Traditionally at this time I look back at my achievements and engagement (or, more accurately the lack of it) over the past year.
At the risk of having a stuck record, it’s been a strange year with significant amounts of work and depression which obstinately refuses to lift even during the summer months. This has meant a number of things have been binned along the way (or just ignored), which overall means I don’t
At the beginning of the year I posted 10 Things I Want To Do in 2019. The results are in and I’ve done appallingly badly this year.
- Reduce waste/rubbish/clutter and recycle as much as possible. DONE; although not enough clutter cleared.
- Do something not done before and go somewhere not been before. DONE; hit both in one go by attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace. I also made a trip to look at the Eleanor Crosses at Hardingstone and Geddington.
- Spend less money. FAIL; if for no other reason than we did a lot of work on the house, and had to replace a significant amount of technology.
- Have a monthly day out. FAIL; I think we managed 4 or 5.
- Regular meditation. FAIL; tried but just unable to make it stick.
- Do a bigger share of the cooking and shopping. FAIL; this one largely down to the depression rather than a lack of will.
- Get back to taking more photographs. FAIL; depression again, and the lack of days out.
- Be drawn/painted/photographed nude (by someone not family). FAIL; I wasn’t at all sure this was likely to be achieved.
- Do more family history; unlock the mid-18th century block in Marshall line. FAIL; did quite a bit of family history in the first part of the year but then tailed off; and have been totally unable to breach that brick wall.
- Increase/develop teamwork between our GP practice and the patient group. FAIL; I keep chipping away at this but the doctors won’t take the bait.
OMG! That a miserable 2/10. That is a bad, bad year! Or was I too overambitious? No, it was a bad year!
Looking at the year through the usual 25 questions is a bit more of a mixed bag …
1. What did you do that you’d never done before?
a. Attended a Buckingham Palace Garden Party.
b. Had posh afternoon tea at London’s Rubens Hotel.
c. Celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
How can I keep something I never did?
3. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?
Health, wealth and wisdom; peace and tranquility.
4. What dates from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory?
a. Wednesday 15 May: Buckingham Palace Garden Party.
b. Wednesday 9 October: Trip to Hardingstone & Geddington.
c. Monday 4 November: Tea at the Rubens Hotel.
5. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, nothing new this year!
6. What was the best thing you bought?
Tom to do more decorating.
Champagne.
7. Where did most of your money go?
Into other people’s pockets.
8. What did you get really, really excited about?
Nothing. No not even going to Buckingham Palace. I don’t do excitement, just like I don’t do panic and crisis.
9. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a. happier or sadder? Sadder; it’s the depression.
b. thinner or fatter? Maybe very slightly thinner.
c. richer or poorer? Definitely poorer due to all the work on the house.
10. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sitting in the sun in the garden.
11. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Staring at a computer screen.
12. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Surviving.
Getting the proceedings of the 2018 Anthony Powell Conference published – and mighty fine they are too!
13. What was your biggest failure?
The depression.
Not drinking more champagne.
14. How many one-night stands?
Zero.
15. What was your favourite TV program?
I’ve watched hardly any TV all year – it is such a load of garbage. So yet again the pick has to be the RI Christmas Lectures.
16. What was the best book you read?
Jen Gunter; The Vagina Bible
Anthony Powell, King Arthur and Other Personages
17. What did you want and get?
New PC and new mobile phone – isn’t that just so sad!
18. What did you want and not get?
I’m still waiting for that big lottery win.
19. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
a. Cancellation of Brexit.
b. That big lottery win.
20. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019?
Distressed casual.
21. What kept you sane?
Nothing – I’m beyond redemption.
22. Who did you miss?
My mother.
23. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019:
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers.
24. A quote or song lyric that sums up your year:
“You bustle around tutting and narrowing your eyes, in the manner of a dog territorially pissing on a lamppost.”
[Emma Beddington]
25. Your hopes for 2020
Cancellation of Brexit – well no-one said it had to be realistic.
Overall Result: STILL REQUIRES MUCH IMPROVEMENT
But enough of me. How was your 2019? And what are your hopes for 2020?