Year's End Survey

[gothwalk]

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?

Went to India. Made money from my websites.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Resolutions suck. I haven't made any for years. They either turn out to be impossible to keep, or things you'd do anyway because they're sensible.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? and 4. Did anyone close to you die?

No to both.

5. What countries did you visit?

India, Finland, and about 9 hours in Germany, but it was in the parallel dimension of Airport, which doesn't really count.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?

Time and organisation. Not that I was completely lacking organisation, but more of it would be good. And India chewed up three-quarters of my days off for the year.

7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Probably the day we arrived in India, except that the actual date escapes me. I think it might have been the 26th of September.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting my websites to a state where they're making a net profit for me.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I don't know if I've had any major ones. I've a tendency to let bad things go by the wayside, rather than hold on to them, so I've probably forgotten things.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

One flu, one sinus infection, a few colds. Nothing major.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Hm. That's really difficult. I haven't had any major non-present purchases this year, and in like vein, most of my best things have been presents. The D&D Red Box I bought in a charity shop was pretty cool, but I think the best thing I got during the year would have to be the Hellbound boxed set that inannajones got me, or the Prince August cast-your-own-chess-set, also from inannajones, or the lightbox.... also from inannajones. I sense a pattern here. There were also the things we got in India, of course; a yak-wool rug, two silk bedspreads, and various gods.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

inannajones was pretty damn cool. And niallm has been unfailingly generous and kind, even when he's been having a rough time himself. davew puts up with all kinds of weirdness, too.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

I can't really think of any.

There's a general rage aimed at anyone who's still denying environmental changes and global warming, for being really fucking stupid and not being able to see what's been perfectly evident for a decade. Generally, I can refrain from hitting the people I know who do that, but it's sometimes a struggle.

Actually, I have to admit that there's sometimes a thought of shoving their heads under water in the Irish Sea for a few minutes. Then pulling them up and enquiring, "What temperature is that, do you think, hmm? About 11 degrees? In December?" and then shoving them back under.

Oh look, I found something...

14. Where did most of your money go?

Rent and food. This doesn't change from year to year, really.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

India. Our two annual parties. Gaelcon.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?

That would require me to think of 2006 as a particular chunk of time, and I don't. Lordi's Hard Rock Hallelujah was notable, as was Rhapsody's Holy Thunderforce.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Not notably different
ii. richer or poorer? Marginally richer
iii. fatter or thinner? A bit fatter, I think. A lot of good food lately.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Written.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Worked. While I don't mind my job, and even like it most of the time, I can always think of things I'd prefer to do.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

We spent it in inannajones' grandmother's house in rural Finland. It was, as ever, excellent.

22. Did you fall in love in 2006? and 23. How many one-night stands?

No more than usual, and none.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Torchwood vs. Battlestar Galactica - celebrity death match!

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

See question 13, above, although that's a matter of degree, rather than a new one.

26. What was the best book you read?

Oh dear. Hang on while I go peer at the shelves, and try to remember what I read this year.

Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Travellers Wife
Dan Simmons' Endymion, omnibus edition
Monte Cook's Ptolus

... but being honest, a review of good stuff I read this year would be an essay in itself.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Scandiavian Power Metal.

28. What did you want and get?

Hellbound. Good food. New experiences.

29. What did you want and not get?

More traders at Gaelcon. Beta access to The Burning Crusade.

Damn, if that's all I can think of, it's been a pretty good year on the average...

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

V for Vendetta, no contest.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was 29. I had presents in bed, a huge (HUGE!) fried breakfast, played MMOs all day, and went to the pub. It was a very good day.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Immeasurably? Um. Finding out I'm the sole heir to a large estate in Wicklow, with holdings in Scotland and Norway? Winning the European lottery? A Nobel prize? I don't know...

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?

More respectable than last year. Fewer t-shirts, more shirts with collars. Hats.

34. What kept you sane?

inannajones, of course. Silly question.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I can never answer this one. Why on earth would I fancy celebrities or public figures?

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

See question 13, above.

37. Who did you miss?

bluedevi and iresprite.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Victoria. Who really should get a livejournal.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:

Niches are where it's at.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

It's good to be back home with you.
(Fires at Midnight, Jethro Tull)