zaliachimera | Entries tagged with meme of the year

1. What did you do in 2024 that you’d never done before?
(Mostly) finished writing a novel-length fic! It has a few bits left to edit, but I'm posting it and nearing the end!

Went to a friend's wedding and hung out with a bunch of friends from overseas!

Beat the boss of a Destiny legendary campaign solo, which was nice.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Um... I made a resolution to get a haircut. Again. And I failed. Again.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope

5. What countries did you visit?
Scotland if that counts? Went to Worldcon in Glasgow. I was meant to continue on with my friendsw to Oban, but uh... everyone except me got Covid and I was also by that point just... done. Spending a week and a half surrounded by more people than I've been around in a while took it out of me.

6. What would you like to have in 2025 that you lacked in 2024?
Well we got a (marginally) better government - in the sense that at least they aren't massively corrupt, even if they are kind of useless Tory-lite.

In 2025 I would like... a better government and proportional representation. World peace. Unionisation. For certain politicians to die in extremely humailiating ways. For generative AI to die a death.

More money is never gonna be bad. Like I am okay, but it would be nice to have enough to know I can be comfortable forever, y'know?

7. What dates from 2024 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 5th/6th because fucking *yikes*.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Did not get Covid despite Worldcon turning into a superspreader event. Spoke as a games industry professional at Worldcon... haven't really had chance to do that before - got hired full-time and then the pandemic happened.

Briefly met Oded Fehr when I went to a signing.

Writing. Lots of writing. This huge fic!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Still have not ebayed all the anime stuff I own that I no longer want to own. Still have not got a haircut.

Just assume this is the answer for the forseeable future ^^;

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Still have an ovarian cyst. I'm probably due another ultrasound. I did get a stomach bug my parents brought back from Edinburgh.

Oh yeah! Tooth infection. So the day after I got back from Glasgow (after leaving early and getting a lift home with friends) I woke up with the roof of my mouth really swollen. Called the dentist to make an appointment because yeah I had an idea about what it was. They scheduled me a normal checkup and then asked me what the problem was, told me 'oh, that's classed as a dental emergency can you be here in 15 minutes?'.

Thankfully yes, got antibiotics, spent several days miserable and in pain. But recovered. Might need more dental work done but okay for now.

Honestly, I do wonder if some of my feeling of being utterly *done* at the end of Worldcon and wanting to just come home and skip the rest of the trip was my body's way of telling me that something was really wrong. I am just glad I wasn't stuck in Oban with a tooth infection.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Still ADHD medication. A couple of lovely dresses for the wedding. First-class train upgrades so worth it. Worldcon everything.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Amazing friends, especially Alex, Corina, Paul, Marguerite and Alasdair who have been amazing! Lots of people doing the hard work of making the world a better place.

My wonderful coworkers. We are still clinging on.

The people who worked to get through the Slavation's Edge raid in time to get the jacket because fuck that raid nearly broke me.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled?
I swear this answer is basically the same every year *sigh*

Many many politicians and their fascist, sometimes genocidal ambitions. Corporate executives. The Games Industry (see, corporate executives) for laying off thousands of people because of the incompetence and greed of executives, while still giving said executives massive paycheques and bonuses.

Labour party and Keir Starmer for their transphobia and determination to be Tory-lite.

Every fucking dumbass who voted for Trump, and everyone working for him and all the journalists and newspapers sucking up to him to normalise his evil.

Elon Musk.

14. Where did most of your money go?
ADHD meds. Glasgow trip. Wedding trip.

...Destiny merch.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Worldcon and seeing friends! Wedding and seeing friends!

New Destiny expansion.

16. What song will always remind you of 2023?
Look I have just had the Final Shape soundtrack on loop

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) Sadder
b) No clue.
c) About the same.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Reading. Probably exercising. Need to go walking more. Seeing friends always. Travelling.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Been terrified for the state of the world but guess that's something I'm gonna have to get used to. I am so glad that my ADHD medication helps deal with my anxiety too because I was a fucking mess in 2016!

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Quietly at home with my parents. Had some nice food, called my sister and niece.

21. Did you fall in love in 2024?
Nah. Made some excellent new friends though!

22. What was your favourite TV program?
I started watching SuperEyepatchWolf's videos and they're really good even the ones about wrestling.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Ahahahahahaha Pete parsons the CEO of Bungie can do die in a car crash in one of his super expensive cars that he bought while laying off a tonne of great people. Again.

