I made coconut biscuits for the first time. And fairy cakes and icing. I wrote fanfic while ill. I drove in the snow - something I'm not planning to repeat. I bought a car!

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't think I made any last year. I did plan to go on lots of days out to various places you can go on a day trip when I had a weekend free. Hopefully I'll get to that next year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No, although quite a few people at work did.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.

5. What countries did you visit?

None.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

My health. No snow.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

23rd/24th February - the date when I first got ill (it was about 11.30pm at night so the date's a bit flexible there really)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Buying my car, I think. That or writing while ill - I never thought I could do that.

9. What was your biggest failure?

There were lots of Rotaract things I wanted to do but haven't because I just haven't had the energy to do that as well as everything else. But that doesn't mean I couldn't have prioritised differently.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Just a tad. As well as the dizziness thing I've had a sore throat and a horrible cold.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My car. Even though it's been really cold recently it still starts first time when you turn the key, which I am still excited about.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

All my friends and family who were understanding about what I could and couldn't do - especially since the only way you can tell I'm ill is when I fall over.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

I can't think of anyone at the moment, although I'm sure there were at the time.

14. Where did most of your money go?

That would be on my car.

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

My new car.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

None, in particular.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? Sadder
ii. Thinner or fatter? The same (although the muscle has turned to fat due to my lack of ability to exercise)
iii. Richer or poorer? Richer - not doing anything doesn't cost much

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

Relaxing.

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

Getting stressed. It makes me more dizzy and tired.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

I'm spending it at home doing not much and catching up on my sleep.

21. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?

Trying to stay awake until midnight.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?

No.

23. How many one-night stands?

None. Like they're going to work when I'm dizzy.

24. What was your favourite TV program?

The Bill. Not because it was the best, but because I'm amazed to find it's got a lot better and it's actually good again. Now I just have to learn everyone's names.

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

No.

26. What was the best book you read?

Since I'm reading my weight in books, whichever was the heaviest

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I don't think I had one.

28. What did you want and get?

A new car.

29. What did you want and not get?

To get better.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?

Star Trek and In the Loop.

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

I was helping run the National Rotaract Conference. And I was 29. Again.

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

Not being dizzy. Funny that.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Cheap and comfortable.

34. What kept you sane?

People. Videos. Books.

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

Ewan McGregor. I am consistent there.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Just it looking increasingly likely that Labour are on their way out and the Conservatives are on their way in.

37. Who did you miss?

Everyone I didn't get to see because they lived too far away.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

I can't think if I met anyone new! But Melli and Avon coming over was good.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

You can't underestimate the importance of a good night's sleep.

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

"I'm so dizzy"

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2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't remember if I made any.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No

5. What countries did you visit?
Canada

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Quiet neighbours

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
18th October because it was the day I flew out to Canada

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I bought a new laptop

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not managing to go back to fencing

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was ill while I was moving, which was probably a stomach bug, rather than a soya intolerance

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My laptop

12. Where did most of your money go?
New mattress, laptop, holiday to Canada, moving house-related things

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Canada

14. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Probably the latest Coldplay album because both me and my sister (independently) had it in our car stereos, so I heard it a lot of times when I moved

15. Compared to this time last year, are you richer or poorer?
Poorer, I think

16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Writing, swimming, sleeping

17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Can't think of anything I'd be able to get away with doing less of

18. How will you be spending Christmas?
At home

19. Did you fall in love in 2008?
No

20. What was your favourite TV program?
Of new things I saw this year, Outnumbered. Of old things, Spooks

21. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Just one person

22. What was the best book you read?
I don't know, there were lots

23. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Killers and similar bands (according to last.fm)

24. What did you want and get?
A new job

25. What did you want and not get?
A million pounds?

26. What was your favourite film of this year?
I must have seen some films but for the life of me I can't remember a single one now...

27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was at the Rotaract National Conference. And I am still in my twenties, that's all you need to know.

28. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not moving but having quiet neighbours anyway

29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Whatever I pick up out of the wardrobe first

30. What kept you sane?
My friends

31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
It's always Ewan McGregor

32. What political issue stirred you the most?
There must have been some, I just can't think of them now

33. Who did you miss?
I don't know that there was anyone

34. Who was the best new person you met?
All the TR people (except for Manda, who I already knew)

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Er... Don't live in Canada, the weather's strange?

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I'm crap with song lyrics

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2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made any. I don't really have any specific ones for next year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Kacey did, but I don't know that she counts as close.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
Romania, Hungary.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Peace and quiet.

