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Was 2018 a good year for you?
I think I can quote last year's answer verbatim: "For me personally, yes, very much. Obviously the world of politics is a gigantic trashfire in ways that are quite scary, but I am in the immensely fortunate position of not being personally affected in any serious way, and in fact, my own life just keeps getting more and more awesome."
What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?
Lots of church related things - sung the Exultet, been a churchwarden, appointed a vicar, read the bible from start to finish, attended the installation of a Bishop, officiated communion by extension when the expected priest didn't turn up. Eaten at a michelin starred restaurant in Paris, been a best man, tried classes in ballet and french conversation and swimming (although didn't stick at any of them), directed a (scratch) choir, been to a jazz gig, hosted Christmas for my family, been diagnosed with ADHD
Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No. As with 2017, my main goal for 2018 was to spend less, and whilst I haven't actually reviewed the figures yet, I think I failed equally miserably. I also intended to run a marathon, but gave up just under 18 miles in.
I've got a bunch of goals for next year, that I'll go into in another post, although "take a systematic approach to spending less so that it it actually happens" is the biggest one.
Did someone close to you give birth?
No.
Did anyone close to you die?
No.
What countries did you visit?
France
What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
Yet again, some movement toward political sanity would be nice.
More time to focus on my faith and relationship with God.
What events from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Singing the Exultet, because it's one of the most magical bits of one of the most beautiful liturgies of the year. Paris, partly for the truly outstanding food, but mostly because I asked![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
leonato if he wanted to be my boyfriend and he said yes <3
What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
Steering St John's through the interregunum.
What was your biggest failure(s)?
I think probably not completing the marathon I attempted. Which y'know, doesn't feel like that big a failure. Well done me :)
Did you suffer illness or injury?
A minor calf injury meant I couldn't run for a few weeks in October/November, but nothing major.
What was the best thing you bought?
Probably the meal in Paris, with honourable mentions going to tickets to The Inheritance, a standing desk, and a new mattress.
Where did most of your money go?
Charity, mortgage, restaurants.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Wedding planning (mine), wedding planning (bunnypip and cuddlyviking's) Francegour, singing, leonato, having a new vicar
Compared to this time last year, are you...
i. Happier or sadder? Still happier - perhaps without as much increased intensity as there has been in the past (there really has to be a limit somewhere), but with a deep base of contentment. The highs are just as high as ever, and the lows don't really exist any more.
ii. Richer or poorer? Richer, although not as much richer as I should be considering my income.
iii. Healthier or iller? Probably about the same.
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Making music. Spending time one-on-one with friends.
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Socialising in large groups.
How did you spend Christmas?
At home, withobandsoller, robert_jones, my parents, and one of my sisters. We ate ham on Christmas Eve, and goose on Christmas Day, and then went to my sister's for games and more delicious food on Boxing Day. It was absolutely splendid - having my chosen family and my birth family together was really special.
How was your religious year?
Intense! I speculated when answering this question last year that I might have taken on a bit too much in terms of logistics and admin at church and that I would have to take care not to let it overshadow the spiritual side of things. That did happen a bit, but since Mthr Alice joined us I've managed to open up the space that I'd been using for keeping the church running, and found it much easier to fill it with God, rather than letting it slip back to worldly things. Reading the bible from start to finish was a very helpful practice for me, and a lot of things feel as though they're slotting together for me, and making time and space for God seems much less effort than it used to (although I still don't do enough!) I'm excited to learn what God has in store for me next year.
Did you fall in love in 2018?
No, but I continue to find new heights and depths in my feelings towards my beloveds.
How many one-night stands?
None. I had a few dates towards the beginning of the year, in one case with someone I was quite keen on, but she apparently lost interest and ghosted on me (early enough in the courtship that that was a perfectly reasonable way express that lack of interest). For a while I'd felt like there was room on my dance card for one more local relationship, but hadn't actually been willing or able to make time to actually pursue anything whilst still experiencing a niggling dissatisfaction. I'm now realising that I feel pretty polysaturated with the entanglements I have going on, so not pursuing anything else has changed to a conscious decision and I'm much happier with it.
What is the best thing you created in 2018?
I'm not sure it's the best, but the thing I'm most proud of is the St John's scratch choir for the carol service.
What was your favourite TV program?
I watched very little TV this year. I'm enjoying Steven Universe though.