Also y'know... the politics.

24. What was the best book you read?
The goddam fic I'm writing. It's like 130K.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Got the new Bastille album?

26. What did you want and get?
ADHD medication. To attend the wedding of a couple of friends and meet some people in person for the first time. Fun at Worldcon.

The Final Shape and the Salvation's Edge raid jacket.

The Tories to no longer be the government.

27. What did you want and not get?
Donald Trump locked up in prison for life. To visit Oban.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?
I watched a very long video essay, okay? I did also buy the Dungeons and Dragons movie and the Mummy.

29. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
ADHD medication again. Writing. Friends.

The Episode Echoes storyline in Destiny with my faves and their relationship.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2024?
Pyjamas. Also I did wear a super cute dress for the wedding. And started wearing earrings frequently again.

31. What kept you sane?
Literally the ADHD medication.

Also deleting my Reddit account so I couldn't keep getting into really stupid arguments about Destiny lore with people who have no concept of how story works.

32. Favourite fictional character of the year?
Still Osiris from Destiny 2! Since last year he has dealt with the summoned spirit of a dragon, faced the final battle against the Witness, survived, been extremely soft with his beloved and also saved his beloved from being mindfucked by an ancient resurrected scientist who has gone fucking crazy.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
I don't even know where to fucking start...

34. Who did you miss?
Friends :( So many people I want to see and have not been able to.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2024
Never underestimate the stupidity of people in large groups. Murder is sometimes the answer, or at least a pretty compelling question.

Basic 2D and 3D shapes are hard when you're being shot at okay?

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Again, not really good at song lyrics so have some game quotes.

What was made can be unmade.
Guardians make their own fate.

I have a bunch more stuff to write about that didn't fit in the meme but will put that in another post. I really intended to post more this year and obviously that didn't happen XD

Happy New Year everyone. Be bold. Be Brave.

1. What did you do in 2022 that you’d never done before?

Got diagnosed with ADHD and medicated for it!
Wrote and completed a multi-chapter fanfic!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't even remember what they were. Probably 'write' more and hoo boy, I have managed that one!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! My sister had a baby!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope

5. What countries did you visit?
The UK. That's it. Pandemic still exists not that you would know it to look at the world.

6. What would you like to have in 2023 that you lacked in 2022?
A different better government? A gallbladder removal. A holiday.

...a haircut.

7. What dates from 2022 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 6th. Got my ADHD diagnosis!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
...Got pretty damn good at playing Destiny 2.

Also wrote a stupid amount of fanfic. Feels good!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Still have not ebayed all the anime stuff I own that I no longer want to own. Still have not got a haircut.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OH GOD.

So I went to my GP to see if I could get them to take over prescribing my ADHD meds (they won't because they said I don't have it and the medication is not exactly what they would prescribe and apparently there is no evidence it works despite my quality of life being massively improved). They did agree to do blood test+ECG to make sure I am fine on the meds.

...so I apparently have:
- A rare genetic lung condition (which makes me more susceptible to bronchitis and pneaumonia, asthma etc. It does explain why my chest sizes up in the cold

- A cyst on my ovary that has been there for at least 4 months (going to see a gynecologist for it)

- Gallstones (I am getting my gallbladder removed in a couple of months)

- Possibly Lupus. No, really. I may actually have Lupus.

...I feel like I should be able to get a replacement body because I obviously got a faulty model.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
ADHD diagnosis and medication. It is expensive because I went private but oh my god! I am no longer exhausted literally all the time. I hadn't realised truly how bad it was until I forgot my nighttime medication and spent the next day being a zombie.

I started working from 9am back in 2017? I kept thinking I would adjust to the new sleep schedule, but I never did. So I just spent... 5 years? assuming that most people are constantly tired and find mornings impossible to function during. I was tired constantly, no matter how much sleep I got. I would go into my 9.30am meeting and be losing track of what I was saying mid-sentence and stumbling over words because I was so tired. I would frequently go for a nap over my lunchbreak, and have to fight falling asleep in the afternoon every day.

Turns out actually people with ADHD genuinely have a different circadian rhythm and other sleep problems. Take medication before bed now and am no longer chronically tired! My mother noticed the difference! I am so much more chatty now. I don't wake up already needing a nap. After my worst night's sleep now, I still feel more awake than my best day before medication.

