1. Overall, have you had a good year?
Kind of. It's been tough a) finishing my PhD, and b) supporting a full time teacher. I've been doing a lot of things trying to stay sane, hockey and more recently badminton. Joined a new choir which doesn't have massive summer holiday gaps. Looking back, it's been a good year - but it didn't seem great at the time.
2. What has been your biggest achievement?
Handing my thesis in. I've just about calmed down now.
3. Did you take any exams, Pass?
No, but I'm waiting for one.
4. Have you had your birthday yet? What did you do?
Yes. Don't think it was on the day, but Emma got tickets to see Illyria performing Wind in the Willows at Lyme Park. It was great.
5. Have you been on Holiday? Gone away anywhere?
Went to St David's for a camping holiday in the summer with Emma. We borrowed Mahinda's tent (thanks again!) and stayed in a lovely little campsite near the coast. Learned to surf (badly) and got sunburned (also badly).
Oh, and we went to Brecon at Easter. Emma was down with laryngitis at the time so we didn't get much walking done. We made one of our bizarrely frequent trips to Swansea to see Sonia and James on the way back.
6. Have you had a job?
Didn't do any demonstrating (university teaching - supporting lecturers) but I now have a very easy temping job which is paying the bills while I look for, and think of, a career.
7. Have you bought anything expensive?
Not that I can think of.
8. Made any big decisions?
Buying a house. Does that count?
9. Lost a friend or loved one?
No.
10. Met anyone amazing?
No. Been in the office most of the year.
11. Made new friends?
We got a hamster. She sleeps a lot and isn't very talkative.
12. Moved house?
Working on it.
13. Tried something new?
I've applied for a couple of graduate jobs.
14. Made any enemies?
Not that I've noticed.
15. What music will you remember from this year?
Went to see SMAOS perform My Fair Lady. One of the songs from that was lovely. I don't usually like musical music, but it really grabbed me for some reason.
16. What movies have you seen at the cinema this year?
The only film that really stands out is Children of Men. Very good. Ice Age 2 deserves a brief mention.
17. What was your best night out?
Off the top of my head, sitting in Pleasure while the Matrix projected onto a wall. No sound, but the music playing in the bar fitted in with the fight scene (Neo & Morpheus). I've not laughed quite that much in a while.
18. What was your worst night out?
I don’t remember any particularly bad ones.
19. Best Day?
Each day since I handed my PhD in has been very relaxing.
20. Worst Day?
Probably when the house fell through. Some of the Christmas holiday was very dull.
21. Was summer a gooden’?
Unfortunately I was working through most of it. Had the week's holiday with Emma, which was very nice. The rest was spent working during the day and looking at houses on the way home.
22. How many people have you kissed in the year of 2006?
One.
23. Did you fall in love?
No.
24. Did you have your heart broken?
No.
25. Made any plans for next year?
Viva, buy house, move house, buy furniture, housewarming party, Emma's nan's 80th birthday, see Rosy in the Mikado, see Emma's friend in a panto. Otherwise, no.
26. Changed your image?
I've actually bought some clothes. Emma's taking me clothes shopping as a Christmas present (I'm a bit broke), so I'll probably be a little less scruffy.
27. Missed anyone?
No, but my aim's improving.
28. Know what you want in the future?
A pass with minor corrections.
29. Regret anything?
Not really. I'm disappointed that I didn't realise how down I was getting with the PhD - I should have taken a month off in January and had a chat with my supervisor.
30. Who has been your best friend through 2006?
Everyone who's kept me sane. Anyone I've been for a beer with (esp. the choir lot), the hockey crowd, Mahinda's badminton sessions. Special mention to Pete for getting me a PhD survival pack (calculator, Zombie Survival Handbook, Grumpy Old Men book), and to Dad for lots of sage advice letting me moan a lot.
I'd have to pick Emma though. Probably not for the reasons above, but for being Emma.
