2014: A Year in Review

Hey whoa, where'd the year go? Here's my annual end-of-year tradition!

1. What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?
Catalogued each and every one of my books. I have way more books than I'd thought! And I'm still buying books...hmm.


2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any resolutions, and won't be making any. Haven't made resolutions for years now! I am thankful for each day, and will continue to explore, dream, discover.
I do like these resolutions though...


3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Teh Tarik had her second boy! Adorable little tyke, with the most smooshable cheeks.


4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope. :)


5. What countries did you visit?
I didn't travel this year; had so much on my plate. No wait, I did go to Malaysia for a long weekend in January, so there's that!


6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
Wow, still don't have my driving licence! Think I'ma go for that. Also, a wee bit more discipline would be nice.


7. What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory?
I think perhaps the date I started work at my current project.


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Taking care of the housework and looking after BabyGirl and studying/researching and tutoring once a week, all while still working full time. Superwoman, me.


9. What was your biggest failure?
Failure is not an option. Oh alright...still haven't made headway on my thesis. Major fail there.
Once again, failure to meet deadlines for school papers.  I'm sensing a pattern, here.


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Couple migraines, hurt my back, threw my knee out for a bit. I suspect I might just be experiencing this phenomenon of 'growing old'...


11. What was the best thing you bought?
Well...does it count if I didn't buy it? Dadman bought me an iPad mini. And seeing as how I'm so creative and original when it comes to naming my electronics, this one's called...Minni Kipad.


12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
That of the Mother Goddess. She astounds me.


13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Sigh. This year, another family member. The week before Christmas too. So, so disappointed. But all is well now, so...water under the bridge, I guess.
Oh, and my mum's (now fired) helper. She'd been stealing from us, and worse, she'd been abusing my BabyGirl. She went to jail, got repatriated, and I have no idea what's happened to her since. Nor do I care, to be honest.


14. Where did most of your money go?
Oh goodness, most of it on taxis! Still my biggest vice. But it's the way to go when you don't drive, but work out in the middle of nowhere! And food. So much food!
No wait, that's not right. Most of my money went towards paying off credit cards and student loans. *groan*


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Really, really, really? THREE 'reallies', really? Nah. Cool as a cucumber, me.


16. What song/album will always remind you of 2014?
I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble...


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a. Happier or sadder? Happier!
b. Thinner or fatter? Ha, so much fatter! All that eating and drinking and making merry...
c. Richer or poorer? Hmm. Definitely richer. Higher income now, and more importantly, not nearly as much in debt as I was last year.


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
As boring as this sounds, I wish I'd slept more. Cumulative lack of sleep is finally catching up to me. 
And travel. Always travel.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Slacking off. Once a procrastinator, always a procrastinator?


20. How will you be spending/did you spend Christmas?
Is there ever a Christmas not spent with the family? Lots of food, rugrats running around, and visiting Aunty D & Godma.


21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Mum! Which is pretty amusing, seeing as how I live with the woman!


22. Did you fall in love in 2014?
Nah. Loads of crushes, lots of lust. Love? Meh.


23. How many one night stands in this last year?
Have I ever confessed to this on my blog? No, and I never will...
That's...really nunya!


24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Hmm. Too many to list? Although I haven't been watching as much as I used to. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is flipping brilliant. Girl Meets World is super lame, but it earns mega points for the nostalgia factor alone. It's getting better though! Cory/Topanga forever! Cory/Shawn for longer than forever!


25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is such a strong word! Seriously thought, if the truth be told, I rather despise our former helper. The stealing, the lying, that I could handle. The traumatising my BabyGirl to the point where BabyGirl was always tense and terrified? NOT. COOL. If I ever saw The Bitch again, I'd probably punch her.


26. What was the best book(s) you read?
Oooh, good one. Oh goodness, I have to pick one? I can't remember all the books I read this year! Let's see...The Kite Runner was amazing. Totally blew me away.  A recent read that affected me was The Confession, by John Grisham. Hadn't read a Grisham in ages, and this one stayed with me for a bit.


27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Wow, so many! Foy Vance, Passenger, and White Lies, to name a few.


28. What did you want and get?
An iPad mini. Thanks, Dadman! Even more importantly, a good contract with a good team and a good boss. 3 for 3!


29. What did you want and not get?
Still waiting on that million dollars. Haven't gotten my bookshelves up. My 500ish books are all hidden away in a cupboard.


30. What were your favourite films of this year?
Cap 2: The Winter Soldier, hands down.


31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
3 is the magic number, and now I'm a double-3. MAGIC!
Went to work, then went for dinner drinks with a new colleague, with whom I immediately clicked, and whose company I much enjoy.


32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
There's a hur hur in here somewhere...
2014 was an awesome year, full of satisfying moments. Would have been brilliant to see Nekowife though. Didn't get to travel much this year, and I've decided not to do any big trips for a while yet. Good thing 2015 has lots of long weekends!


33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Still so much red! Once again, my red heels, as much as possible. So much that I've had to retire them. For the first half of the year, lazy clothes as much as possible. Mostly jammies.  I cleaned up nicely the second half of the year, and was coordinated and stylish.  New favourite piece is my tan (p)leather jacket.
I think my current style is...any combination of the 5 Cs: Comfortable, Casual, Classy, Cute, Contemporary.


34. What kept you sane?
Sanity is such a subjective concept.  I've never been quite sure of mine.  BabyGirl kept me grounded though.


35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Chris Evans still has my heart.


36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Feminism, and LGBT rights.


37. Who did you miss?
Still miss my Gramps.
Always miss my boys when they're not around (and then long for peace and quiet when the tornadoes show up!).
I missed Shoes, when I didn't hang with her for ages.
I don't really miss Doof, until we start chatting again, then I realise that I have indeed missed him. Yes, that's Ki-logic for you.
Definitely missed Nekowife lots. Perhaps I'll go see her in 2015!


38. Who was the best new person you met?
I'm going to go with most of the people from my project team.


39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.
Learnt how to bite my tongue and keep my mouth shut.


40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble...