2012 Year in Review
Dec. 31st, 2012 11:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lishesquexI regret not doing a 2011 Year in Review so my penance is to do an extra comprehensive one for 2012.
January: I spent most of January in The Netherlands with Emma which was generally a depressing affair. The month was greatly redeemed by a short trip to England to see the lovely![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
selina_and Xin - I spent a wonderful few days with them. Then I came back to Australia and went to work only to find out that there had been a $1m blaze at the school. Lost a few days of teaching and subsequently spent the rest of Term 1 playing catch up with the curriculum. Gro received my kangaroo, an event which also made the Norwegian newspapers.
February: I broke up with Emma. Spent a lot of time being sad about missed connections and bad timing, then wrote a poem about it. I was inspired by Ann's blog to Be Bold and embarked on a number of self improvement initiatives. Despite this, I still got totally sucked into Star Wars: The Old Republic as my post-WoW rebound MMO. I spent the last week of February on school camp with the Year 7s.
March: This was the month in which I worked a lot, played Skyrim, and chatted with Ingrid. She tried to entice me back to WoW but failed. I read an amazing YA book which stayed with me for weeks afterward: Code Name Verity. I also discovered Tennyson's In Memoriam which I read and loved. Ingrid started rewriting TBSOL for the third time.
April: During the Easter break, I tried to fix my computer's overheating problem and ended up doing a complete upgrade. Then I spent the rest of my holidays playing TOR, Skyrim and watching various episodes of things with Ingrid. This was my first holiday since June 2011 that I had free time for myself since the previous two had turned into impromptu trips to Europe.
May: Experienced late autumn blues but successfully overcame them by throwing myself into work. Eurovision happened. Grandpa died. A Finnish girl (Terhi) messaged me on OKCupid.
June: I reconnected with Jennifer, a fellow linguistics student from uni that I used to have a proxy-crush on. I also started playing Diablo III with Terhi. Predictably, I became infatuated with Missy Higgins after going to her concert. This prompted me to seriously start learning guitar (as opposed to playing the 3 chords I knew from high school on my old op-shop bought 3/4 sized one).
July: I finished Diablo III and moved on to Tropico 4 and L.A. Noire. I caught up with various friends during the school holidays. I was very worried for Kitteh when she became ill with an infected joint and took her to the vet several times. I finalised USA travel plans for September. And when Term 3 started, KF arrived on the scene, which made work a lot more interesting.
August: I spent much of this month developing a crush on a married, straight woman. Good job, me.
September: September was a big month. I went on my long overdue America Trip to seedangerosa, thrace_ red_said, gizzmogeek, and pebblin. I spent varying amounts of time in Boston, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Virginia and L.A. By the end of the trip, I felt human again (as opposed to feeling and acting like WorkBot).
October: Came back to Melbourne, and work, and threw myself whole-heartedly in preparing my Year 12s for their exams. Watched Rianna turn 18 and was a proud big sister. Work got a lot less busy after the Year 12s finished up so I spent some time playing Empire: Total War. I also applied for a job at a different school but in the end I withdrew my application and decided to stay. Two more years until long service leave. Agreed to go on the China Exchange trip next year.
November: I turned 26. My Year 7 tutorial group threw me a mini party, baked me a cake and got me presents, which made my day immensely better. I went to my sister's Valedictory dinner and watched her graduate. Had more proud sister moments. Schmoozed with a couple of teachers at her school in an attempt to try and get myself employed at Korowa one day.
December: At work, I prepared for next year, did a lot of babysitting, and continued to cultivate my friendship with KF. I attended the work Christmas lunch and lawn bowls, as well as Chris's 40th birthday. I got my Year 12s' results and was quite disappointed at their scores. The summer holidays finally started. I emailed McKinley on OKCupid and went on a lovely date with her.
And now, the survey:
1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
I submitted a poem for publication and it was accepted and published in banQuet's 2012 anthology. I started seriously learning guitar and getting fit. I also started actually enjoying work functions and being more social with my coworkers. Very lately, I've started tutoring a student for English Language. This is significant because it's a direct result of work becoming manageable enough that I feel I can have outside commitments.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any last year but I will for 2013:
#1 Be bold. Good things happen when you do. (When in doubt, consult your magical WWXD wristband)
#2 Keep practising guitar regularly. Especially the boring stuff you avoid like the 1 minute chord changes because that's what actually helps you get better. Master the F chord.
#3 Level self up physically (by continuing to do daily jogs or situps) and mentally (by reading at least 30 new books in 2013).