And then there's the stimulants!

Part of my job is to write script metadata - scene recaps, titles, summaries, etc. Pre-medication, one 6 or 7-scene script would take me about... 4-6 hours over a couple of days?

Now a script takes me about an hour. And doesn't feel like pulling teeth.

Also apparently there are multiple hours after 5pm when I finish work in which I can do things. Instead of going 5pm (finish work), 7pm (oh shit, food), 11.30pm (Uh... It is nearly bedtime and I have no memory of doing anything for the past 6 hours). I can finish work, make dinner, do a bit of writing, play Destiny, and do internet things all in the same night! Absolutely life-changing!

And also I have published over 260,000 words of fanfic this year. This does not count the 50K+ story I am still working on and other unfinished things. Prior to this year, the most I have ever put out is 75K. The last few years it's been more like 30K. And it's been fun to write. I hadn't realised how much like pulling teeth writing has been for so long. And now it's joyful.

...also I bought a brand new fancy laptop and a mattress. It's weird being in a position to not have to just go for the cheapest thing available.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I have amazing friends who are super supportive and have helped me through a lot. I also appreciate Bungie doubling down and going 'actually abortion is a human right' and 'these characters in our FPS game are queer and important to the story in a way that means you cannot ignore them' despite gamer bro whinging. Small thing but it means a lot when Gaming is still so toxic.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled?
Gamer Bros. God they're whiny.

The entire UK government, many of the opposition, politicians in general. What a fucking *farce*!. TERFs can piss off.

14. Where did most of your money go?
ADHD meds, new laptop, new mattress. All worthy purchases!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The potential collapse of the Tory party (still keeping my fingers crossed).

...the current season of Destiny because it is amazing and has given me just about everything I wanted from one of my favourite characters.

16. What song will always remind you of 2022?

Watch on YouTube

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) Happier!
b) No clue.
c) Richer I think. Got a raise at my annual review.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
For once, I do not need to put writing in this space XD I would have liked to do more reading. Still need to work on carving out that time.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Visiting the doctor.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Quietly at home with my parents. Played some Destiny with a friend.

21. Did you fall in love in 2022?
I got into a new fandom which is functionally the same thing for me.

22. What was your favourite TV program?
...I don't think I've watched anything except YouTube videos all year ^^;

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope. I hate politicians always.

24. What was the best book you read?
Look...

I read a lot of scripts for work.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I mainly listen to individual songs so... I like Dark in Here by the Mountain Goats. Of Monsters and Men.

26. What did you want and get?
ADHD diagnosis!!!

27. What did you want and not get?
The NHS to pay for my ADHD medication. The collapse of the Tory party.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?
I should just delete these questions. I never have anything to say XD

29. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
ADHD medication. Really.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2022?
Velvet lounge pants still. I got a nice velvet jacket which I love, and my teal velvet coat actually got worn!

31. What kept you sane?
ADHD meds quite literally. One of the things the NHS doctor told me when I went for the hellish appointment last year was 'you don't have ADHD. You're just anxious and need to relax' which is bullshit on so many levels.

Turns out... when I am medicated my anxiety is so much better. I don't doomscroll because I have brain enough to stop looking at things. Small things are no longer incredibly overwhelming. Time exists!

32. Favourite fictional character of the year?
Going to change this from 'Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?' because I am very asexual and uninterested.

Favourite fictional character: Osiris from Destiny 2! He's an arrogant middle-aged gay Warlock who was exiled from the Last City for heresy. He broke time and reality to bring his lover back to life. He is currently dealing with mortality and trauma after his Ghost died to save him and he was possessed by a billion year old Hive god of cunning.

He's excellent.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
The massive corruption at every level of the Tory party.

34. Who did you miss?
Friends :( So many people I want to see and have not been able to.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2022
Medication good. I am not fundamentally lazy, I have a messed up brain.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
...I am so bad at this, so here, just have Deep Stone Lullaby

Watch on YouTube

1. What did you do in 2021 that you’d never done before?

Wrote an episode for Zombies, Run! It's called White Out, and it's a short horror story set in the arctic where you're the assisstant to a dog sled musher. You can listen to it for free by downloading the Zombies, Run! app.

