What I did in 2011
1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
- Moved to another country
- Worked in food service
- Worked in a call centre
- Bought a fridge
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for the next year?
I deliberately kept my resolutions vague to give me a better chance of keeping them. They were:
- Move to Melbourne in May
- Get a full-time job in Melbourne
- Keep working on music and writing.
I did indeed move to Melbourne, and I eventually got a full-time job, although it took me almost six months.
I didn’t do any significant writing or music-making. I think I only picked up a guitar about four times after the last little show I played in Wellington in February.
My goals for 2012 are a bit more specific:
- Stick at my current technical writing job.
- Pay off at least AU $7000 of my Student Loan (or more if I get windfalls or unexpected savings).
- Besides that, keep saving as much as I can.
- Do fun things, like classes and travel, to keep myself sane.
- Come up with a plan for 2013 that includes transitioning to a career I’ll enjoy more.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My sister had a son; he is great. I met him a week ago.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Australia; New Zealand.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
Last year I wanted to make more money, so that I could start paying off my student loan and saving for the future. As it turned out, I didn’t make a lot of money; what with moving to another country, working part-time for most of the year, and then moving in with Anna; I ended the year, by my reckoning, about AU$1000 poorer.
In 2012, I think the main thing I want is stability. Specifically, I’d like to have the resolve and motivation to earn and save a bunch of money. I’d also like to have a sense of stability in my personal life – last year, I did really badly at making friends and finding fulfilling things to do outside of work; I had a lot of part-time jobs and spent a lot of time commuting.
I also want a vege garden, which is underway. And I want to learn home-brewing and some other fun skills; maybe pottery or knife-sharpening.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched in your memory, and why?
- April 28th: moved to Melbourne.
- September 18th: my one-year anniversary with Anna, which we spent in Brisbane, where Anna was performing a show in the arts festival.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Personal-growthy-relationshippy stuff.
9. What was your biggest failure of the year?
Not making any very close friends; not making much progress financially.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had my first experience of food poisoning, which was interesting. If you come to Melbourne, I will point out a deli from which you should never buy a chicken sandwich.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets home for Christmas; some good kitchen gear.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Mine. Anna’s.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
No-one’s, really.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The usual suspects: living costs, travel, food.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Not enough in 2011. I aim to get excited a lot more this year.
16. What song will always remind of you of 2011?
I can’t think of one for 2011; it was a pretty un-musical year for me.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
Sadder, I think, but more contented, if that makes sense.
b) fatter or thinner?
About the same.
c) richer or poorer?
Slightly poorer, but with better prospects.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
The same as last year! Creative stuff, meeting new people, having deep-and-meaningful conversations, working for money.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Buying takeaway food; commuting.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
In Nelson, with my family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
If you define that as feeling infatuated with someone: yes, a few times, and always with the same person. 
22. What was your favourite TV programme?
Community.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. I still don’t see the point in hating people.
24. What was the best book you read?
I read a few books early in the year, and then there was a bit of a hiatus, and now I’m back into reading. I enjoyed the two Kurt Vonnegut books I read.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I didn’t make any.
26. What did you want and get?
- A room in a good flat with good flatmates.
- Enough of an income that I was never in financial trouble.
- Life experience.
27. What did you want and not get?
Enough of an income to start getting rid of my student loan and saving for the future.
28. What was your favourite film of this year?
I’m just going to go with the most recent great movie I saw that I can remember: The Guard (an Irish film starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle).
29. What did you do on your birthday and how old did you turn?
Had a picnic with Anna and went to the Tutankhamen exhibit at the Melbourne Museum. Twenty-eight.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Mo’ money (wow, I’m starting to sound avaricious here).
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
The same.
32. What kept you sane?
Cooking, reading, homesickness.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None I can think of.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I was too wrapped up in my own affairs to think much about politics.
35. Whom did you miss?
Matt, Kat, Christina, my family.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Probably my flatmate Dave.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
In 2010 I learned that everything I need comes to me eventually. In 2011 I learned that this happens more smoothly when I involve myself in the process.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I’m usually too lazy to answer this question. Today is no exception.
