These are the questions that I answer every year. You can view last year’s here.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
According to last year’s post, my resolution was:
“My new resolution is to articulate myself better when I don’t like something, rather than just dealing with it. As in “please take your hand off my leg” instead of moving chairs, or “Actually I don’t like Hawaiiian Pizza” instead of just avoiding those slices. Etc.
I was very very dreadful at this. Well, I got better at standing up for myself at work, both in terms of actual work, but also just in my 3 month contract standing up to the dreadful racism, misogyny and general ignorance in the office. There was a thing at the end of the year though, in which I was unable to say no at the time, but I was able – with the help of good friends – to make it clear in no uncertain terms afterwards that what had happened was not okay, so I’m pretty proud of that.
Oh, I also said that my resolution last year was to try roller skating once. I didn’t. It was too much of a pain to get out to Kilbirnie after work.
As for my resolution this year, it’s pretty simple. I resolve not to sleep with any more workmates, married people or close friends. I think that’s pretty self-explanatory. I also stole Jason‘s resolution to read more books, and there are things I’d like to do, like walk to/from work at least half the time, and take lunch to work at least two times a week, and restrict buying coffee to twice a week at the maximum. But those aren’t such strict resolutions, if you know what I mean. Actually, I have set myself a 11 in ’11 challenge with a whole bunch of stuff I’d like to do.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I don’t think so. My flickr stream is flooded with pictures of babies, but I’m pretty certain they were all circa 2009. Smack me if I’m wrong.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. But someone that people I care about cared about did, and that was a bit weird, especially when Facebook kept suggesting that I should friend her. Too late.
5. What countries did you visit?
When I found out that I got my current job, Karen and I planned a trip to Tonga, but then the price went up by $800, so we went to Samoa again instead.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
I’ll say it again – a relationship with someone who shouts it from the rooftops that they are in love with me.
7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June 29 – I moved out of Balmoral Terrace in Newtown where I’d lived for the past two and a half years. September 20, I started my new job. October 9, I got possession of my very own flat.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a job that I both love and am very good at. I really like the people that I work with, and most of the time I feel like I have a lot to contribute.
It’s also really important to me that I am close again with people who have played major roles in my life before. Some of those friendships are precarious and teeter a little, but I will continue to work at them.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Given that I’m making the most money I ever have, my finances should not be in such dire straits. Also, that whole going on Yaz to sort out my PMS and then it making me worse than ever was a pretty big failure on the part of my reproductive system.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
The Yaz made me sick. Also, Sebby got beaten up. And oh, the Madder Badder Flu that I got after Tom’s party that knocked me on my ass for a couple of weeks was totally dreadful.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
It’s not a single purchase, but the decision to get a flat by myself was fucking brilliant.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The wonderful people who supported me as So Content, my amazing manager who hired me and has dealt with me being slightly mental and who is super protective and encouraging, the lovely feminists of the internet who fought the good #mooreandme fight as well as all the other usual battles that exist, my family for their help in moving, and the Lovehawks for providing me with a second home.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
That place I worked for three months. My ex landlady who thought it was okay to make me pay $900 for cleaning. The tenancy tribunal who agreed with her. Assorted rape apologists on the internet. The National Party, as usual. The married man for what he did at the start of the year. The other thing that happened at the end of the year.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Booze, debt servicing, and living by myself.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Princess Camp because it came when I really needed it. Getting clients for So Content, and building up a reputation for knowing what I was talking about. Getting hired for a proper real job as Jo Hubris, not just a random ‘Joanna McLeod’ on paper. Getting my own flat. Going away for New Year’s with the Lovehawks. Kissing a boy again after pashing so many girls all year.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
‘Run this town’ by Jay Z & Rihanna. I came very close to deciding that I needed to move the fuck out of Wellington at the start of the year, when the married man hooked up with another girl (not his wife) and Wellington was too small, and everywhere I went I was reminded of him, and the fucking terrible thing that I did and that he was, and all that. I wanted to run away and hide forever, but then we had Princess Camp and I was reminded that in this case, I’d done nothing wrong, and that actually, Wellington is my fucking city. I fucking run it. And I have my girls, and they have my back, and I ain’t going nowhere. I fucking love my princesses.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
I am fatter, happier and richer. That’s a good balance, right?
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I’d done less shopping, and more saving money. I also wish I’d gone to see my counselor. I can’t believe it’s been over a year since I last talked to her. I tried to make an appointment during my last week of work but she was all full until now, and, as I hoped, I have dealt with it now.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I probably should have drunk less, and done less shopping, given the financial suckiness of me right now.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I had an International Sandwich Degustation with Karen and Bad Tom, and then BAMJI came over and we watched Buzzcocks.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
What is this phone thing of which you speak? I don’t call anyone ever anymore.
22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
No.
23. How many one-night stands?
Two.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Still Mad Men, Community and Parks & Recreation.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Not hate hate, but there certainly have been a fair number of people who’ve made life more difficult than it needed to be.
26. What was the best book you read?
I really liked most of Player One by Douglas Coupland. The ending was a bit meh though, and it was mega depressing.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
We have Mac Airports at work so we can share our music collections, and also we have speakers anyone can control, so most of my music has come from my cow-orker Kirsten, who is into The Black Keys, Band of Horses and other such indie bands. I like it a lot.
28. What did you want and get?
A tropical holiday, a great flat by myself and a job I love.
29. What did you want and not get?
To clear my credit card and my financial debt to my parents.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Seriously, I’m not entirely sure I went to the movies AT ALL in 2010. Woah!
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my birthday I turned 30. I was working at Customs, and they didn’t know it was my birthday. I got my hair cut by a bad haircutter at a place near the building, and then in the evening I think I went to Le Metropolitan with my family.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
$200 more a week. That would have allowed me to have not felt like such a shut-in while I was on the dole, and now it would allow me to service my credit card debt AND save a little while still having a life. Also, I wish I hadn’t tried Yaz.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Dressy McDresserson. With lots of pillaging of Sue and Megan’s wardrobes. Lots of black eyeliner, and occasionally some dark lipstick, and lots of lasercut jewellery from SuperVery and Cupcakes and Mace.
34. What kept you sane?
Lexapro, Princess Camp, my manager at work who is a saint despite all his swearing, and all my dear friends, Kim and Megan especially. <3
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Joel McHale, Alexander Saarsgard and Jon Hamm. There was a Jezebel poll to pick the sexiest man once, and it was impossible!
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Let me quote the Feminist Hulk here:
AS SURVIVOR, HULK DISTURBED BY ASSANGE COVERAGE. HULK GLAD WIKILEAKS EXIST. HULK SMASH RAPE SHAME. AT SAME TIME.
37. Who did you miss?
I got to spend lots of time with Kat & Kane and Heather this year, so I’m going to say Kate H who’s over there in Engerland. And Smoo once he moved out.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Via Kim, who I believe was the best new person last year, I met Kate & Jason & Brendan. They’re pretty sweet eh. And most of the people in my office are pretty awesome too.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Moving in with your parents when you’re 30 is never a good idea, even if you need to save money and you’re only doing it for a couple of months!
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“We gon’ run this town tonight. “