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My last remaining grandparent (爷爷) died although we weren't very close.
5. What countries did you visit?
The Netherlands, England, Belgium, USA
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Love.
7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 13-16, because they were almost perfect.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Learning how to be better at being happy. Learning how to let go.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't know. I'm feeling pretty positive tonight and I can't think of anything that went particularly wrong in 2012. I'm going to declare it as a year of no failures. Well actually, no, here's one: not breaking up with Emma sooner.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, nada. I think it was the extra sleep and exercise.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My guitar, my new queen sized quilt cover and, once they arrive, my chakrams.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I think I need to especially mentionpebblin for being an amazing host and showing me heaps of L.A. despite my only being there for two days.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
A couple of people's behaviour made me sad, but I'd rather not say.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The new apartment. About 75% of my salary goes into that now. Also spent a fair bit on travel this year.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Meeting Missy Higgins in Boston. I still get a goofy smile thinking about it.
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2012?
In rough chronological order:
Elliot Smith - Between the Bars
City and Colour - The Girl
Kate Rusby - Sweet Bride
Metric - Combat Baby
Zemfira - London Sky
Zemfira - Infinity
Florence + the Machine - Shake it Out
Trading Yesterday - Shattered
Kaliopi - Crno i Belo
Loreen - Euphoria
Missy Higgins - The Ol' Razzle Dazzle album
Missy Higgins - Warm Whispers
Butterfly Boucher - 5678!
Butterfly Boucher - Another White Dash
Cake - Short Skirt Long Jacket
Simon and Garfunkel - Mrs Robinson
All Danielle Ate the Sandwich songs
Fort Atlantic - Let Your Heart Hold Fast
And unfortunately, probably PSY - Gangnam Style
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner
iii. richer or poorer? Richer
Oh hey, I achieved the trifecta!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Practising the difficult chords changes on guitar rather than just playing the songs I knew/liked. I would be a much better player by now if I had stuck to my original practice regimen.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Nothing. Everything had their time and place, even the large swathes of time spent being sad, because even they resulted in some pretty good poems.
20. How will you be spending New Year's?
Mum has planned a family lunch outing.
21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
Yes. I fall in love easily. Does that make my love cheaper? I don't know.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
My favourite probably remained Bones. But I also discovered Lost Girl, Arrested Development, Continuum and The Good Wife.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. It's not worth holding onto hate. If someone makes me angry/disappointed enough I either forgive them or let them go.
24. What was the best book you read?
Prose: Definitely Code Name: Verity by Elizabeth Wein. It's one of those haunting books that stay with you years after you've read them. It's not like the raw sadness and tragedy of books like Written on the Body or Call Me By Your Name. The emotions this one elicits are more subtle. They play under the skin, drill into your brain and lodge in your heart. It's a YA book so you have to forgive it certain small things, and it takes a little while to get started, but once it starts... boy.
Poetry: In Memoriam by Alfred Tennyson.
My guilty pleasure books were the When Women Were Warriors series by Catherine M. Wilson.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery of 2012?
I rediscovered Missy Higgins. But if that doesn't count, then Butterfly Boucher who wooed me over with her amazing gig at The Empress.
26. What did you want and get?
A better work/life balance.
27. What did you want and not get?
A phonecall from Missy Higgins? Well, in previous years I've written things like companionship, but I've actually been fine with being single this year. There were times I wished some of my overseas friends lived closer.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
It hasn't been a big movie year. I finally watched Bloomington (2010) and enjoyed that a lot. The best 2012 movie I watched was probably The Avengers.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was working during the day, and then spent the evening at Rianna's Valedictory dinner. I turned 26.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The year would have ended more satisfyingly if my seven top students had all gotten 40+ study scores like I had hoped. I felt like I put a lot of work into this year's classes and it was disheartening to not see it bear fruit.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Professional clothes for work. And I finally bought my first pair of skinny jeans whilst in the States.
32. What kept you sane?
Channelling any and all frustrations and sadness into guitar playing, writing, and exercise. It worked! Also, my convenient crush on KF made work a lot more fun.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I feel like everyone knows this already, but her name starts with an M and ends in issy Higgins.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Marriage equality and watching the whole "legitimate rape" thing unfold during the American election. Although that didn't "stir" me so much as make me facepalm.
35. Who did you miss?
Lots of people at various times in different ways. Here are some names: Ruth, Xin, Daria, Lyan, Erin, Julia, Ingrid.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
McKinley. I thought briefly about whether KF should rightly take this spot since I've only met McKinely once, but... damnit, I like her.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
Being bold gets you stuff.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road / And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope"
January: I spent most of January in The Netherlands with Emma which was generally a depressing affair. The month was greatly redeemed by a short trip to England to see the lovely
selina_and Xin - I spent a wonderful few days with them. Then I came back to Australia and went to work only to find out that there had been a $1m blaze at the school. Lost a few days of teaching and subsequently spent the rest of Term 1 playing catch up with the curriculum. Gro received my kangaroo, an event which also made the Norwegian newspapers. February: I broke up with Emma. Spent a lot of time being sad about missed connections and bad timing, then wrote a poem about it. I was inspired by Ann's blog to Be Bold and embarked on a number of self improvement initiatives. Despite this, I still got totally sucked into Star Wars: The Old Republic as my post-WoW rebound MMO. I spent the last week of February on school camp with the Year 7s.
March: This was the month in which I worked a lot, played Skyrim, and chatted with Ingrid. She tried to entice me back to WoW but failed. I read an amazing YA book which stayed with me for weeks afterward: Code Name Verity. I also discovered Tennyson's In Memoriam which I read and loved. Ingrid started rewriting TBSOL for the third time.
April: During the Easter break, I tried to fix my computer's overheating problem and ended up doing a complete upgrade. Then I spent the rest of my holidays playing TOR, Skyrim and watching various episodes of things with Ingrid. This was my first holiday since June 2011 that I had free time for myself since the previous two had turned into impromptu trips to Europe.
May: Experienced late autumn blues but successfully overcame them by throwing myself into work. Eurovision happened. Grandpa died. A Finnish girl (Terhi) messaged me on OKCupid.
June: I reconnected with Jennifer, a fellow linguistics student from uni that I used to have a proxy-crush on. I also started playing Diablo III with Terhi. Predictably, I became infatuated with Missy Higgins after going to her concert. This prompted me to seriously start learning guitar (as opposed to playing the 3 chords I knew from high school on my old op-shop bought 3/4 sized one).
July: I finished Diablo III and moved on to Tropico 4 and L.A. Noire. I caught up with various friends during the school holidays. I was very worried for Kitteh when she became ill with an infected joint and took her to the vet several times. I finalised USA travel plans for September. And when Term 3 started, KF arrived on the scene, which made work a lot more interesting.
August: I spent much of this month developing a crush on a married, straight woman. Good job, me.
September: September was a big month. I went on my long overdue America Trip to see
dangerosa, thrace_ red_said, gizzmogeek, and pebblin. I spent varying amounts of time in Boston, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Virginia and L.A. By the end of the trip, I felt human again (as opposed to feeling and acting like WorkBot).October: Came back to Melbourne, and work, and threw myself whole-heartedly in preparing my Year 12s for their exams. Watched Rianna turn 18 and was a proud big sister. Work got a lot less busy after the Year 12s finished up so I spent some time playing Empire: Total War. I also applied for a job at a different school but in the end I withdrew my application and decided to stay. Two more years until long service leave. Agreed to go on the China Exchange trip next year.
November: I turned 26. My Year 7 tutorial group threw me a mini party, baked me a cake and got me presents, which made my day immensely better. I went to my sister's Valedictory dinner and watched her graduate. Had more proud sister moments. Schmoozed with a couple of teachers at her school in an attempt to try and get myself employed at Korowa one day.
December: At work, I prepared for next year, did a lot of babysitting, and continued to cultivate my friendship with KF. I attended the work Christmas lunch and lawn bowls, as well as Chris's 40th birthday. I got my Year 12s' results and was quite disappointed at their scores. The summer holidays finally started. I emailed McKinley on OKCupid and went on a lovely date with her.
And now, the survey:
1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
I submitted a poem for publication and it was accepted and published in banQuet's 2012 anthology. I started seriously learning guitar and getting fit. I also started actually enjoying work functions and being more social with my coworkers. Very lately, I've started tutoring a student for English Language. This is significant because it's a direct result of work becoming manageable enough that I feel I can have outside commitments.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any last year but I will for 2013:
#1 Be bold. Good things happen when you do. (When in doubt, consult your magical WWXD wristband)
#2 Keep practising guitar regularly. Especially the boring stuff you avoid like the 1 minute chord changes because that's what actually helps you get better. Master the F chord.
#3 Level self up physically (by continuing to do daily jogs or situps) and mentally (by reading at least 30 new books in 2013).
