2007 - Year in Review

1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Wrote a 50 000 word novel!

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Nah, I'm not really big on resolutions.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Not that I can think of.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Sadly yes. It was the worst sad winter of grieving this year. My Grandpa, and then dear Julie, and then more.

5. What countries did you visit? None. I wear travel-bug repellent.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? Bravery.

7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The weekend out of the city on my birthday, for the delight and joy. The day my grandpa died and Julie's service, for the grief.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Making a home with Mr M. Getting back into the work saddle. Writing a 50 000 words novel. Somehow fluking writing a regular sex tips column. Egads!

9. What was your biggest failure? Not getting into the exercise again. Oops.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Yep. The usual anxiety, depression and twisted ankles.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Zen Dog!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Mr M for adjusting to living with me. And Zen Dog for being so lovey and friendly and trainable.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Certain work colleagues for stupid, childish, sly behaviour. And the usual random monosexual gays for their closed-minded bi- and trans-pobic comments.

14. Where did most of your money go? Food, beer, rent, other people.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Cutting pretty bloody pictures.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007? Bjork - Declare Independence. And CocoRosie - Beautiful Boys.

17.a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter
c) richer or poorer? Richer (yeay!…still spent it all though)

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Dancing in dark clubs.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Worrying about what what others thought of me and being too scared to talk to people.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? With my wonderful crazy in-laws.

21. Did you fall in love in 2004? Oh yes indeed! I sound like a broken record, but Mr M and the Zen Dog feature here!

22. How many one-night stands? Damn! I knew I forgot to do something!

23. What was your favorite TV program? Black books.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No.

25. What was the best book you read? Jesus, I'm a librarian. There are too many damn books. I can't remember a stand out.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Johnny Cash (yeah. i know)

27. What did you want and get? A happy home.

28. What did you want and not get? A laptop.

29. What was your favourite film of this year? Don't really watch movies.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Ummm, nearly a year ago - I turned 32 and we had a housewarming BBQ.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? If I'd been braver socially.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? A crankier tougher version of femme. Boots with skirts. And 22yr-old haircuts.

33. What kept you sane? Baking and cutting and baking and cutting.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Can't think of a standout. But there are a few real life people that get me going. And yeah, you have to ask me in person if you want to know who they are.

35. What political issue stirred you the most? Aaah. The election stirred strange feelings of joy in my politically cold heart.

36. Who did you miss? Strangers on the dancefloor. And Miss B.

37. Who was the best new person you met? Hmm. honour roll includes...Miss A, Ms M, Ms C. Cryptic aren't I. Too bad.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007: Patience and hard work and small kindnesses and honesty are bloody handy in tough times. And sometimes puppies don't know when to quit.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Youth Group - See-saw

Pull down the blinds and stare at my blank screen
Some voice is asking how my weekend's been!
Planes go across the sky of Petersham
One day I will see all the hope that's stored in them

The pale underside catches the light
Like a see-saw I need more weight to carry me up
Maybe one day she will
Just say that she's happy enough, happy enough

Leaves haven't fallen yet but winter's been too long
Grief hits me like a succession of time bombs

I've run out of reasons to explain it away
Like a see-saw I need more weight to carry me up
Maybe one day she will Just say "I’m happy enough".....

Dontcha just hate it. (Other people's voices part II)

I was talking on the phone to a stranger regarding work business this arvo. We're having a great chat that's weirdly descending into almost flirting. A laugh, a giggle, a tease, some innuendo.

Yeah, yeah, I know that voices are not a good indicator of what a person is like. But dammit, I was so convinced I had a hot dyke on the other end.

Ending the conversation with "Thank you so much for your help. It was great talking to you. What was your name again?"
"Neil"

"Oh"

Some days I am really glad that I'm Bi. It'd muck with my head too much otherwise.
*gah*

Other peoples' voices

Alright, I'm not in the habit of posting other peoples words here. But this is too good not to share.
On one of the email lists for Children's Librarians (yes, there are a few okay), there was the following exchange.

Subject: Children's Branding
Morning,
I am interested in obtaining information regarding children's branding.
What have you done, what ideas, finsihed products, any obstacles you canacross, what you found to be a success (or not).

I KNOW!
*giggles*
I resisted replying, until someone else posted:

RE: Children's Branding
I have never done any branding for children,
I have however done henna tattoos.

*aaahhhh!*
I couldn't help myself, and replied:

RE: Children's Branding
*nods*
I hear it's really hard to clear the smell from the books after.
I think that would be a real obstacle.

Of course, there has been no further replies. And I think that my impetuous reply was probably in poor taste and I've committed professional suicide.
Never mind.
I belly laughed for half a day. Even while trying to fall asleep last night.
So good.

On a totally different note I had a lovely evening yesterday with the summer storm swirling around.
It reminded me of my childhood so I took it further and lit many candles and switched off all the light and appliances in the house and opened the door and windows and just hung out listening to the thunder and watching the rain drip off leaves and patting the sleeping dog with my foot and remembered things.

Later I switched on the telly to watch the ABC show about the people with disabilities travelling to Egypt, which was pretty delightful (though at times I had to shake my head at things). And then the AIDS show which made a few tears well up.
I had the telly on mute for a few moments of quiet reflection and then noticed a familiar face on the Denton show. An acquaintance from another lifetime talking about doing burlesque in London. It was so weird hearing her talk about her life and seeing pictures of her family. Mind like a steel trap, that woman has. As has the whole family really.
I'm not surprised to hear where she is and what she's doing. Pity she's not here doing shows. I did try to convert her to the dyke side many years ago (God. I'd almost forgotten Spicy Fridays) but she was resolutely straight.
Ah well.

In other news. Did I mention that I'd successfully finished NaNoWriMo?
50 000 words in less than a month.
I did?
Oh. Okay.