Burdett by The Whitlams
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder, but not by much
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter, but not by much
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer, but not by much
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I'd taken my coin
and banknote collection to its planned storage place earlier.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Wasting time.
20. How will you spend Christmas?
Holed up with lizbyrd in our lair overlooking Vancouver and eating tofurkey
21. What LJ users did you meet for the first time?
vampireborg , lazulisong and tygati
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I do love our apartment. I also stayed in love with Elizabeth :)
23. How many one-night stands?
None. Except with a Red Dodge Charger.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Holmes Inspection
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes, some random who stole my stuff.
26. What was the best book you read?
I don't think I've read any really :(
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Magnetic Fields
28. What did you want and get?
A job in Canada at UBC, a visit to the Boeing Museum and Factory.
29. What did you want and not get?
A different job in Canada at UBC. But I met the guy who did get it, and he was a better choice than me.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Inglorious Basterds
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went out to dinner with Liz
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
NOT having my entire collection of Australia Decimal Banknotes stolen :(
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
"Hi, I'm a Mac"
34. What kept you sane?
Liz. TV.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Felicia Day is kinda cute.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Internet Censorship. I remain fundamentally opposed to ISPs being required to implement a government run framework for censorship of the internet, regardless of the purposes.
37. Who did you miss?
I miss lots of my friends from Perth, but quite a few of them won't be there if/when we go back. So I miss them as people wherever they are now.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I've met a fair few nice people here in Vancouver. Our first landlord was a really nice lady named Heather.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
For the love of god, don't keep something just because you can. If you're going to fix it, fix it. If you're going to give it away, give it away. If you're going to love it and adore it, love it and adore it. And if you're not sure what you're going to do with it? Throw it out. Moving out of Monash was very confronting and emotionally draining and I never want to do that again.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"All my friends are very fruity indeed, but such fun to have around"
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Lots of things leading up to moving to Canada.. then once we got there, drove in Canada and the US, Got a Canadian drivers licence, Canadian Social Insurance Number, BC Health Care card, worked in another country.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't really remember what they were, and I suspect I know what they would have been (mostly living healthier), but I didn't keep them. I'll try next year with renewed vigor.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A friend from my time in Canada did? But we're not terribly close. But she liked one of my recent FB status updates, so maybe.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my former boss, mentor and friend, Mike Neville. It was unexpected, and he's left a huge hole in a lot of people's lives.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia, Canada, US
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
I don't really know. Maybe a car?
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
09 June - Some human pieces of shit stealing $15,000 worth of our stuff from my mum's house
24 June - Arriving in Vancouver
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Moving out of our lovely house at Monash Ave - and getting the deposit back, dealing with the break-in and getting everything fixed and replaced in the 2 weeks between that and leaving Australia, finishing everything up at UWA, getting three job offers in Canada
9. What was your biggest failure?
Hmm. I think I've done ok so far.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes, appendix out in Jan, flu in June, my asthma has been pretty bad since we got over here, and tonsillitis in december. So not great.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I'm happy with all of my purchases. I did like the plane ticket to canada.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
lizbyrd , for continuing to be awesome.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Stephen Conroy, and the people who stole our stuff.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Furnishing our apartment here in Vancouver
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Funnily enough, we had so much on our plate that we didn't get really excited about Canada until we were in the car on the way to the airport. I was really excited about my two Boeing visits, which were great.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
You Sound Like Louis Burdett by The Whitlams
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder, but not by much
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter, but not by much
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer, but not by much
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I'd taken my coin
and banknote collection to its planned storage place earlier.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Wasting time.
20. How will you spend Christmas?
Holed up with lizbyrd in our lair overlooking Vancouver and eating tofurkey
21. What LJ users did you meet for the first time?
vampireborg , lazulisong and tygati
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I do love our apartment. I also stayed in love with Elizabeth :)
23. How many one-night stands?
None. Except with a Red Dodge Charger.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Holmes Inspection
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes, some random who stole my stuff.
26. What was the best book you read?
I don't think I've read any really :(
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Magnetic Fields
28. What did you want and get?
A job in Canada at UBC, a visit to the Boeing Museum and Factory.
29. What did you want and not get?
A different job in Canada at UBC. But I met the guy who did get it, and he was a better choice than me.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Inglorious Basterds
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went out to dinner with Liz
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
NOT having my entire collection of Australia Decimal Banknotes stolen :(
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
"Hi, I'm a Mac"
34. What kept you sane?
Liz. TV.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Felicia Day is kinda cute.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Internet Censorship. I remain fundamentally opposed to ISPs being required to implement a government run framework for censorship of the internet, regardless of the purposes.
37. Who did you miss?
I miss lots of my friends from Perth, but quite a few of them won't be there if/when we go back. So I miss them as people wherever they are now.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I've met a fair few nice people here in Vancouver. Our first landlord was a really nice lady named Heather.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
For the love of god, don't keep something just because you can. If you're going to fix it, fix it. If you're going to give it away, give it away. If you're going to love it and adore it, love it and adore it. And if you're not sure what you're going to do with it? Throw it out. Moving out of Monash was very confronting and emotionally draining and I never want to do that again.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"All my friends are very fruity indeed, but such fun to have around"