Round Up

What things did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Got a full time job. 
 
Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 
Haha, I think my resolution was to smoke more. Which I totally managed. This year though, I’m giving up! Scary stuff.
 
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not anyone close. A couple of people I know though.
 
Did anyone close to you die? 
My granny died, which was very sad.
 
What countries did you visit? 
Belgium, England, The Netherlands, France, Turkey, Germany…. I think that’s it!
 
What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
A car!!!
 
What date(s) from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I’m no good at remembering dates. I know I started work on the 2nd Jan, so let’s go for that.
 
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting the EXACT job I wanted straight out of uni. SCORE!
 
What was your biggest failure? 
I don’t think I really failed at anything monumentally. There was a plan to lose weight, which TOTALLY FAILED. But along with the giving up smoking comes a little weekly exercise. Fingers crossed!
 
Did you suffer illness or injury? 
I burned my arm and earned some lifelong scars from the oil fire I started in my oven. I put a little oil in a pan to heat up in the oven so that when I laid the salmon on it, it would sizzle. Then I thought it would be nice to mix a little lemon juice into the oil, and poured a spoon of it into the oil whilst in the oven. The whole thing immediately burst into the most horrific massive fire and after failing to put it out with a damp towel, I just had to reach into the fire to pull the pan out. The fire went out but my arm was horribly burned.
I also fell off my bike pretty badly, the wheel got stuck in a tram line whilst I was turning a corner really fast. I flew over the handlebars and now have even more scars from that. I was pretty beaten up from that.
 
What was the best thing you bought? 
Those black boots I posted a few entries back. They gave me a nice bit of confidence.
 
Whose behaviour merited celebration? 
Mat has been getting better at handling responsibilities this year, and that merits celebration!
 
Whose behaviour appalled you? 
Paul, Mat’s friend. His neighbours were playing loud music ONE night at a Saturday night party, and he threw dog poo at their windows in revenge. Fucking appalling!!
 
Where did most of your money go? 
Rent. Eating out. Shoes and clothes. Weed.
 
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Christmas in England and Bread and Butter in Berlin.
 
What song will always remind you of 2011? 
Rihanna "We Found Love"
 
Compared to this time last year (2010), are you: 
i. Happier or sadder? Happier. This time last year I was terrified of moving to Belgium all on my own.
 
ii. Thinner or fatter? Fatter. Belgium does not aid dieting, too much buttery goodness in their food!
 
iii. Richer or poorer? Richer! I’ve never had this much money before. This is nice, I’m happier, richer and fatter. 2 out of 3 ain’t bad!
 
What do you wish you’d done more of? 
Getting exercise! And exploring Belgium.
 
What do you wish you’d done less of? 
EATING! And smoking weed.
 
How did you spend Christmas? 
Christmas Eve was spent with friends and family playing mad games and drinking around the kitchen table. Christmas day was eventful at Dad’s. We were halfway through cooking the turkey when we got a power cut and it turned out the entire town had been cut off! Was only for about an hour though. Boxing day was at Mum’s and we ate a delicious lamb roast.
 
What did you get for Christmas this year?
Mat got me an iPod and a signed Stephen King book!!! Dad got me a coffee machine and Mum got me a Kindle. Some pretty amazing presents!
 
What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2011? 
I know it sounds silly but i really don’t get embarrassed so easily. I guess I was embarrassed when I booked to go to Bread and Butter for three days and then realised I was needed in the office and it was too late to change the tickets. But that was more guilt than being embarrassed.
 
Did you fall in love in 2011? 
No, I was already in love! Mat and I just celebrated our 4 year anniversary!
 
How many one-night stands? 
None. 
 
What was your favourite TV program? 
If we’re thinking about stuff I watched that I hadn’t already been watching, it would have to be Twin Peaks. That series is so cool and weird!
 
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? 
DENIM.
 
What kept you sane? 
Mat. I never expect him to, and yet he does.
 
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 
Yeah, that bitch Lauren who decided I was anti-semitic for not enjoying the Jewish Museum in Berlin. FUCK HER.
 
What was the best book you read in 2011? 
Thirteen by Sebastian Beaumont. AN AMAZING BOOK! It’s about a guy who is down about life and decides to become a night time taxi driver as a way to gain perspective on his problems. I would recommend it to EVERYONE! It’s surreal and thoughtful, insightful and gripping.
 
What was your greatest musical discovery?
De La Soul, Spiritualized and Rihanna!
 
What did you want and get? 
I wanted and got a coffee machine? I don’t think I began the year wanting anything in particular, just to do well at my job. Which I did!
 
What did you want and not get? 
To go to America. 
 
What was your favourite film of this year? 
Another Earth was brilliant. For a film with so little dialogue, it said an awful lot.
 
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 
Nothing special. I turned 23, I think maybe I went for a meal with Mat?
 
What three things would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Good job, good money, lots of travelling.
 
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Developed a worrying crush on Gary Barlow after a strange dream I had, but after watching him on X Factor that quickly went away. But a constant crush has been the model Tony Ward. 
 
What political issue stirred you the most? 
I did not follow a single bit of  news this year. I heard the occasional thing from other people, but I really just didn’t pay attention to the world. You know what? It was really fucking nice!
 
Who did you miss? 
All my family and friends in England!
 
Which ODers did you meet for the first time? 
NONE! I really wanna meet some of the OD’ers on here! Most of all honestlei, angry beaver, one angry dwarf, totutu and the heart he broke.
 
What is a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011? 
Work hard and it’ll be appreciated.
 
What quote can be used to sum up your year? 
"Ohhh I’m no good at quotes." – Rose, December 2011