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My last remaining grandparent (爷爷) died although we weren't very close.
5. What countries did you visit?
The Netherlands, England, Belgium, USA
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Love.
7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 13-16, because they were almost perfect.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Learning how to be better at being happy. Learning how to let go.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't know. I'm feeling pretty positive tonight and I can't think of anything that went particularly wrong in 2012. I'm going to declare it as a year of no failures. Well actually, no, here's one: not breaking up with Emma sooner.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, nada. I think it was the extra sleep and exercise.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My guitar, my new queen sized quilt cover and, once they arrive, my chakrams.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I think I need to especially mention
pebblin for being an amazing host and showing me heaps of L.A. despite my only being there for two days.13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
A couple of people's behaviour made me sad, but I'd rather not say.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The new apartment. About 75% of my salary goes into that now. Also spent a fair bit on travel this year.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Meeting Missy Higgins in Boston. I still get a goofy smile thinking about it.
16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2012?
In rough chronological order:
Elliot Smith - Between the Bars
City and Colour - The Girl
Kate Rusby - Sweet Bride
Metric - Combat Baby
Zemfira - London Sky
Zemfira - Infinity
Florence + the Machine - Shake it Out
Trading Yesterday - Shattered
Kaliopi - Crno i Belo
Loreen - Euphoria
Missy Higgins - The Ol' Razzle Dazzle album
Missy Higgins - Warm Whispers
Butterfly Boucher - 5678!
Butterfly Boucher - Another White Dash
Cake - Short Skirt Long Jacket
Simon and Garfunkel - Mrs Robinson
All Danielle Ate the Sandwich songs
Fort Atlantic - Let Your Heart Hold Fast
And unfortunately, probably PSY - Gangnam Style
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner
iii. richer or poorer? Richer
Oh hey, I achieved the trifecta!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Practising the difficult chords changes on guitar rather than just playing the songs I knew/liked. I would be a much better player by now if I had stuck to my original practice regimen.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Nothing. Everything had their time and place, even the large swathes of time spent being sad, because even they resulted in some pretty good poems.
20. How will you be spending New Year's?
Mum has planned a family lunch outing.
21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
Yes. I fall in love easily. Does that make my love cheaper? I don't know.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
My favourite probably remained Bones. But I also discovered Lost Girl, Arrested Development, Continuum and The Good Wife.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. It's not worth holding onto hate. If someone makes me angry/disappointed enough I either forgive them or let them go.
24. What was the best book you read?
Prose: Definitely Code Name: Verity by Elizabeth Wein. It's one of those haunting books that stay with you years after you've read them. It's not like the raw sadness and tragedy of books like Written on the Body or Call Me By Your Name. The emotions this one elicits are more subtle. They play under the skin, drill into your brain and lodge in your heart. It's a YA book so you have to forgive it certain small things, and it takes a little while to get started, but once it starts... boy.
Poetry: In Memoriam by Alfred Tennyson.
My guilty pleasure books were the When Women Were Warriors series by Catherine M. Wilson.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery of 2012?
I rediscovered Missy Higgins. But if that doesn't count, then Butterfly Boucher who wooed me over with her amazing gig at The Empress.
26. What did you want and get?
A better work/life balance.
27. What did you want and not get?
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
It hasn't been a big movie year. I finally watched Bloomington (2010) and enjoyed that a lot. The best 2012 movie I watched was probably The Avengers.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was working during the day, and then spent the evening at Rianna's Valedictory dinner. I turned 26.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The year would have ended more satisfyingly if my seven top students had all gotten 40+ study scores like I had hoped. I felt like I put a lot of work into this year's classes and it was disheartening to not see it bear fruit.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Professional clothes for work. And I finally bought my first pair of skinny jeans whilst in the States.
32. What kept you sane?
Channelling any and all frustrations and sadness into guitar playing, writing, and exercise. It worked! Also, my convenient crush on KF made work a lot more fun.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I feel like everyone knows this already, but her name starts with an M and ends in issy Higgins.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Marriage equality and watching the whole "legitimate rape" thing unfold during the American election. Although that didn't "stir" me so much as make me facepalm.
35. Who did you miss?
Lots of people at various times in different ways. Here are some names: Ruth, Xin, Daria, Lyan, Erin, Julia, Ingrid.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
McKinley. I thought briefly about whether KF should rightly take this spot since I've only met McKinely once, but... damnit, I like her.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
Being bold gets you stuff.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road / And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope"
