2011 Round-up

2010 round-up

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

Saw Mt Fuji from the sky.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

No, I did NOT keep the weight off or start exercising. Hopefully my increasingly creaky body and hypnosis tapes will provide me with more incentive this year!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes! Debra Greenwood gave birth to yet another perfect little girl this year!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, despite all the natural disasters!

5. What countries did you visit?

NONE

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

$0 in my visa account. New tatamis and fusumas.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Feb 22 and March 11. August 10 and 28. Earthquake, earthquake and tsunami, Erica's operation, and the day Tropicoco burned down on my 40th birthday.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

6 more Journals!

9. What was your biggest failure?

As usual, diet, exercise and housekeeping!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Erica's operation on August 10. Technically her hand was 'fixed' and we talk about it to her using that word. (Amy tried to suggest to her the other day that the doctor 'cut' it, but she was having no part of that, though she agrees that he 'fixed' it). The thing she remembers most by the way, is the mask and the bad smell she didn't like. That's my strongest memory too, her lying on the operating table, struggling a little against the mask while I tried to reassure her, stroking her head and telling her to be quiet, sleep now, while she was obviously trying to tell me she didn't the like the mask or the smell.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The 1920's flapper outfit for the AFWJ Convention, the white fringed dress, the two-tone shoes, the headband, the cigarette holder.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

The countless unsung heroes of 'my' disasters and all the others this year, in Cairns, Brisbane, Perth, the US, Thailand, etc etc, who went out of their way to help others.

And Princess Kate, for being so elegant and genteel in the midst of an increasingly gross pornified raunch culture.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Japanese people who criticized New Zealand's post-earthquake efforts in Christchurch, and our earthquake preparedness, as though we were somehow ignorant of the fact that we have earthquakes, whereas it was really all our detractors who were ignorant of the big earthquake the previous September that weakened everything (as is being discovered now in the inquests, but of course they're not listening now, are they). It was a shock, because I've always felt safer in NZ, as I don't trust older Japanese houses; I think NZ has better standards overall, and safer residential houses at least, especially if you look at what happened in Kobe. So who were the Japanese to be so smugly critical, bringing me to No. 2 person whose behaviour appalled and depressed me:

Me - for in a few mean-spirited moments after hearing about the March 11 quake, hoping that at least ONE building collapsed so the Japanese wouldn't be so damned smug about their earthquake preparedness and criticizing NZ. Never have I been so horrified and devastated to have a 'wish' come true, nor so ashamed for having in that moment of offended weakness, for having thought it.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Paying back the bloody visa card!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Surprisingly, turning 40. Guess it just seems a whole lot preferable to NOT turning 40, which generally involves being dead.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

Anything by Amy Winehouse or Adele

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?

Sadder. Too much sad stuff going on.

ii. thinner or fatter?

fatter, alas

iii. richer or poorer?

definitely poorer, oh dear, 3 out of 3!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

reading books and magazine. Still got a backlog to get through! I have to read them so I can shop for them again without that nagging feeling in the back of mind that I really, REALLY don't need this!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

clicking the next link...

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

At home with a roast turkey, family and good friends.

22. Did you fall in love in 2010?

Did that 13 years ago, and still going strong, woohoo!

23. How many one-night stands?

hmm, methinks this meme was written for 20-somethings...

24. What was your favorite TV program?

zilch, zero, nada!! I truly did NOT watch TV last year!

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Yes, added one more to the very short list, sadly

26. What was the best book you read?

Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis. I haven't been so gloriously caught up in a novel's world for a long time, thank you Michelle!

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Adele, the glory of true emotion sung so purely.

Red One via J.Lo's On the Floor. Now I know who he is and that he's behind my favorite Lady Gaga tunes, I'm going to watch out for what he produces next!

28. What did you want and get?

Friends and fun!

29. What did you want and not get?

A new house.

30. What were your favorite films of this year?

Any one of those old westerns me and Kanji watched together on a hazy hungover morning while the kids were at school...

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

WOW.

I turned 40 this year, and it was a doozy! All through August I was reluctant to plan anything due to Erica's operation, and Jiichan's liver cancer having returned, meaning he went in for surgery too that month. So I only had a week to plan for my birthday ( once it became clear that all my immediate relatives would be healthy). In the end, I planned a night out at my favorite bar, Mexican restaurant Tropicoco, on Friday; Aile(the Turkish restaurant)'s summer barbecue party on the Saturday; then the Tsuru-ichi Jinja festival with fireworks on the Sunday (my actual birthday).

Tammy joined me on Friday for a few final drinks at Troppies - final, because the bar burned down the next night. After farewelling my friends at Aile on Saturday, and sending then to Troppies, I went home to put the kids to bed... heard the sirens... then got the phone call from Kanji telling me the sirens were for Troppies, which was on fire. This was around midnight, so literally on my birthday...

Sunday, my actual birthday, I got some lovely presents from my family, and Susie from Kurume came to help me celebrate with some champers. Then we went to the festival to see the fireworks with Kristin from Munakata and her family... and Raul from now-totally-destroyed Tropicoco and his family.

I will NEVER forget this birthday!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

The earth not moving

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

How to incorporate those fabulous shoes into my existing wardrobe.

34. What kept you sane?

iPad

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

J.Lo

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

See above re Japanese criticism of NZ about the earthquake.

And, Kim Jong Il's death - are they going to nuke us now??

37. Who did you miss?

My lunch ladies

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Julia and Rory and Indigo

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

That life is what it is, and here I am

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

"Don't stop, keep it moving, put your drinks up!!"