The New Year's Questionnaire

New Year's questionnaire (again, again). But you know me, I can't resist a meme... so here goes.

Well, I was hoping that 2011 was going to be an improvement on 2010 and that this year's answers to these questions would be a bit more upbeat. But apparently it wasn't to be, so now all hopes are riding on 2012...

So here's my review of this pretty much craptastic year. Somewhat depressingly, many of my answers are in fact exactly the same as last year.

Thanks again to Linda for this...

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?

Spend the entire year as a single mother. Funnily enough, I don't really recommend it...

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

I didn't really make any resolutions last year. As a result, I'll probably try and think up something vaguely attainable for 2012 (say, eating less crap or going to bed earlier) and hope I fare better

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not really. People I know from the girls' school (hey, it's a Catholic school...!), but not any close friends.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit?

Scotland and Italy (though not in that order)

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

Same answer as last year - the love of a sane, intelligent, financially independent, funny, charming, sexy man

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

2011 was a non-specifically crappy year with a few good points, but no actual dates jump out at me, I must admit

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Not going bankrupt, apparently

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not managing to keep my life financially and emotionally afloat

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Same answer as last year: Nothing except from horrendous allergies all the time, at their worst in February-March

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The two digital cameras I bought for the girls way back at the beginning of 2011 and gave them for Christmas - they were overjoyed!

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Can't think of anyone in particular

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

As last year - my ex on occasion (though things are OK at the moment); in CelebWorld, many people get up my nose: Kardashians, LiLo, Mariah Carey, most footballers...

14. Where did most of your money go?

Trying to keep me and my girls afloat

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

I don't seem to have the ability to get "really, really excited" about anything, though I was happy to go on holiday to Italy with the girls in August, and again when my friend J and her family came to visit in July, and when another friend, D, came to visit in August

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

There are several - Hot Chelle Rae's "Tonight, tonight", Simple Plan's "Jet lag" (the French version), Adele's "Someone like you", Colbie Caillat's "Bubbly", the Glee version of Stevie Nicks' "Landslide", the Glee duet "I feel pretty/Unpretty", and many others

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? About the same

b) thinner or fatter? Probably a little fatter

c) richer or poorer? Also about the same - too in debt, anyway

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

Laugh, smile, see friends, go out, do things for me

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

Cry, feel sorry for myself

20. How did you spend Christmas?

The girls and I travelled to see my dad in Scotland. We arrived late on 21 December and came home on 29 December (though we left Scotland the day before). It was nice, and the girls had a lot of fun.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?

Hahahahahahahaha
22. What was your favourite TV programme?

I still enjoy Glee and the French version of MasterChef, but I also watched (on DVD) all 4 seasons of Mad Men and got really into that

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

No

24. What was the best book you read?

I didn't read many "new" books this year (I reread "comfort" books)
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Adele (though I'm hardly a groundbreaker, am I?!)

26. What did you want and get?

I asked for CDs by Adele ("21") and Lady Antebellum ("Own the night"), as well as a couple of books ("The Unbearable Lightness of Being in Aberystwyth" by Malcolm Pryce and "All of our Thursdays are Missing" by Jasper Fforde), and I was lucky enough to be given all of them

27. What did you want and not get?

Love and affection

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

I don't seem to see films any more

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

I turned 42 (God help me) in May. To be honest, I can't really remember much about it. I know it was better than last year, but it certainly wasn't memorable

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

Being loved

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

*snort*

32. What kept you sane?

Facebook (corny, but true), and seeing my closest friends

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

Pat Monahan - still

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

I'm still not really interested in politics, but the DSK scandal was at least entertaining

35. Who did you miss?

My friends in England - I don't see them nearly often enough

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Ummmm...

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011

When the chips are down, staying up late watching YouTube videos and scarfing down chocolate is really only a temporary fix

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year

Same as last year: it's from Train's early hit, "Meet Virginia":

"She pulls her hair back as she screams, "I don't really want to live this life!"