New Year's Meme

[oloriel]

You know, looking back at the past years' memes, they're always kinda depressing in tone and expressing the hope that the new year is going to be better. Then it's followed by another shit year. 2016 certainly was another shit year. I'm starting to loose hope that things are going to get better with a different number, tbh, but what can you do?

So, as usual, the end-of-year meme. A few days early this time because I guess I just can't wait for the year to be over. (I'm jinxing it, aren't I. JUST KIDDING 2016 YOU HAVE TWO DAYS LEFT TO SHOW WHAT A TOTALLY GREAT YEAR YOU ARE.)



1. What did you do in 2016 that you'd never done before?
Start a proper job that I really enjoyed. Had said job turn into a fucking mess within four weeks. Lost that job, not entirely without relief.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Partly. I guess I'll keep them up for next year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Reasonably close. The wife of an ex-colleague (student job), and Jörg's ex-girlfriend (Julian's godmother. We're still/again friends.)

4. Did anyone close to you die?
It certainly felt that way with several of the celebrity deaths this year.

5. What countries did you visit?
Austria, France.

6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
More time to relax.

7. What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 27. Started with a fight with the bossman, followed by an awesome interview, followed by a visit at the local fair, followed by the loss of the job. All in beautifully splendid summer weather.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Ironically, my biggest achievement is also my biggest failure -- hanging on to the job for as long as I did. I should have tossed it in as early as June, man. I guess the experience is going to be useful in the long run, but currently it don't feel like it was worth it.

9. What was your biggest failure?
See above.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really.

11. What were the best things you bought?
Plants and seeds. I'm such a plantoholic. I'm also quite proud of the Christmas gift I got for Jörg (a brewery kit).

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
The new kindergarten folks, who fought extra-hard to get Felix in even though he's from a different town just so he'd have a positive pre-school experience, and who helped him settle in in spite of him not making it easy either.
Felix', responding to the new stimuli of the new kindergarten and ergotherapy. Julian's, growing so much in such a short time.
Mom, being really supportive and trying to councel without being judgmental in spite of having a hell of a lot on her own plate.

13. Whose behaviour appalled you?
The bossman. OMG, what a horrible human being. Sadly, also a master manipulator. Good riddance.
The old kindergarten teachers. This time last year, I thought it was getting better, but it was just as bad as ever and when the manager was on vacation, it turned really ugly. Good riddance.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage, insurance, overdraft, petrol. Same old.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Britanny. BRITANNY BRITANNY BRITANNY. Life-saver of a place, srsly.

16. What song will always remind you of 2016?
"Up and up" by Coldplay. I knew this was the anthem of the year as early as June and it's still a good fit. (I just hope it's working, too.)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? Much the same. One day, I'm gonna cut this pointless question out of the meme. But it is not this day.
iii. richer or poorer? A little less in debt, so does that count as richer? Haha.

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

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Vital work for the bossman from hell.

20. How did you spend Christmas and/or New Year's?
Christmas: The usual threefold celebration at home, at the mother-in-law's, and at my uncle's.
New Year's: I have no idea yet, so it'll probably be something quiet at home.

22. Did you fall in love in 2016?
Not with anyone new.

23. How many one-night stands?
I don't need that shit, man.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Deutschland 83. I completely missed this when it was on German TV so we watched the subtitled version on the Beeb, and it was completely compelling. Also completely distressing. Everyone was either a major asshole or being manipulated (or both), even what passed for 'the good guys'. Rather like Game of Thrones, only with nuclear weapons. Game of Nukes. Haha. I don't think I could have watched it if I hadn't sort of known how the story was going to end. (SPOILER: Able Archer is not actually WWIII.)
But yeah, very well made series, watch it if you get the chance and can stomach all that Cold War asshattery. I hear they're going to do a sequel called Deutschland 86, and I'm looking forward to and dreading that in equal measure.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yeah, the bossman does make me break my Jedi principles.

26. What was the best book you read?
Hm. Tambora und das Jahr ohne Sommer by Wolfgang Behringer comes to mind. A summary and analysis of the global climate change following the massive outbreak of Mt. Tambora in 1816. Could've used more of a spotlight on Asia as promised on the package, but I guess the author didn't have access to the sources. At any rate, a quite fascinating (if rather depressing) read. Probably containing a few hints as to what we should expect from the future, only less post-Napoleonic?
If re-reads count: To Kill A Mockingbird.
If webcomics count: Stand Still, Stay Silent.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Not quite new, but I only really became aware of Bastille and their shockingly catchy and cheerful way of singing about death and desaster this year. WHO KNOWS WHY.
Also, I'm surprisingly fond of Lady Gaga's "A million reasons", which doesn't sound like Lady Gaga at all.

28. What did you want and get?
A job, haha. A wax sieve, a honey stirrer.

29. What did you want and not get?
A decent boss? More money. A Hobbit party for my 33rd birthday.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
New appearance: Rogue One. Catching up with old stuff: The Martian.

31. What did you do on your birthday?
Celebrate my grandpa's birthday instead. He turned 90. The combination of new job and other RL issues (+ some self-pity) stood in the way of me own party.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Less of a sense of woman-against-world would've been nice, yeah.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?
Mix-n-more-or-less-match, just as in past years.

34. What kept you sane?
Britanny. The garden. Fanfic.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Nobody comes to mind.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
AMERICA, NOOOOOOO.

37. Who did you miss?
Grandma (although sometimes I was glad I didn't have to discuss recent politics with her!). Friends I didn't manage to meet.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
The team at work was mostly really nice, if only you could cut out the bossman.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.
Just because you can analyse the way in which you're being manipulated, doesn't mean you can do anything about it.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Lying in the gutter, aiming for the moon/ Trying to empty out the ocean with a spoon/ Up and up, up and up/ [...] We’re gonna get it, get it together I know/ We’re gonna get it, get it together somehow/ We’re gonna get it, get it together and flower [...] Up, and up, and up.

Because what else can you do?


So that's that. Bye bye 2016, never come back.

Comments

[sermanya.livejournal.com]

Sounds extremely terrible in retrospective. BUT. You've done a hell of a lot to change things and 2017 will be better. For sure.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Heh, actually it doesn't sound more terrible than this list usually does, even in good years. Something about this meme has me go all nostalgic and unhappy. What's different this time is that I don't believe that 2017 everything will be better. 2017 will be picking up the pieces of 2016, so it's poisoned right from the start.
BUT! Just because I'm being negative doesn't mean everyone else has to be. So yeah, go 2017, be a dear and a good year!

[sermanya.livejournal.com]

Nah, not everything. But 2 major things were the kindergarten and evil bossman. And you got rid of both.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

The kindergarten, yes. The bossman, I've gotten rid of his immediate influence on my life, but as long as the magazine keeps appearing, the "company" sends me Christmas cards and he keeps on manipulating people, I'll secretly feel that I've failed. Until his evilness is publically exposed (unlikely) or he's dead in the ground (or preferably both), this chapter isn't closed. At least, that's what it feels like right now. It's really down to that pathetic level of hatred. >_>

[sermanya.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[satismagic.livejournal.com]

I feel you. The outlook for 2017 seems pretty bleak. :(

Hey, what happened to question #21?

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

I'm already feeling bad about whining so much when it's looking so much bleaker for others. :/

You know, I've been doing these meme for years and never realised that! I'll have to go delving into the past now to find out whether there ever was a question #21, and if so, when it disappeared. XD