2015 Retrospective

1. What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?

I had never done any trail running before and, not knowing where to start, I entered the short distance of the XTERRA series and really enjoyed it.   

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

I don't think I made any specific goals other than to read 12 books in the year and I achieved that.  I plan to make a goal of reading 24 books next year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My sister-in-law had a little boy and our friends Sharon and Gerard had a little girl.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.

5. What places did you visit?

Kane and I went to Rotorua with Kane's parents and went to Te Puia.  We went to Puhoi when my parents came to visit.  We went to the Great Pumpkin Carnival in Hamilton and the Amazing Maze in Maise.  We also went to Whitianga and Cathedral Cove for Kane's birthday and we got to see some of the amazing forest parks and trails.

6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?

I don't feel like I lacked anything in 2015.  I would like to generate some side hustle ideas in 2016 though, they are being elusive.

7. What dates from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
My memory sucks, so no dates stand out but there have been lots of good times this year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year

Performing with my Sing! choir and No Fella A cappella choir at our concert.  The a cappella songs were the hardest and most nerve-wracking but ultimately the most rewarding and I'm so pleased to have done it.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Oh dear, last year I said it was the garden and I'm ashamed to say it's the garden again.  Having a beautiful garden brings me joy, so this must be a priority for the coming year.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I fell off my bike at the start of January and then at the end of the month I got knocked off by a car!

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My fast slow cooker - it's a pressure cooker, steamer and slow cooker in one.  I use the pressure function mostly and it's awesome!  I've also made a few batches of this slow cooker marinara sauce from budget bytes.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Kane began the year moving into a contact role and then after 6 months landed a permanent role doing something he loves that is also challenging.  He worked really hard for it and I'm so pleased for him.

We also got to celebrate New Zealand winning the rugby world cup and we had met one of the players, Jerome Kaino,  at a special event at Kane's work the month before.



13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

With recent world events, there have been a lot of bigotry, racist comments, fear mongering and a general lack of empathy and of course there's Donald Trump.  Our PM John Key is always doing something appalling and that makes me unhappy :(

14. Where did most of your money go?

On flights to Scotland for next July (yay!)

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

Going to see Eddie Izzard!  He's a funny man and it was such an awesome show - I'm so glad we got the opportunity.  We went to a lot of good shows and concerts this year.

16. What songs will always remind you of 2015?

Pedro by Lily the Kid, The songs I sing with my choir, and songs from Taylor Swifts album 1989.

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

a) happier or sadder? Same

b) thinner or fatter? Same

c) richer or poorer? Poorer (see no.14 haha)

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

Self care!  I was too focused on doing stuff that any down time I had I was too exhausted to enjoy it.

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

Nothing in particular, for the coming year I just need do a little less in order to create space for self care.

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2015?

It was a fairly chilled out day.  I got a colouring book and pencils and spent a fair portion of the afternoon doing that before making a Christmas feast.

21. Did you fall in love in 2015?

I love my little family unit of Kane and our two cats.

22. What was your favourite TV program?

Friday Night Lights, Community, Limitless, Sens8, Jessica Jones and Game of Thrones.

23. What did you do for your birthday in 2015?

I went to a Canadian deli for lunch and in the evening went to a pub quiz and drank lots of Guinness and rum.  We also won the quiz which was awesome!

24. What was the best book you read?

The Silver Bough by F. Marian McNeill.  It's a non-fiction book about Scottish traditions that I got from the library.  There are 3 or 4 volumes and I think I will buy them as they are full of useful references.

25. What did you want and get?

A dala horse.

26. What did you want and not get?

A kitten (but I don't know how my two cats would like that)

27. What was your favourite film of this year?

Star Wars!

28. Did you make some new friends this year?

Choir friends and Saturday SciFi meetup friends.

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

I would have been great if we could have finished decorating the office.  We've worked really hard, especially these last 3 days, but there is still more to do before its finished.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?

Comfortably casual with some active wear thrown in.

31. What kept you sane?

Comfort food and naps.

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

I'm not really one to get those sort of crushes.  I did like Taylor Kitsch in True Detective, that's close.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

The biggest political issue we faced was the flag referendum - and it's still going.

34. Who did you miss?

My husband and cats - when I get busy for a few days in a row I really miss spending time with them!

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.

My garden is teaching me a lesson or two about the perils of procrastination!