2012 In Review

As per every year, here is 2012 in 30-something questions:

1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
Ohhh... Loads! I travelled around huge chunks of Europe, which meant taking a flight that was longer than 4 hours for the first time. I spent a week as a photography mentor / tutor at the National Scout Photography School. I got pregnant. I bought my first car (well, we bought a car, but its in my name). We started renovations.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Mostly. The only one I didn't keep at all was the one I had the least control over - getting full-time, permanent work. Of course I will make more for next year. I always do :)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Some friends from my uni days have had babies late this year, but no-one particularly close. However, everyone seems to be pregnant at the moment - we have 5 friends / extended family members due in March as well as us. Yikes!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. Grandad looked like he might for a little while, but he continues to live forever to spite us all. (his words - this is the man who was given 2 months to live 30 years ago)

5. What countries did you visit?
Yay, able to say something other than "Australia" this year! Thailand, Scotland, England, France, Switzerland, Spain, Monaco, Italy, Vatican City, Germany, Russia, Netherlands and Hong Kong. (In that order)

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
This is actually really hard this year. I would love to have a job, but with Peanut due in March, chances are thats not going to happen, so no point wishing for it (although I would quite like to be back at work before Christmas). I think I'm going to go with: A clear life aim.

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
19 May - the day we left for Europe
30 June - the day we came home
17 July - the day we found out we were pregnant (although I had to look that one up - the day itself is still crystal clear in my memory though!)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Weight loss. I still cant believe I came home from Europe over 2kg lighter than when I left, and nearly 4kg lighter than Mark! Felt so good to get down to 80kg - a weight I hadn't seen since 2007! Completing the Kapiti Womens Triathlon in February was also definitely a bright spot.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Tough call. I dont really feel like I failed at a lot this year. I didn't do as well as I could have in some things, but apart from barely contributing anything to the household finances, I actually had quite a good year. (Need to remind myself of this when I feel sick and miserable, and as if I have been sick and miserable all year!)

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Unforunately both. A nasty headcold for the first half of our trip to Europe, and then a re-pulled hamstring in October. Plus, while pregnant I've had a series of minor health issues pop up, which all become more difficult to deal with (including an ear infection that saw me spent a night in the Emergency Department to try and get treatment just before Christmas)

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The new car. Apart from stuff in Europe, it is not only our biggest purchase, but the best as well - anything would be better than our old car though.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Malala Yousafzai. Enough said.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
A lot of the reactions to the primary school shooting in the USA. Over-reactions, over-dramatisations, claiming "My son is like the shooter", the kind of people who posted these status updates (thankfully none of my friends were anything like this!). The speculation as to causes, the "trumping" of each others suspected causes. Sigh.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Travel and a new car. Kind of obvious, really :) 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Europe.

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Haha, totally this one

Up Up Up by the Givers. It was our wake-up song on the bus with Becs on tour. Was really glad to see the back of it by the time I got off the bus, thats for sure, and I still cant hear it without needing the bathroom.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder?
I think happier. Although I'm struggling with being pregnant and long(ish) term unemployed, I'm learning to deal with all of that.
b) Thinner or fatter?
Fatter! But not much, weight-wise at least, even if my waist measurement is substantially larger than it was.
c) Richer or poorer?
Surprisingly, only slightly poorer. But we have a new car and the memories of a trip to Europe to show for it, so although we have a little less in the bank, I would say richer overall.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Work. This may be the only year in my life I say this though.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worry. Turns out, Mark is right, and most things are not as big a deal as I make them out to be.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas day was with my family - Mum and Dad, Jared and Alexis, Aunty Lisa, Uncle David and Zane at their place in the Hawkes Bay. After that, we headed Ohakune for three nights to chill out, relax, do some day walks etc, before coming home to spend a couple of days with Marks parents, who are visiting.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
Ha, yes. With Amsterdam and Edinburgh. (not the answer most people are expecting, right? I'm meant to say "Peanut" there? oops.)

22. What was your favourite TV programme?
Downton Abbey again. Along with the new series High Country Rescue.

23. What was the best book you read?
Probably a toss up between So Brilliantly Clever (about the Hulme / Parker murder in Christchurch in the 1950's) and The God Delusion. The new Diana Gabaldon set A Trail of Fire was also pretty darned good.

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Another year where I am late to the party, but this year I quite enjoyed Adam Lambert. Just for the punchiness of the music.

25. What did you want and get?
A trip to Europe :)

26. What did you want and not get?
Full-time, Permanent work.

27. What was your favourite film of this year?
Depressing to look through the list of releases and realise how few I've seen... I saw American Pie Reunion, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (on one of the flights to / from Europe), and Dark Shadows. And thats it. Ouch. I actually think that as much as I enjoyed Dark Shadows (Johnny Depp, whats not to like), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was actually a better movie.

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Ouch, I turned 30. The day of, I think we had dinner with Mum (Dad was working), but one weekend around there we went out for dinner with a whole pile of friends. Mark and I also hosted our first bi-annual friends and family ski weekend in August to coincide with our 30ths.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Other than being able to financially contribute to our household (which would have meant more renovations done by now), not a lot, really.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Lots of skirts and dresses, especially in Europe. Loved the denim skirt + thick black stockings + skechers look on the colder days.

31. What kept you sane?
As always, exercise.

32. What political issue stirred you the most?
It was the American election this year, and there was a LOT of debate about womens reproductive rights over there. I got really involved in some really interesting discussions about it via a couple of other blogs, notably Libby Annes.

33. Who did you miss?
All my old Dunedin friends - Lisa, Sarah and Tish the most.

34. Who was the best new person you met?
Melody. Entertaining, talkative and generally awesome to work with.
Also, both tour groups we were in were full of really awesome people - too many of them to pick a favourite!

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
Just chill. Its something that I've really only managed to succeed at in the last couple of months. Sure, sometimes things still stress me out, but overall, I feel like I am a lot more relaxed than I was.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Tonight I'm gonna have myself a real good time
I feel alive and the world it's turning inside out Yeah!
I'm floating around in ecstasy
So don't stop me now don't stop me
'Cause I'm having a good time having a good time
- Dont Stop Me Now (Queen)