7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2nd June - the date I flew out to Romania.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Going to a foreign country and not being that ill.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Discovering I really can't eat any mushrooms or eggs or much wheat/gluten.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No injuries, but there has been my back and the usual food things.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
New telly.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
No one in particular stands out.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
No one in particular stands out.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food and rent and the car.

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

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
None of them in particular.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer?
Happier, fatter, poorer.

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

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Nothing.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it at home getting lots of things done.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
No.

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Sarah Jane Adventures was the new one I got excited about.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.

26. What was the best book you read?
I can no longer remember what I read this year, so I'll say The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Didn't really have any.

28. What did you want and get?
New telly.

29. What did you want and not get?
Peace and quiet.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Stardust.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old did you turn?
I went to the Rotaract Conference.

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

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Cheap.

34. What kept you sane?
People.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ewan McGregor, as always.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I don't think there were any in particular.

37. Who did you miss?
Probably Emma.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Everyone I met RPing.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
There's not enough hours in the day to do everything. Well, I say I learnt that...

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
There's none that I can think of.

The 2007 fic review meme:
No links to these because I'm in the process of moving all my fic on my website around and they'll only go 404.

Doctor Who: Indulging the Alien
Doctor Who: My Way
Doctor Who: Unromantic
Doctor Who: The Scottish Cottage
Doctor Who: Doctors and Nurses
Doctor Who: Coffee
Doctor Who: Untitled
Doctor Who: The Soap Opera: The Sequel
Doctor Who: The Funeral
Doctor Who: A Cure for Boredom?
Doctor Who: Doing the Right Thing
Doctor Who: In Dreams
Doctor Who: UNIT Christmas Party
LOTR: Elrohir (drabble)
LOTR: Elladan (drabble)
SJA: Gagging Order
SJA: Pink (drabble)
SJA: Keys (drabble)
SJA: Vow of Silence
SJA: Motherhood
SJA: Strange Men and Old Girls
SJA: The Lost Girl
SJA: All Tied Up
Atlantis: Overload (The Big Battle Remix)
Atlantis: Greater than before (double drabble)
Atlantis: Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow (drabble)
Seven fics for Yuletide

Total number of words: 74,886 which is 21 fics and 12 drabbles and double drabbles.

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d predicted?

I wrote more than I thought. It comes to fewer words than last year but more fics. Although I have written a lot of RP prompts which I haven't counted.

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2007?
All the fandoms I wrote it for Yuletide. And the four PWPs I wrote.

What’s your favourite story of the year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest?
UNIT Christmas Party and Strange Men and Old Girls because they were the most fun to write.

Did you take any writing risks this year? (See above for unexpected pairings, etc.) What did you learn from them?
There were the previously mentioned PWPs. Although I feel like I've said everything I want to about those now. The fic I wrote for Remix was action, which I'd never really done before. I wrote for Yuletide, which was great fun.

Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for the New Year?
I seriously need to get a script past first draft. I signed up for TARDIS Big Bang so I have to write a 20,000 word story for that. In fic and prompts I have plans to write a romance, which I've never done before. I want to go back to LOTR fics - I have a few abandoned on my hard drive, I just need to remind myself of the write tone to finish them.

Permalink | No comments | Categories: New Year: New Year

1.What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
Went to the other side of the world. It was only the second time I’ve been out of Europe too.
Went to Scotland and Ireland. Moved into an unfurnished flat on my own. Drove a car on my own, on the motorway and on roads with no street lights.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions and will you make more for next year?
See further down for the first part. For the second, I’m not planning on making any more because I just don’t know how the year it going to turn out.
I don't seem to have made any for this year, not that I can find anyway. I think I'll not make any for next year too, except to go back to fencing and do something with the rabbits at the Donkey Sanctuary in the spring.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No
A couple of friends did, but they're not particularly close friends

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No
No

5. What countries did you visit?
Australia. And technically speaking, since I didn’t leave the airport, I didn’t go to Singapore.
Britain. I hear it's very nice.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Food that tastes nice. Plus a car (which is cheating really, as I know I’m getting dad’s in the summer). And a place to live that’s not in someone else’s house.
Well, I pretty much got those. I can't really think of anything I'd like in 2007

7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
None of them in particular. I’m crap with remembering dates.
16th September does, which was the date I flew out to Northern Ireland. But that's because I planned it ages in advance and had to know it to plan other things around it.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Going to a strange country on my own for three weeks, one week after going lactose-free.
Renting my own flat!

9. What was your biggest failure?
There’s no one thing that sticks out in particular.
I can't think of anything in particular

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Depends on how you define illness. I have all these intolerances now, and I have something making me tired, which seems to be caused by nothing at all and I’m hoping is going to go away.
Apart from getting flu a lot...

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A ticket to SG10. Because it was good fun and I wasn’t really expecting it to be.
My car insurance. I'd say the car but that was actually all I spent money on in relation to it, except for driving lessons.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Anyone whose lives were made more complicated by my eating problems
Anyone who sat in the passenger seat while I was driving

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Everyone at the work Christmas party smoking
The idiots I met while driving

14. Where did most of your money go?
Looking at My Money, most of it went on rent and savings. But the biggest non-boring thing was my Australia trip.
Rent. I don't even have to look.

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

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Probably Amarillo. I just remember everyone dancing to it at Conference. I had never heard the song before and had no idea why they were all doing a conga to it. I later found out it was No 1 in the charts.
Snow Patrol - Run.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer?
Probably sadder, but thinner and richer.
Happier, thinner and richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travelling. Not just abroad, either.
I actually can't think of anything

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Going to the doctors!
Feeling depressed about food, and wanting to eat things I can't.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it at home, relaxing
At home, relaxing

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
No
No

23. How many one-night stands?
Yeah, right.
No

24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Doctor Who
Still Doctor Who

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No
No

26. What was the best book you read?
Not a book, but the Lois McMaster Bujold ones were good new reads.
Probably the Chalet School books. There are multiple people to blame for those

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
A guitar!
Pandora

28. What did you want and get?
I wanted freeview and got it.
A car. A place of my own

29. What did you want and not get?
Oh, so many things.
My wheat/gluten intolerance going away

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I really enjoyed Narnia, Harry Potter, Wallace and Gromit, Star Wars
Little Miss Sunshine

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old did you turn?
I spent the bank holiday weekend at Rotaract Conference, having a good time and getting drunk. I turned 26.
Nothing, I think. Couldn't really be bothered

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being able to eat whatever I like.
Same as last year, I think

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Cheap is good.
Falling down trousers, due to losing so much weight I went down a size. And it was hard enough as it was finding my size.

34. What kept you sane?
Sometimes I just don’t know.
Everything in my life that didn't change

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ewan McGregor. Like that’s going to change, especially having seen him up close (through binoculars)
Ewan McGregor. Of course

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The whole smoking ban thing.
Probably the same thing

37. Who did you miss?
Emma. Although she’s only been gone a couple of months.
Emma. Mostly because we're both crap

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Maybe David for being enthusiastic about Rotaract (never a bad thing)
Everyone on sarahjane_fic

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
To expect the unexpected
Just when you think things can't possibly get worse, they will. I would say 'just say no' but I look at the number of Rotaract things I have going on and I don't think I have learned that one yet.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I don’t know any song lyrics!
In the middle of the night,
it feels alright,
but then tommorow morning.
Oh then you come down.
From Pulp's Sorted For E's and Whizz

The 2006 fic review meme:

I decided, at the end of January to write 20,000 words this year. So, I looked at everything I wrote and added up the number of words:

Stargate/Atlantis (Langford U): Divide and Subtract
Bugs: Happily Ever After
Doctor Who: University
Doctor Who: Ordinary Morning
Lord of the Rings: March 3019
Atlantis: I Still Haven't Found What I've Been Looking For
Atlantis: Dear Jack (The Elizabethan Remix)
Doctor Who: To live...
Lord of the Rings: The Power of the Mind
Lord of the Rings: Pass It On
Lord of the Rings: Hobbits in Trees
Doctor Who/Harry Potter: Harry Potter and the TARDIS
Doctor Who: Dream a Little Dream
Doctor Who: The Last Dinner
Doctor Who: Tango
Doctor Who: Aliens Made Us Do It (So We Made The Doctor Talk Them Out Of It)
Doctor Who: The Path of Irresistible Temptation Does Not lead to Enlightenment
Doctor Who: The Soap Opera
Doctor Who: Drabble Tag drabbles
Doctor Who: Home, Again
Stargate/Atlantis: Never Easy

Total: 85,149. So, I think it's fairly safe to say I managed 20,000 then.

Fics completed this year: 15, and about 52 drabbles!

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d predicted?
More. So much more.