What were the best books you read?
The Bible (various), Natives (Akala), Poor Economics (Abhijit Bannerjee), An Unkindness of Ghosts (River Solomon), The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed (Ursula Le Guin)
What were your favourite musical discoveries this year?
The Peter Warlock version of Adam Lay Ybounden (thanksartsyhonker), The Cog is Dead
What did you want and get?
A boyfriend, a new vicar
What did you want and not get?
On a personal level, nothing very much springs to mind, which is nice!
What was/were your favourite film/s and plays this year?
Film - Blindspotting; Play - The Inheritance
What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
For the day itself I was in Birmingham for work, so I think I took myself out for dinner, but not somewhere exciting enough that I can remember where. The following weekend I had a readthrough of A Woman of No Importance followed by a fairly sedate party. I was 37.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
What is this absurd concept of too many frockcoats?
Who and what kept you sane?
I continue to not have much difficulty staying sane, but of course that's facilitated by being loved by wonderful and supportive people, being lucky enough to have a career which I enjoy and which affords me a very comfortable lifestyle without having to work particularly hard, and having a glorious and sustaining faith.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No-one really stands out.
What political issue(s) stirred you the most?
I get horrified when I think about politics too much, and perhaps it's wrong of me to react to this by not thinking about it, but I don't know that forcing myself to look would actually help very much, so I don't.
Who did you miss?
Lots of people, but especiallyobandsoller when I was working away from home. leonato, hjdoom, emperor, atreic, sfred, the_alchemist, oedipamaas49
Who was the best new person you met?
Mother Alice
Have you changed your hairstyle?
A bit - I was trying to grow it out into a bob with an undercut, but then cut it shorter for interviews, and am now growing it out again but with a shallower undercut.
What are you looking forward to most in 2019?
Getting married!
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018?
I'm not sure I can point to any one big new thing that I've learned, but I got better at applying the knowledge that if I try to do all the things then I will burn out, and so I'll actually get more done if I start saying no and cutting down on commitments shortly before rather than shortly after I reach the end of my tether.
Was 2018 a good year for you?
I think I can quote last year's answer verbatim: "For me personally, yes, very much. Obviously the world of politics is a gigantic trashfire in ways that are quite scary, but I am in the immensely fortunate position of not being personally affected in any serious way, and in fact, my own life just keeps getting more and more awesome."
What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?
Lots of church related things - sung the Exultet, been a churchwarden, appointed a vicar, read the bible from start to finish, attended the installation of a Bishop, officiated communion by extension when the expected priest didn't turn up. Eaten at a michelin starred restaurant in Paris, been a best man, tried classes in ballet and french conversation and swimming (although didn't stick at any of them), directed a (scratch) choir, been to a jazz gig, hosted Christmas for my family, been diagnosed with ADHD
Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No. As with 2017, my main goal for 2018 was to spend less, and whilst I haven't actually reviewed the figures yet, I think I failed equally miserably. I also intended to run a marathon, but gave up just under 18 miles in.
I've got a bunch of goals for next year, that I'll go into in another post, although "take a systematic approach to spending less so that it it actually happens" is the biggest one.
Did someone close to you give birth?
No.
Did anyone close to you die?
No.
What countries did you visit?
France
What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
Yet again, some movement toward political sanity would be nice.
More time to focus on my faith and relationship with God.
What events from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Singing the Exultet, because it's one of the most magical bits of one of the most beautiful liturgies of the year. Paris, partly for the truly outstanding food, but mostly because I asked
leonato if he wanted to be my boyfriend and he said yes <3What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year?
Steering St John's through the interregunum.
What was your biggest failure(s)?
I think probably not completing the marathon I attempted. Which y'know, doesn't feel like that big a failure. Well done me :)
Did you suffer illness or injury?
A minor calf injury meant I couldn't run for a few weeks in October/November, but nothing major.
What was the best thing you bought?
Probably the meal in Paris, with honourable mentions going to tickets to The Inheritance, a standing desk, and a new mattress.
Where did most of your money go?
Charity, mortgage, restaurants.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Wedding planning (mine), wedding planning (
bunnypip and cuddlyviking's) Francegour, singing, leonato, having a new vicarCompared to this time last year, are you...
i. Happier or sadder? Still happier - perhaps without as much increased intensity as there has been in the past (there really has to be a limit somewhere), but with a deep base of contentment. The highs are just as high as ever, and the lows don't really exist any more.
ii. Richer or poorer? Richer, although not as much richer as I should be considering my income.
iii. Healthier or iller? Probably about the same.
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Making music. Spending time one-on-one with friends.
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Socialising in large groups.
How did you spend Christmas?
At home, with
obandsoller, robert_jones, my parents, and one of my sisters. We ate ham on Christmas Eve, and goose on Christmas Day, and then went to my sister's for games and more delicious food on Boxing Day. It was absolutely splendid - having my chosen family and my birth family together was really special. How was your religious year?
Intense! I speculated when answering this question last year that I might have taken on a bit too much in terms of logistics and admin at church and that I would have to take care not to let it overshadow the spiritual side of things. That did happen a bit, but since Mthr Alice joined us I've managed to open up the space that I'd been using for keeping the church running, and found it much easier to fill it with God, rather than letting it slip back to worldly things. Reading the bible from start to finish was a very helpful practice for me, and a lot of things feel as though they're slotting together for me, and making time and space for God seems much less effort than it used to (although I still don't do enough!) I'm excited to learn what God has in store for me next year.
Did you fall in love in 2018?
No, but I continue to find new heights and depths in my feelings towards my beloveds.
How many one-night stands?
None. I had a few dates towards the beginning of the year, in one case with someone I was quite keen on, but she apparently lost interest and ghosted on me (early enough in the courtship that that was a perfectly reasonable way express that lack of interest). For a while I'd felt like there was room on my dance card for one more local relationship, but hadn't actually been willing or able to make time to actually pursue anything whilst still experiencing a niggling dissatisfaction. I'm now realising that I feel pretty polysaturated with the entanglements I have going on, so not pursuing anything else has changed to a conscious decision and I'm much happier with it.
What is the best thing you created in 2018?
I'm not sure it's the best, but the thing I'm most proud of is the St John's scratch choir for the carol service.
What was your favourite TV program?
I watched very little TV this year. I'm enjoying Steven Universe though.
What were the best books you read?
The Bible (various), Natives (Akala), Poor Economics (Abhijit Bannerjee), An Unkindness of Ghosts (River Solomon), The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed (Ursula Le Guin)
What were your favourite musical discoveries this year?
The Peter Warlock version of Adam Lay Ybounden (thanks
artsyhonker), The Cog is DeadWhat did you want and get?
A boyfriend, a new vicar
What did you want and not get?
On a personal level, nothing very much springs to mind, which is nice!
What was/were your favourite film/s and plays this year?
Film - Blindspotting; Play - The Inheritance
What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
For the day itself I was in Birmingham for work, so I think I took myself out for dinner, but not somewhere exciting enough that I can remember where. The following weekend I had a readthrough of A Woman of No Importance followed by a fairly sedate party. I was 37.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
What is this absurd concept of too many frockcoats?
Who and what kept you sane?
I continue to not have much difficulty staying sane, but of course that's facilitated by being loved by wonderful and supportive people, being lucky enough to have a career which I enjoy and which affords me a very comfortable lifestyle without having to work particularly hard, and having a glorious and sustaining faith.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
No-one really stands out.
What political issue(s) stirred you the most?
I get horrified when I think about politics too much, and perhaps it's wrong of me to react to this by not thinking about it, but I don't know that forcing myself to look would actually help very much, so I don't.
Who did you miss?
Lots of people, but especially
obandsoller when I was working away from home. leonato, hjdoom, emperor, atreic, sfred, the_alchemist, oedipamaas49Who was the best new person you met?
Mother Alice
Have you changed your hairstyle?
A bit - I was trying to grow it out into a bob with an undercut, but then cut it shorter for interviews, and am now growing it out again but with a shallower undercut.
What are you looking forward to most in 2019?
Getting married!
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018?
I'm not sure I can point to any one big new thing that I've learned, but I got better at applying the knowledge that if I try to do all the things then I will burn out, and so I'll actually get more done if I start saying no and cutting down on commitments shortly before rather than shortly after I reach the end of my tether.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 04:47 pm (UTC)From:Aw! I would very much like to spend time with you soon, if we can make that happen.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 04:50 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 07:50 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 09:25 pm (UTC)From: