2013 in Review in Diary

I've only written in here once so far this month. Sorry about that, I lose my blogging mojo every so often. I think the slow death of OpenDiary has greatly contributed to this. Apart from my sister, I haven't had any comments over there for two months now and I don't feel quite at home at Prosebox yet. I'm in limbo. Anyway I'll make an effort to do a proper update sometime in the next few days, for now I'm stealing this questionnaire that's doing the rounds.

Hmm, it's actually quite hard! Going through it the first time I've only answered 18 of the questions with 20 left blank to come back and think about :-/

What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before? Went to a proper festival with camping. I've been to small festivals with camping, and big festivals for one day, but never to a big festival with camping. Started a business (sort of) and got a couple of regular customers.

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't make new year's resolutions. If there's something I want to do, I'll go ahead and do it, I don't see the point in waiting until 1st January.

Did anyone close to you give birth? A couple of friends, but as I don't seem to have any actual proper friends I wouldn't say they were especially close to me.

Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully I haven't had to endure yet this yet in my lifetime.

What countries did you visit? USA.

What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013? A job I enjoy.

What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

What was your biggest achievement of the year? Starting a small business and getting regular customers. Getting a new qualification (NCFE Level 2 in Business and Admin)

What was your biggest failure? Not getting a full time job I enjoy. I didn't even really try all that hard. I'm walking a dog and feeding a cat in my spare time (the aforementioned achievements above), but I want to be doing it full time. I'm just scared of making the leap of quitting my job when I have a mortgage and bills to pay.

Did you suffer illness or injury? Just two colds in quick succession. I have one now and it's only a couple of weeks since I got over my last one!

What was the best thing you bought? I didn't really buy all that much apart from a car and it's just been causing me problems. Bloody thing is run by a computer instead of simple mechanics so it has a mind of its own.

Whose behaviour merited celebration? I'm not sure. I'm getting old and a year is a long time to think back to for these questions :-/

Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Anyone who kills or destroys the planet, animals or people for their own pleasure or profit.

Where did most of your money go? Sadly on mortgage, utilities and groceries!

What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going to see Muse in concert. Going to Download Festival for the first time with my sister. Going to Florida again with my mam and dad and having Jay in tow.

What song will always remind you of 2013? I don't really know :-/

Compared to this time last year, are you: i. Happier or sadder? Probably about the same I reckon. ii. Thinner or fatter? Again the same. I lost 8lb for my holiday but it's probably all gone back on. iii. Richer or poorer? The same.

What do you wish you'd done more of? Having fun. Knitting!

What do you wish you'd done less of? This boring job.

How did you spend Christmas? With my family in Cumbria :o)

What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2013? I can't actually think of anything. Which is nice.

Did you fall in love in 2013? No.

How many one-night stands? None, I'm in a long term monogamous relationship.

What was your favourite TV programme? I don't watch that much TV really. The only thing I consistently watch is Coronation Street. I've also been enjoying Dexter and I'm on season six at the moment.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? There's only one person in my entire life that I have feelings that might be harbouring as hate. It's a very strong word I think. Dislike anyone? I can't really think of anyone to be honest. I tend to dispense of unlikeable people and try to forget about them.

What was the best book you read? I can't think of anything that especially stands out. However I am reading John Bishop's autobiography at the moment and it's quite inspirational. Unlike me, he doesn't stick with boring unfulfilling jobs just for the security, he chases what he wants to do. He's been a professional footballer, has cycled from Australia to England and only became a professional comedian at the age of 42. I keep reading all these "life's too short" stories and it's slowly inspiring me to get off my butt and do something.

What was your greatest musical discovery? I don't think I discovered any new bands this year, just developed my relationship with bands I already love like Muse and Rammstein.

What did you want and get? I don't think I got anything, just kept the good things I already had.

What did you want and not get? A job I love.

What was your favourite film of this year? Too many to mention. I loved Pacific Rim for its giant ridiculousness. The Impossible for Ewan McGregor (of course) and the candid and terrifying story of the tsunami. Lincoln because I didn't really know all that much about Abraham Lincoln and what he did. Also, Daniel Day Lewis' performance was epic. Robot and Frank because it was funny and sad and mad and ridiculous and awesome. The Wolverine. Hugh Jackman topless. That is all.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Woke up, packed my suitcase, checked out of the hotel, sat by the pool for a bit, went for a swim, was driven to the airport by my dad and sat on an eight hour flight to the UK from Florida. I turned 32.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A lob I love! (I know, I sound like a stuck record.)

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013? Expansive. I don't really have one style. One minute I'm boring in plain blue jeans and t-shirt, the next I might be all gothed up, the next I might feel like being feminine and sophisticated. I just can't make my mind up.

What kept you sane? Jay and my family.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Pretty much since 2001 my only answer to this has been Ewan McGregor. But this year a few more have been randomly added to my list, including a few randoms that you might laugh at. So Hugh Jackman, Jared Leto, Jon Richardson (my sister met him a couple of weeks ago! Jealous much? Si si.), John Bishop; big teeth and bad haircut and all (I Tweeted him earlier and he replied!), Ellen Page and Natalie Portman.

What political issue stirred you the most? All sort of things. Shell drilling in the arctic, Pussy Riot being imprisoned, anything Vladimir Putin does, Syrian children being gassed, Nelson Madela's death, everything our shoddy government does.

Who did you miss? My family who I only get to see about four times a year.

Who was the best new person you met? I don't remember meeting any great new people :o(

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013. Ummmmm.

Wow I bailed on quite a few of those questions didn't I? Maybe I need to learn to be a bit more introspective in 2014!