2013 Round Up

1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
Lots of little things, this year I was forced to live a little outside my comfort zones
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any formal resolutions I did make a list of things I would try to do/be better at so I’ll continue with that.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Quite a number of acquaintances and friends gave birth in 2013. Two of my dearest friends gave birth to gorgeous little girls
4. Did anyone close to you die?
A friend’s husband sadly died after a long battle with cancer.
5. What countries did you visit?
No new countries in 2013
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
The same answer as last year stability
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
3rd August – Sarah & Andy’s wedding
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Surviving, there have seemingly been lots of challenges this year and times when things seemed a bit bleak but I’m still here and reminded regularly there are lots of blessings too.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I’m deliberately choosing not to answer this one because if I open that door it might trigger all sorts of things I have worked hard this year to silence.
10.Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My diary- This year it’s kept me focused on getting the important stuff done and in the right place at least 90% of the time
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Lots of wonderful NHS workers especially the nurses in the rehab unit.
13. Whose behaviour made you depressed?
I can't really think of anyone in my personal life whose behaviour made me depressed. This year though I have been disgusted by the behaviour of Katie Hopkins who seems to be making a career out of being as offensive and cruel as she can be.
Similarly I found myself depressed by many of the opinions expressed by ex UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom. The best description of him in my humble opinion comes via Charlie Brooker – ‘Bloom, a sort of blustering sitcom colonel from a previous century who’d fallen through time, wound up here and was furious about it’
14. Where did most of your money go?
The usual day to day life stuff mostly and planning a few surprises for a couple of friends who’d been having a horrible year.
15. What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
S’s hen party & wedding, the birth of EW,
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Lana Del Ray - Young and Beautiful (also lots of the Gatsby soundtrack) Oh and “What does the Fox say” because you couldn’t escape it.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i.happier or sadder? About the same
ii.thinner or fatter? Right now- fatter (my father’s christmas dinner was designed that we wouldn’t get thinner)
iii.richer or poorer? Again about the same
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Laughing, relaxing and enjoying life while catching up with friends
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Having to let people down at the last minute, there were a couple of personal events and a few other responsibilities that I had to back out. They were all for very valid reasons, but for someone who was brought up by a mother who believed in being more prepared than the average boy -scout and who valued being reliable, I always feel I’m letting people down.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent a quiet but lovely day with my family.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
I didn't do an extensive amount of phone-chatting this year but I when I did it was with far-away friends
22. Did you fall in love in 2013? No
23. How many one-night stands? None
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
I enjoyed the Wrong Mans & The Bletchley Circle
I also spent a couple of mornings and evenings one weekend watching ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries’
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word. I try not to hate anyone.
26. What was the best book you read?
A tough one, there have been several this year. I very much enjoyed ‘Codename Verity’ by Elizabeth Wein
28. What did you want and get?
I’m grateful for the opportunities I got to meet up with friends and family this year.
29. What did you want and not get?
There were times when I didn’t take care of my health/body as well as I would have hoped to- odd meal times etc
30. What were your favourite films of this year?
I really enjoyed ‘Oz:The Great and Powerful’
31. What did you do on your birthday?
The weekend before my birthday I went for a meal and to see the musical Wicked with some friends. Then on my actual birthday one of my wonderful friends surprised me with tickets to see the UK tour of ‘Singing in the Rain’ in the afternoon.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less Schrodinger’s Cat sensations
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
This year I would probably describe it as sensible yet random- usually because the weather has turned gangster or is threatening to when I need to be somewhere or because I’ve tried to get ready in approx 5 mins (lots of doing make up on car journeys too.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most/least in 2013?
All the usual suspects
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I’m still very cross the government thinks it’s acceptable to make lots of cuts to vulnerable people and simultaneously verbally blacken them as “scroungers” or “villains”. I’m not going to expand any further though in case I fall off my soapbox and start frothing at the mouth
37. Whom did you miss?
All sorts of people
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I’ve met lots of new people this year but it’s been an absolute pleasure getting to know my friend M’s new partner Matt. He’s a bit of a star generally and makes M very happy, which in turn makes me happy.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
40. Sum up the year in a song lyric/quote

‘You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometime, well you might find
You get what you need.’
Rolling Stones

Things I Love Thursday

It’s been a busy month but I do love to come back with a Tilt list so here’s my final list of things I Love for 2013.

Source

Definitely topping my list this time round is that I was able to spend Christmas with my parents. My mum has been back in hospital again but she was allowed out for a few hours for good behaviour Christmas. I have been joking to people all week that it’s like prison- “she’s got day-release luckily or we’d have had to spring her” but I am so grateful that she is being well cared for and I know she’s in the right place at the moment. I’m still super glad that she was allowed to come and spend the day with us though.

Also last weekend I attended a friend’s wedding blessing. He and his beautiful wife got married in China earlier this year so had a blessing at his home church so his UK friends and family could share in his joy. It was a beautiful ceremony. Both the bride and groom looked amazing and so happy too. It was also a lovely opportunity to catch up with friends. Life gets so busy and many of us live scattered across the country so it’s always time I cherish when we all get to be together.

Speaking of catching up with friends tomorrow I am meeting up with a dear friend who I haven’t seen for months for lunch. Then later I will be out celebrating another friend’s birthday. Timings have had to be planned with almost military precision to ensure I’m also able to visit my mum and fit in the grown up life responsibilities too but I am feeling excited and very grateful for opportunities to be able to catch up with K and be able to share in S’s celebrations too.

Stocking fillers:
Twinkly eyed old ladies who envelop me in a hug during the Peace at church, You are good enough, Christmas cards (and special envelopes marked “not for Christmas open me now”), Ann Voskamp’s The Greatest Gift, that feeling of being out in the cold and entering some place warm,

Right that’s the end of my list for now, although there are probably so many other things I could or should add. Thanks for reading, may you have a bright and shiny end to 2013 and I’d love to know what the icing on the Christmas cake of your life is this week...