I was producer for Witching Hour, a special Halloween story for Escape Artists, which features contributions from various other cool horror podcasts!

I turned one of my Magnus Archives escape games into an online game you can play over on Itch.io called The Anchor. People are still playing it!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I mean, I finally wrote a thing for Zombies, Run! That was a huge dream of mine from about 2013! I have a couple of resolutions for next year. I would like to write another mission or two for work on Zombies, Run!, and I have a short podcast script I want to write.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope! That is something for next year >> (My sister is pregnant!)

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Nope. Amazingly.

5. What countries did you visit?

I went to Scotland for a week.

6. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?

Hopefully an ADHD diagnosis which is happening next Thursday! I would like to be able to visit places again! I want to travel more!

7. What dates from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

My bloody birthday which I had booked off work for a long weekend and then a whole bunch of things exploded so it was fucking stressful.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Writing White Out, for sure! Also got back into going for walks most days!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Did not do as much writing as I wanted to.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I had tonsilitis. But honestly, if that's the worst of it atm, I am lucky.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

This is technically a last year thing, but I started getting Hello Fresh food boxes and oh my god, they are a godsend. I am eating so much better because I have the ingredients there for a food instead of giving up and living on pasta or sandwiches.

Also the PS5 is pretty cool.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

A have some amazing friends who I love and who have helped to keep me sane. Alasdair and Marguerite especially have been just ridiculously supportive through some bad times, as have the Wilde Riders and Artefact Storage chats.

There are so many amazing activists who have done incredible work. The scientists woking tirelessly on the Covid vaccine.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled?

The entire Tory party and tbh a bunch of other politicians. Anti-vaxxers. Antis of the fandom kind for their constant harrassment and attacks. The fucking corporate and government wankers who decided that profit was more important than *literally* saving lives with the Covid vaccine.

There's been a few other deep disappointments. People I respected hurt some friends of mine, and took advantage of a lot of passion and time and energy, and that is really hard to get over. I don't hate them. But I am less trusting, and at some point future actions will probably affect how I feel going on.

I'm also still fucking pissed off at the ADHD assessment person from the NHS who told me 'you're just anxious and need to relax' which basically made me feel like they think I'm just a stupid hysterical woman. The NHS won't diagnose in adults unless you have literally set your life on fire. It doesn't give a fuck if you're functional but it's tanking your mental health and leaving you feeling constantly inadequate.

14. Where did most of your money go?

I bought a lot of nice food for Christmas. Also a PS5. And video games. Oh! And an antique dentist cabinet which I am now using to store enamel pins! It looks awesome, and it's a really lovely permanent way to display them.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I was super excited for the Magnus Archives finale and Rusty Quill Gaming finale!

16. What song will always remind you of 2021?

I have actually not listened to a lot of music this year. It's mainly been podcasts.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) I have no fucking clue anymore.

b) Who the fuck knows?! I have been walking more frequently though and I feel healthier and have more stamina.

c) Richer! I got a raise at work and a hefty chunk of cash as a bonus for various reasons. Also paid off my MA loan at the end of 2020 so that's £200 a month that's now going into savings.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Writing. Setting up my scrapbook. Reading.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Hard emotional labour for no appreciation.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With my parents. We had some good food, but it was very quiet.

21. Did you fall in love in 2021?

Nope.

22. What was your favourite TV program?

Leverage Redemption is pretty good although I need to watch more (I don't want to rush through it!). I really enjoyed Star Trek Lower Decks.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Anti-vaxxers. The government even more.

24. What was the best book you read?

Peter, Darling by Austin Chant. It was the only new book I read (I also reread Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett which is still excellent). It's a queer romance based on Peter Pan. 10 years after the original, Peter returns to Neverland and begins a dangerous affair with Hook. It's really good.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Nothing really. Sorry! I am bad at discovering new music.

26. What did you want and get?

A vaccine! Like, fucking hell. I have had 3 shots now and I am so grateful for the ridiculous hard work of scientists and people organising the vaccinations.

Also a PS5.

27. What did you want and not get?

The end of the Tory party and Boris Johnson and Brexit.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

I watched into the Spiderverse finally! That was pretty cool!

29. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Finally getting to see some friends in person.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

Well, I bought some velvet lounge pants which are super comfy. Also this for the Hugo Awards viewing party we had a couple of weeks ago. I would never have dared wear something that short usually but it felt good! The tights are so pretty, and the boots are a pair I splurged on earlier in the year.

31. What kept you sane?

Friends and the awesome supportive community. Vaccine!

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

None. I really don't work like that.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

I have had a few rants about how Covid has been handled.

34. Who did you miss?

I have missed a lot of my friends terribly. I miss a bunch of fandom community people who I don't get to chat to often.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2021

Don't keep letting people take you and your work for granted. Don't sink thousands of hours into something which won't appreciate you.

Also, from last year: Incompetence and malice are basically indistinguishable.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Watch on YouTube

1. What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before?

Got a proper full-time job and got a raise and stuff which was awesome.

I ran social media for a livestream event in December for Rusty Quill.

Went to Ireland and visited the Giant's Causeway.

Submitted a short story for publication! I need to actually get that sent out again.

Made 3 escape games :D Mini escape games in bags.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I did actually send a story out for publication. This next year I want to get more massages because my shoulders are *wrecked*, and just read more. And finish rewrites on the novel.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Sabrina from work!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Nope.

5. What countries did you visit?

Ireland and Northern Ireland!

6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?

A goddam ADHD diagnosis! I am on the waiting list, and have been for about 18 months now :| Probably more goddam therapy.

7. What dates from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

December 7th! The Rusty Quill charity livestream. Awesome event and I had so much fun.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Submitting a story. It was a big step. Need to do more of it but I went through a bad patch in summer so didn't send it out again and need to do that. Also my annual review at work was great!

Completed NaNoWriMo in 17 days. Also the escape games were fun!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Didn't do as much writing as I should. Didn't get anything published.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I have had a bitch of a cold yet again this year over Christmas and New Year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Worldcon tickets and travel. Train tickets to London for the first Rusty Quill meetup in May. Just generally travelling to hangouts has been great.

Also the Good Cows.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Friends! My friends are so fucking awesome!

All the creators working hard to make good things in dark times.

I have a lot of respect for Greta Thunberg too. I hate that she has to do it, but I applaud her conviction.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled?

Fuck everyone who voted Tory and voted for Brexit. Fuck Donald Trump too and his cronies. I hope you rot.

Also screw you George R R Martin and everyone involved in the Hugo Loser's Party debacle that really hurt some friends of mine.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Student loan. And travel.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Worldcon! The Magnus Archives! Basically anything associated with those things!

16. What song will always remind you of 2019?

Sky Full Of Song - Florence+The Machine

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) Happier maybe? Hard to tell where the world ends and I begin sometimes.

b) Fatter probably? I haven't done much exercise and I feel bad about that

c) Richer! I got a raise!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Writing.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Procrastinating

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With my parents and sister and brother in law, as last year. Very lazy and quite but it was nice.

21. Did you fall in love in 2019?

I got into a new fandom? Does that count?

22. What was your favourite TV program?

Gen:Lock was pretty damn enjoyable!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I am just repeating what I said last year. My list of hated political figures grows ever longer. They just can't stop being absolute spunktrumpets.

24. What was the best book you read?

I read half of This is How You Lose the Time War. I am so fucking bad at reading these days and I hate it.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The Mechanisms. I have been listening to The Bifrost Incident on repeat for the last 2 weeks.

26. What did you want and get?

A Nintendo Switch! A trip to Worldcon. A bunch of fandom goodness.

27. What did you want and not get?

An end to the political fuckery that has prevailed since 2016. The utter destruction of the concept of Brexit. *sigh*

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

Oh christ... Captain Marvel? Was that this year? The year has been so long.

29. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Fandom.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

I discovered glittery lipstick recently and I look great in it.

31. What kept you sane?

Good friends. Avoiding the news as much as possible. Discord

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I don't.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

*laughs brokenly*

34. Who did you miss?

Friends mainly! The Livestream crew!

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019.

Oh my god, people might actually want to be friends with me?

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

How deeply are you sleeping
Or are you still awake?
A good friend told me
You've been staying out so late

Be careful my darling
Be careful of what it takes
What I've seen so far
The good ones always seems to break

1. What did you do in 2018 that you’d never done before?

Went to a professional writing retreat. I attended Viable Paradise writing workshop on Martha's Vineyard and it was amazing! It's one of the most prestigious SFF workshops, alongside Clarion. We were taught by amazing people like Max Gladstone and Scott Lynch and Amal El-Mohtar, and had workshops and hung out with amazing people like editors from Tor and Elizabeth Bear and it was just... incredible. I fell madly in love with all of my classmates in the way you do when you're trapped on an island with people for a week and doing intense work.

