Dr Brazen Hussy did it, so I thought I may as well. I find answering questions and prompts a bit easier going than writing a simple review of the year (but check out my brother-in-law who managed it perfectly well). Can you tell I'm feeling a little melancholy at the moment?
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Got up and spoke at the SVP business meeting, as the new chair of the student committee.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I failed miserably at my resolutions. I am still as fat as I was this time last year, probably fatter in fact. And yeah, Cetiosauriscus and the ornithopod skulls are still in pre-manuscript limbo. We managed as much as possible to get fair trade, local or organic food, but we've had a massive drop in income and sometimes you just have to buy the cruddy value stuff.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, Paul and I became godparents for the second time to Max, little brother of Logan. We're incredibly honoured.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Old Teddy finally went to the doggy paradise in March. We're all still grieving. And chewing our morning slices of toast into a perfect cubic centimetre ready to give to a drooling corgi who isn't sitting by our feet anymore.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just the US. Bit boring, that.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Money? A job relevant to my degree? Motivation? Health? Pick any of them.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Teddy died on 7 March. I was last in work on 1 August. On 4 November the world changed forever, for the better.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I suppose having my first publication in Systematic Biology is pretty good, but I just piggy-backed on my other two authors. The other big achievement is mainly Paul's and not mine, and in any case not something we can ever talk about again due to the terms...
9. What was your biggest failure?
Failure to hold myself together. Failure to plan for a loss of income. Failure to stick to the PhD topic and to even do any kind of work towards the old topic or the new topic. Failure to lose weight.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Oh hell yeah. You've seen the posts that aren't up here anymore.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I got a new laptop, which is really tiny and awesome. It cost about the same as the water feature I got for Jurassic Park, which is the second best thing I bought.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My darling husband and my family. My friends (Usch, Lu, Sarah, Fi) and the huge network of people within palaeontology and the blogosphere who just rock.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Let's just go with pseudonyms... Mr Passive-Aggressive, Mr Self-Importance, Mr Obsequiousness, and Ms Desperately-Insecure. But don't worry, none of them are friends. And more publicly, the behaviour of certain people during the Aetogate situation (particularly Norman Silberling) was disgusting.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, debts, SVP and plants in that order.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Really getting into my gardening in a big way. Going on holiday with SVP in the middle instead of at the end as usual. The prospect of an exciting PhD topic (I just don't know where to start with it).
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
"Hallelujah", but always always the Bon Jovi version. And if anyone says the X-Factor version is better, you will be slapped.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Sadder, fatter, poorer. Oh woe!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Reading papers, writing papers, fieldwork, and... [removed because family read this blog ;-)]
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Filling my fat face with Maltesers, Krispy Kreme and Papa John pizza.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Paul and I spent it just the two of us. Paul gets as excited as any child once he's actually kneeling by the Christmas tree opening his presents. I cooked the roast dinner, and then we vegged out for the rest of the day. We'd have gone for a long walk on Boxing Day but I had girl-flu.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Every single day.
22. How many one-night stands?
Haha!! No.
23. What was your favorite TV programme?
Quite a few to choose from - Dexter, Lost, the CSIs, Doctor Who. Was absolutely mesmerised by Apparitions. And Spooks rocked as usual.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I probably have the same people on my hate list as I did last year. There are perhaps a few people I was disappointed with.
25. What was the best book you read?
The only book I read all goddamn year was Lipstick Jungle. How bloody sad is that?
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I discovered no one new this year - was just listening to old favourites. Last year I discovered Cowboy Troy, Sugarland and Rodrigo y Gabriela, so I think I can be let off.
27. What did you want and get?
The aforementioned water feature, and an Agave tequilana.
28. What did you want and not get?
A new job.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Dark Knight, without a doubt.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28, and Paul cooked me steak and cheesy mash. The weekend before, we went to Chelsea Physic Garden, and the weekend after that one of my close friends took me to Kew Gardens.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Winning the national lottery. Failing which getting a new job.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Alan Titchmarsh.
33. What kept you sane?
Who says I stayed sane?
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Rupert Penry-Jones. And Paul won't admit it publicly, but he did too.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Well duh! The American election was the biggy. Followed, I think, by the British government's plan to get out of the recession by just printing more money.
36. Who did you miss?
Family, friends who live far away. I missed Paul for a few days when I was away (I hate spending even one night away from him - I'm astounded that we managed to do it for 3-4 months at a time). And I miss my grandfather every time I'm out in the garden, and I miss my grandmother every time I don't know how much more I can cope with.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
I met most of the palaeo-bloggers for the first time, and they are a great bunch. And I was welcomed into the Hardy Tropicals community, and have made some genuine friends there.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
That ultimately, the only person with your best interests at heart is you.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
They're dealin' with the doctors, reelin' from the pain
Dealin' with the clouds and cursin' at the rain
And wonderin' how on earth they should be feelin'
Dealin' with the cost just to get from A to B
Dealin' with the crazies and the crime in the streets
And reachin' for a dream they still believe in
So they keep on dealin'
Let's hope 2009 is a better year. Have a good night tonight.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Got up and spoke at the SVP business meeting, as the new chair of the student committee.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I failed miserably at my resolutions. I am still as fat as I was this time last year, probably fatter in fact. And yeah, Cetiosauriscus and the ornithopod skulls are still in pre-manuscript limbo. We managed as much as possible to get fair trade, local or organic food, but we've had a massive drop in income and sometimes you just have to buy the cruddy value stuff.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, Paul and I became godparents for the second time to Max, little brother of Logan. We're incredibly honoured.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Old Teddy finally went to the doggy paradise in March. We're all still grieving. And chewing our morning slices of toast into a perfect cubic centimetre ready to give to a drooling corgi who isn't sitting by our feet anymore.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just the US. Bit boring, that.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Money? A job relevant to my degree? Motivation? Health? Pick any of them.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Teddy died on 7 March. I was last in work on 1 August. On 4 November the world changed forever, for the better.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I suppose having my first publication in Systematic Biology is pretty good, but I just piggy-backed on my other two authors. The other big achievement is mainly Paul's and not mine, and in any case not something we can ever talk about again due to the terms...
9. What was your biggest failure?
Failure to hold myself together. Failure to plan for a loss of income. Failure to stick to the PhD topic and to even do any kind of work towards the old topic or the new topic. Failure to lose weight.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Oh hell yeah. You've seen the posts that aren't up here anymore.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I got a new laptop, which is really tiny and awesome. It cost about the same as the water feature I got for Jurassic Park, which is the second best thing I bought.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My darling husband and my family. My friends (Usch, Lu, Sarah, Fi) and the huge network of people within palaeontology and the blogosphere who just rock.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Let's just go with pseudonyms... Mr Passive-Aggressive, Mr Self-Importance, Mr Obsequiousness, and Ms Desperately-Insecure. But don't worry, none of them are friends. And more publicly, the behaviour of certain people during the Aetogate situation (particularly Norman Silberling) was disgusting.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, debts, SVP and plants in that order.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Really getting into my gardening in a big way. Going on holiday with SVP in the middle instead of at the end as usual. The prospect of an exciting PhD topic (I just don't know where to start with it).
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
"Hallelujah", but always always the Bon Jovi version. And if anyone says the X-Factor version is better, you will be slapped.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Sadder, fatter, poorer. Oh woe!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Reading papers, writing papers, fieldwork, and... [removed because family read this blog ;-)]
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Filling my fat face with Maltesers, Krispy Kreme and Papa John pizza.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Paul and I spent it just the two of us. Paul gets as excited as any child once he's actually kneeling by the Christmas tree opening his presents. I cooked the roast dinner, and then we vegged out for the rest of the day. We'd have gone for a long walk on Boxing Day but I had girl-flu.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Every single day.
22. How many one-night stands?
Haha!! No.
23. What was your favorite TV programme?
Quite a few to choose from - Dexter, Lost, the CSIs, Doctor Who. Was absolutely mesmerised by Apparitions. And Spooks rocked as usual.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I probably have the same people on my hate list as I did last year. There are perhaps a few people I was disappointed with.
25. What was the best book you read?
The only book I read all goddamn year was Lipstick Jungle. How bloody sad is that?
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I discovered no one new this year - was just listening to old favourites. Last year I discovered Cowboy Troy, Sugarland and Rodrigo y Gabriela, so I think I can be let off.
27. What did you want and get?
The aforementioned water feature, and an Agave tequilana.
28. What did you want and not get?
A new job.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Dark Knight, without a doubt.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28, and Paul cooked me steak and cheesy mash. The weekend before, we went to Chelsea Physic Garden, and the weekend after that one of my close friends took me to Kew Gardens.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Winning the national lottery. Failing which getting a new job.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Alan Titchmarsh.
33. What kept you sane?
Who says I stayed sane?
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Rupert Penry-Jones. And Paul won't admit it publicly, but he did too.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Well duh! The American election was the biggy. Followed, I think, by the British government's plan to get out of the recession by just printing more money.
36. Who did you miss?
Family, friends who live far away. I missed Paul for a few days when I was away (I hate spending even one night away from him - I'm astounded that we managed to do it for 3-4 months at a time). And I miss my grandfather every time I'm out in the garden, and I miss my grandmother every time I don't know how much more I can cope with.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
I met most of the palaeo-bloggers for the first time, and they are a great bunch. And I was welcomed into the Hardy Tropicals community, and have made some genuine friends there.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
That ultimately, the only person with your best interests at heart is you.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
They're dealin' with the doctors, reelin' from the pain
Dealin' with the clouds and cursin' at the rain
And wonderin' how on earth they should be feelin'
Dealin' with the cost just to get from A to B
Dealin' with the crazies and the crime in the streets
And reachin' for a dream they still believe in
So they keep on dealin'
Let's hope 2009 is a better year. Have a good night tonight.
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