The Ramblings of my Disorganised Mind

Not happening... so, 2004 Question List

Not sleeping, too wired. Too early, I never get to sleep before midnight anyhow.

So, I thought I'd take the 2004 quiz. Gives me something to numb my brain with. And yours, too: Happy ZZZZZ's. :-)

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Saw a pre-school end-of-year play. Learned the true meaning of "freedom".

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
See January 1 post. :-)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not exactly. More of a confirmation that my missing friend was dead.

5. What countries did you visit?
Ireland, Scotland, England, Egypt, Cyprus, France, Italy.

OK, not bodily. Books rule.

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
An absence of someone else's unnecessary debts.

7. What dates from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 15, the day I received legal protection from my ex.
July 6, Terrified Realisation Day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I didn't actually go insane, much. I realised that I can look after 6 kids on my own, no sweat. My kids are always my biggest achievements, even though they're not really "my" achievements: they do very well in their own sweat.

99% STAT result.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Hard to say. The breakdown of my marriage could be considered here, but that happened a long time ago. I failed to be loved enough for the ex to stop hitting? I am far enough along to know that's just stupid. Besides, we separated January 2003.

I didn't complete my novel draft (again). Not my highest priority though... so not really my biggest "failure". It's finished... sort of, it just needs... editing. Again. This has been a year of wins, even with stuff that seemed bad.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Pelargonium gravoleans. Rose geranium.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My sons and daughter, for their ongoing ways of bringing joy & chaos to my life.
Friends & family too numerous to mention, online and off... don't want to start for fear of forgetting someone. You know who you are.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
My ex.

14. Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage, the car and the ex's loans, food, the car, clothing, schooling, the car. Did I mention the car?

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Number 2 son's writer's camp. Doing Clarion South committee. Number 4 son's pre-school play. Number 1 son's voice breaking and tech results at school. Number 5 son's first dry night. Number 3 son's cricket scores, he top scored his team! My daughter's first art publication. My STAT results. A friend getting into CS 2005. My first panel at a NatCon. Brisbane winning NatCon 2006.

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
None in particular, I listen to too much of it.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter?
Thinner, then fatter due to some meds.
iii. richer or poorer?
Define "rich". Moneywise, about the same, and that isn't likely to change too much for a bit. Spiritually, much, much, much richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing, gardening, taking time to smell the roses.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying about the ex's behaviour.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
See previous posts.

21. Who did you meet for the first time?
Nicky, Kim C., Linda M., plus many more Australian writers and editors. I actually met most of the writers etc I know now in 2003.

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
I did, but don't tell anyone.

23. How many one-night stands?
Are you kidding??? None. Not my thing. Surprisingly, however, did have offers. Plural. What a strange year.

24. What was your favourite TV program?
Discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel on DVD, only watched them a wee bit before. Like Angel muchly, like Buffy but not as muchly. Like Glasshouse and most history documentaries.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Without trying to sound like an arse, I don't hate anyone. I dislike the odd person, like but mistrust one or two, feel uncomfortable with a couple and have no feelings at all for others, but I don't hate anyone. Who's got the energy or time?

26. What was the best book you read?
Oooh, a difficult pick. Finally, Angel of Ruin, Kim Wilkins (fiction), and The Holy Kingdom (author forgotten: it was a library book), non fiction. Yes, I did read The Da Vinci Code. It is unmitigated, inaccurate crap.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I never thought I'd say this, but Evanescence. And Lisa Gerrard.

28. What did you want and get?
Some perspective. Some wonderful, wonderful new friends, of both genders.

29. What did you want and not get?
My novel finished properly. But that was my own fault. My university application in on time! hehe.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Station Agent and Under the Tuscan Sun. And, look, it sucked both scientifically and historically, but I still liked Timeline.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Nothing much, and 33.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
My ex to have come to his senses and realise the damage he's caused (and is still causing) to his kids.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Working towards what I'd really like to wear.

34. What kept you sane?
More like "who". You know who you are.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Define "fancy". While I can a) admire an actor's ability, or b) admire an actor's looks in a very general sense, I don't really get all that involved any more. I'm not a teenager, for pity's sake.

Having said that, I rather like Jo Fiennes, Daniel Day-Lewis, Billy Boyd and Sean Connery.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Bleh. Politics annoy me in general. I do have opinions, the thing that bothers me the most is the incessant need some others seem to have in not allowing you to have any, or wanting you to have theirs.

37. Who did you miss?
My paternal grandfather, who died when I was 16. My dad and a couple of friends from Canberra.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Nicky, without a doubt. But that's only because she's mostly me in disguise. ;-) I'd like to emphasise "new" here, most people I know now I met in 2003.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004.
People actually like me, apparently. No, really. :-D
I am stronger than I thought.
It's OK to feel things.
"I am needy, and that's OK. So's everyone else."
Keep car well maintained at all times.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
There are too many to number or pick just one. Too much happened.

posted by Heather @ 11:32 pm