I also got an actual job with a salary and holiday pay and stuff! It's quite an adjustment when I've mainly worked retail and done freelance work.

I also got to meet a couple of internet friends who I'd never been able to meet in person, including my friend Sue who I've known for about a decade and we got to hang out!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't even remember what resolutions I made last year. I tend not to make them. I want to write more and I want to submit at least 1 piece of work for publication in 2019.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully not!

5. What countries did you visit?

I visited the US! And Dublin airport but airports don't count.

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?

Better mental health. An ADHD diagnosis or at least more therapy. The ability to focus on writing.

7. What dates from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

July 1st. I got my acceptance to VP and couldn't even understand the email at first because I just couldn't believe I'd actually got accepted. I had to copy and paste the email and ask someone in a chat to tell me what it said because I couldn't believe it.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Viable Paradise acceptance! I don't think anything could top that. It was my first time applying and I know they get a load of applications and I'm so honoured that I'm a VP alumnus now!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Didn't do as much writing as I should have. I worry I've thrown a way a bunch of opportunities and let people down by not getting things done. I always intend to do them, and they just slip away.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

As I write this, on New Year's Eve 2018, I am at home instead of with friends because I've got a stinking cold. Mental health has also not been great.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Flights and tuition for Viable Paradise. Also I pre-ordered Kingdom Hearts 3 which I am looking forward to immensely.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

My friends who are always amazing and supportive. Everyone out there working against injustice, fighting for a better world.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled?

Fuck you Theresa May. Die in a fire Jacob Rees-Mogg. Fuck everyone who voted Tory and voted for Brexit. Fuck Donald Trump too and his cronies. I hope you rot.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Paying for Viable Paradise tuition and everything that came along with that. Worth it though!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Viable Paradise. I'm a bit of a broken record! And also my friend winning the Kitschie Award for best debut!!!!

16. What song will always remind you of 2018?

Warmth by Bastille

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) Happier, i think! I'm in a bit more of a stable position than I was last year and that helps a lot.

b) Fatter probably? I haven't done much exercise and I feel bad about that

c) Richer! Weirdly. I have an actual guaranteed income every month! It's so weird.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Writing. Always writing.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Having small breakdowns and depressive funks.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With my parents and sister and brother in law! It was pretty lazy but nice. Felt pretty nice and Christmassy for once!

21. Did you fall in love in 2018?

In deep platonic love with my VP class. And with Martha's Vineyard. In love with a very specific place at a very specific time I guess?

22. What was your favourite TV program?

I got into Critical Role which has been really enjoyable. Also watched all of Aggretsuko which is an absolute delight! Also the new Doctor Who is brilliant!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

My list of hated political figures grows ever longer. They just can't stop being absolute spunktrumpets.

24. What was the best book you read?

Look... I have fucking *sucked* at reading things this year. I don't know if I've even managed to read a whole book in 2018 and it is driving me nuts.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I didn't make a discovery but did get to see Fall Out Boy in concert which was awesome!

26. What did you want and get?

Accepted to VP! An actual salaried stable job!

27. What did you want and not get?

An end to the political fuckery that has prevailed since 2016. The utter destruction of the concept of Brexit.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

I really enjoyed Black Panther! Getting to the local cinema is kind of an ordeal so I don't get to see as many new films as I'd like.

29. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Schadenfreude

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

I got some cute tops but I'm mainly doing the jeans and hoodies thing. Also pyjamas. Pyjamas are great

31. What kept you sane?

Good friends. Avoiding the news as much as possible.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

None of them.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

*laughs brokenly*

34. Who did you miss?

There are some people who are no longer with us who I deeply miss and wish I could tell them stuff that's happened. I miss my friends when they're not around, and my VP family.

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.

Fuck it, I'm good at stuff!

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Never good just the bad and the ugly
Laid infront of you
Nothing quite like seeing the world through the TV's we know
Feeling helpless I look for distraction
I go searching for you, wandering through our city to find some solace at your door