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2006?
Fandom: Doctor Who. And see how that got out of hand.
Pairing: Jack/Elizabeth (Stargate). And now I think I prefer it to any other ship.
Genre: Action. Certainly didn't see that one coming.
I wrote a WIP as well, which I never planned to do, ever. And finished it, although I haven't quite posted it all yet.
I participated in my first ficathons, as well as doing Remix for the first time.

What’s your favourite story of the year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest?
Dream a Little Dream, for being my first proper Doctor Who story, my longest story so far, and my first foray into Action. And needing a prequel and sequel(s)

Did you take any writing risks this year? (See above for unexpected pairings, etc.) What did you learn from them?
See above! I learnt I can write long stuff. I wrote some R rated drabbles for the Doctor Who drabble tag. I wrote lots in a day for both that and for the Back to Middle-earth Month challenge at there_n_back

Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for the New Year?
I didn't count the script I wrote for picowrimo, and that's just a first draft, so I'd like to finish that. I want to do Remix again. I really want to finish off the series I started with Dream a Little Dream. And maybe try for 100,000 words?

Permalink | No comments | Categories: New Year: New Year

Onto the review of 2005 and my new years resolutions from last year.

The 2005 in review meme:

1.What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Went to the other side of the world. It was only the second time I've been out of Europe too.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?

See further down for the first part. For the second, I'm not planning on making any more because I just don't know how the year it going to turn out.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No

5. What countries did you visit?
Australia. And technically speaking, since I didn't leave the airport, I didn't go to Singapore.

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
Food that tastes nice. Plus a car (which is cheating really, as I know I'm getting dad's in the summer). And a place to live that's not in someone else's house.

7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
None of them in particular. I'm crap with remembering dates.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Going to a strange country on my own for three weeks, one week after going lactose-free.

9. What was your biggest failure?
There's no one thing that sticks out in particular.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Depends on how you define illness. I have all these intolerances now, and I have something making me tired, which seems to be caused by nothing at all and I'm hoping is going to go away.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A ticket to SG10. Because it was good fun and I wasn't really expecting it to be.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Anyone whose lives were made more complicated by my eating problems

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Everyone at the work Christmas party smoking

14. Where did most of your money go?
Looking at My Money, most of it went on rent and savings. But the biggest non-boring thing was my Australia trip.

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

16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
Probably Amarillo. I just remember everyone dancing to it at Conference. I had never heard the song before and had no idea why they were all doing a conga to it. I later found out it was No 1 in the charts.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer?
Probably sadder, but thinner and richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Travelling. Not just abroad, either.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Going to the doctors!

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it at home, relaxing

21. Did you fall in love in 2005?
No

23. How many one-night stands?
Yeah, right.

24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Doctor Who

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No

26. What was the best book you read?
Not a book, but the Lois McMaster Bujold ones were good new reads.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
A guitar!

28. What did you want and get?
I wanted freeview and got it.

29. What did you want and not get?
Oh, so many things.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I really enjoyed Narnia, Harry Potter, Wallace and Gromit, Star Wars

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old did you turn?
I spent the bank holiday weekend at Rotaract Conference, having a good time and getting drunk. I turned 26.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being able to eat whatever I like.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Cheap is good.

34. What kept you sane?
Sometimes I just don't know.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ewan McGregor. Like that's going to change, especially having seen him up close (through binoculars)

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The whole smoking ban thing.

37. Who did you miss?
Emma. Although she's only been gone a couple of months.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Maybe David for being enthusiastic about Rotaract (never a bad thing)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
To expect the unexpected

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I don't know any song lyrics!

The 2005 fic review meme:

Fics completed this year: Including drabbles, 9. 8 of them were Lord of the Rings (double) drabbles.

Twins Forever
22nd September
The Fords of Isen
Morning
Wishing
The Presence of Presents
The Choices of Master Samwise
Rivendell Revisited
The Law Society's Annual Ball

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?
Less. Just a tad. I still have a list of birthday drabbles I've been meaning to do dating back, oh, nearly a year now. Which make me feel more guilty because other people have written lots of nice things for me.

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2005?
I wrote Stargate Atlantis, which I didn't think I would. And it's Sheppard/Weir, which I hadn't seen at all a year ago; and Teyla/Ford, which I don't like reading in non-AU.

I also wrote Théodred, who I had discovered was quite interesting, but hadn't really got round to reading much about him.

What's your favourite story of the year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest?
I think The Law Society's Annual Ball. Ok, so it helps that it's the most recent, and not a drabble (or double drabble). But it took three weeks from start to finish, where finish means it was posted, which is a new record. And it's about 6500 words which is another record.

Re-reading it, I still quite like Wishing.

Did you take any writing risks this year? (See above for unexpected pairings, etc.) What did you learn from them?
I learnt train journeys are good for writing, as long as they're longer than from Reading to London. I learned that if I sit down and get on with it, I can't get things finished.

Do you have any fanfic or profic goals for the New Year?
Get some stuff finished! And write more drabbles, not only to fulfil the finishing thing, and to actually get them done for people, but also to just practice writing.

2005 Resolutions:

1. Eat 5 fruit & veg a day (and try some new ones because there doesn't seem to be that many I like atm)
Actually, I mostly have. It does help that the only one I can't eat is cherries, but everything else I can eat as much of as I like.

2. Eat less chocolate/biscuits/crisps (TimTams don't count, because I say so)
Er, never mind.

3. Walk faster to work and back (therefore making it count as 30mins of exercise a day)
Er, yeah.

4. Actually write the Rotaract agenda before the night it's on
I was going to say that was only really applicable for half the year but not only did I not really manage it most times, I now make a note of what I want to say that night, every time.

2005 Fannish Resolutions:

1. Finish tag team challenge fic - it's already over two months past the deadline
It's now 1 year past. Never mind.

2. Finish fic I started in April 2003 before it reaches its second birthday
Now approaching birthday number three...

3. Actually read the drabbles in tolkien_weekly. For a start anyway, then write some as well, and try and go back to writing them once a week.
Not so much. But then they changed the settings so I have to go to the site to read them, so that counts as an excuse, I reckon.

4. Read Birthday drabbles forum - and write some
I started well.

5. Write some fic. And read some. And send more feedback/review on Sel's site - by actually doing it at the time rather than a few months later when I can't remember what happened.
Not so much on the writing but I've done better on the other two! I am fairly up-to-date on reviews and I am getting better at sending feedback on what I've read

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A multi-part post. It's quite long, so it's interspersed with livejournal to make my life a bit easier.

Firstly, the New Years Resolutions.

2004 Resolutions

2005 Resolutions

Taggart

New Year

On an entirely different note, I have discovered how to make my friends pages have no cut tags (as long as I'm logged in). It makes other peoples friends pages do the same thing and it's great! I don't read my friends page very often, but I do read other peoples (mainly because I can't quite be bothered to put them on my list) but it means I can actually read them!

I'm writing this in Semagic, which is great (I especially like the quick links thing) but I'm still going to have to put it into Blogger to spell check it, send it to lj, then change the links from cut-tags to actually links.

Oh, and happy new year everyone - may your 2005 be better than your 2004.

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I thought I would re-visit my new year's resolutions and see how they were going. Admittedly, I pretty much came up with them on the spur of the moment and haven't looked at them since. I was planning to do this a month ago, then it really would be the middle of the year but I forgot. Plus I didn't have July on my calendar (it was Denethor, so I had June twice instead).

Make sure 2004 is better than 2003 by:

Not sure yet - that's something I will decide at the end of the year

a. Keeping in contact with my friends - specially the ones I haven't seen for a while

Yes! I have done this one. Not enough but it really is as easy as just sending an e-mail, talking about meeting up etc.

b. Getting pissed more often

Don't think I've managed it this year actually. I know I was planning to at SG7 and Conference and didn't. I will definitely be getting pissed at SG8 though, since I have more time to recover.

c. Going out more often

Yes. I think. Pretty much courtesy of Rotaract.

d. Getting more snogs and generally flirting more often (see b and c)

No. Nothing at all, in fact. Possibly due to lack of alcohol.

e. Going to Tae Kwon Do at least once a week (I would say more often but that's the same thing at this stage)

Well, it's only on once a week at the moment. It didn't work so well back when I was too busy to do anything at all except work, then too ill to do anything. I'm quite annoyed that I managed to do my knee in just before a grading as well because I've been a yellow belt since June last year.

I'll add a sub-section to e - make green tag by the end of the year (which requires part e and me reading the book)

f. Going to fencing at least once a month

No. Although since dad told me I could have his car when he retires in two and a bit years I've pretty much given up on it until then. I've played tennis though instead.

g. Learning grammar - and more importantly how to apply it

I read Eats, Shoots and Leaves, so that probably counts. Might need to re-read it though.

g. Learning how to beta read

Yes! Well, ish. Courtesy of the 'Try Before You Buy' Forum at HASA. Soon as someone posts something else that interests me (or at least that I know something about) I'll have another go.

h. Learning french

Er, that would be another no. Since I'm going to Australia next year and will be needing driving lessons in 2006, I'm not going there for a bit anyway.

i. Keeping my computer tidy (already failed)

It's not bad. Although probably more due to my external hard drive failing than anything else.

I'll add a sub-section to this - back-up - little and often.

j. Making more time to play computer games

Yes. I'm still stuck right near the start of Fellowship but I have been playing some Civ 3. Only trouble is I lose track of time and end up playing all night. Which is fine if I have all night.

k. Seeing more films (even if they're last years I haven't got round to watching yet and involve going to the video shop for)

Yes. I think the only film I missed so far I'll have to go to the video shop for is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Although I didn't decide I wanted to see it until they were taking it off. I did manage to see some films I'd missed a few years ago as well.

l. Booking trip to Australia

Well, I've booked the time off at work. I'll be booking the flights in the autumn when it is apparently cheaper.

I'll add another section - m. Learn guitar. I passed a guitar shop on the way to the doctors a while ago and discovered they do lessons. I'm just waiting for the new term to start in September. I've never played a string instrument before, so it'll be a new experience.

In summary, that's not bad. Except for the things that are quite pitifully never going to happen this year. And in the case of some of them, not ever.

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Since everyone was talking about it at work today here are my New Years Resolutions: (technically I only have one but then I have ways to apply it)

Make sure 2004 is better than 2003 by:

a. Keeping in contact with my friends - specially the ones I haven't seen for a while

b. Getting pissed more often

c. Going out more often

d. Getting more snogs and generally flirting more often (see b and c)

e. Going to Tae Kwon Do at least once a week (I would say more often but that's the same thing at this stage)

f. Going to fencing at least once a month

g. Learning grammar - and more importantly how to apply it

g. Learning how to beta read

h. Learning french

i. Keeping my computer tidy (already failed)

j. Making more time to play computer games

k. Seeing more films (even if they're last years I haven't got round to watching yet and involve going to the video shop for)

l. Booking trip to Australia

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I read this in someone's journal a while ago and only just now realised I have answers to these questions!

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you'd predicted?

Definitely more. I think I wrote more in 2003 than I wrote ever. I'm still trying to decide whether to polish some of it or leave it along though.

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted in January 2003?

Fandom - Lord of the Rings. I mean, where did that one come from? It's not a pairing, but Elrond and Aragorn. Before Aragorn opened the doors I practically had no idea who he was. He wasn't important in the books after all - he played no factor in the relationship between Frodo and Sam which is what the thing is all about after all. I should have read the Tale of A&A earlier. I can never resist the chance for a good dysfuctional family.

Also, writing some TPM, even if it only was a few drabbles for TPM100. I enjoyed getting back into Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan (not literally, take your mind out of the gutter).

I suppose technically I managed to write John/D'Argo (Farscape) and Daniel/Jonas (Stargate) as well.

What's your favourite story of the year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you happiest.

I do have a soft spot for Servants because I had to create my own characters for that, which was both hard and fun.

Poetry-wise there's the one I wrote for fileg's birthday. It's not going outside of HASA but it was the first Faramir I'd written and the first terzanelle. I sweated blood over it but enjoyed every minute. I'm less worried about whether it was good - it fits the form and that's enough for me at the moment.

Did you take any writing risks this year? (See above for unexpected pairings, etc.) What did you learn from them?

I wrote poetry. I mean real stuff, not just limericks. And I liked it. *waves to fileg* It's all your fault, you know

Do you have any fanfic or pro-fic goals for the New Year?

I actually haven't attempted any poetry for a while. I'd like to write more for the drabble communities, especially TPM100. I'd like to write one of the long things currently in my head. I'd like to get back into Farscape. But if all I do is improve I'll be happy.

I have to say something about two lj communities I discovered recently but thought I wouldn't be that interested in. ewan_daily and orlando_daily. There I am, reading through my friends page and scattered through are pictures of good-looking blokes! To be fair, it does need adsl (I can read a whole page before the pictures load on dial-up). But still. These are pictures of Ewan McGregor and Orlando Bloom here. What more could you ask for? (Blogger to save my draft posts would be nice though)

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Just a quick post to say Happy New Year to everyone. It seems so close all of a sudden - or is that just because I seem to know quite a few Aussies? My news years resolution is to make 2004 better than 2003 and also to make sure I stay in contact with friends I haven't spoken to/e-mailed for ages.

For tonight though, I hoping for: a) lots of alcohol and b) some good-looking blokes. I'm taking a, so that's fine. b may well depend on how much of a I drink

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