1. What did you do in 2021 that you’d never done before?
Learnt how to drive and got my driver's license. I'm still a terrible driver and literally have miles to go before I sleep, but baby steps darling!
Also adopted a rambunctious dog who continues to drive us up the wall, but is probably one of the best decisions ever taken. :)
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I have zero recollection about resolving to do anything last year. I will absolutely NOT make any resolution for 2022. Existence during apocalypse is all bullshit anyway.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Much excitement about second core baby. :)
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Working for 12 hours on a shitty keyboard has relegated me to the Carpal Tunnel Forever corner. And of course, mental health stuff went from bad to worse.
17.Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. Happier or sadder? Sadder.
2. Thinner or fatter? Fatter.
3. Richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travelling. Taking a minute to myself with a book.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Work.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We woke up late after a rousing Christmas eve and sat around nursing strong cups of coffee. Then we stuffed ourselves full at Manzilat and I took a 3 hour nap in the evening. 'Twas the best day.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Sadly enough, my boss.
22. Did you fall in love in 2021?
Nope.
23. How many one night stands in this last year?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
I discovered 'Succession' this year, and life will never be the same.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Yup.
26. What was the best book(s) you read?
Slowly getting my reading groove back. Agatha Christie ALWAYS comes through. Best new book still remains Yaa Gyasi's 'Transcendent Kingdom'.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 33. Had a good partywithfriends the day before, and spent the morning drinking coffee and shooting the shit with D. Met parents in the afternoon for a biriyani lunch before coming home and having a supernova-sized fight with S. It was a ... mixed sort of day.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A little less work. A little more action.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2020?
Pajamas with ratty t-shirts.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I ... don't know where to start. Next question please.
37. Who did you miss?
The 'me' I was before 2019.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
T, maybe?!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2020.
This, too, shall pass.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I have zero recollection about resolving to do anything last year. I will absolutely NOT make any resolution for 2022. Existence during apocalypse is all bullshit anyway.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Much excitement about second core baby. :)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?
My own house and a brief respite from this terrible 2021 Mental Health Spiral.
7. What date from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory?
11th January, because start of the vexing new job. 24th January, because Bhetki came home. 2nd May, because stressful close call with fascist regime. 1st November, because first core baby.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Yes.
5. What countries did you visit?
None.
6. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?
My own house and a brief respite from this terrible 2021 Mental Health Spiral.
7. What date from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory?
11th January, because start of the vexing new job. 24th January, because Bhetki came home. 2nd May, because stressful close call with fascist regime. 1st November, because first core baby.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not having a nervous breakdown every other day.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not getting the house situation sorted. Not travelling.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not getting the house situation sorted. Not travelling.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Working for 12 hours on a shitty keyboard has relegated me to the Carpal Tunnel Forever corner. And of course, mental health stuff went from bad to worse.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Nothing, really.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Mine. And sometimes Bhetki's.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
S'
14. Where did most of your money go?
Food and books and Uber.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going for a quick weekend trip to Digha with friends. This year was strangely devoid of excitement and full of grey, listless drudgery.
16. What song/album will always remind you of 2020?
Nothing, really.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Mine. And sometimes Bhetki's.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
S'
14. Where did most of your money go?
Food and books and Uber.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going for a quick weekend trip to Digha with friends. This year was strangely devoid of excitement and full of grey, listless drudgery.
16. What song/album will always remind you of 2020?
Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate - Debe live at Bozar
17.Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. Happier or sadder? Sadder.
2. Thinner or fatter? Fatter.
3. Richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travelling. Taking a minute to myself with a book.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Work.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We woke up late after a rousing Christmas eve and sat around nursing strong cups of coffee. Then we stuffed ourselves full at Manzilat and I took a 3 hour nap in the evening. 'Twas the best day.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Sadly enough, my boss.
22. Did you fall in love in 2021?
Nope.
23. How many one night stands in this last year?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
I discovered 'Succession' this year, and life will never be the same.
'Hospital Playlist Season 2' and Wandavision should also get honourable mentions. I was a Marvel glutton this year.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Yup.
26. What was the best book(s) you read?
Slowly getting my reading groove back. Agatha Christie ALWAYS comes through. Best new book still remains Yaa Gyasi's 'Transcendent Kingdom'.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Whale in the Pond. Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate.
Whale in the Pond. Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate.
28. What did you want and get?
A new job.
29. What did you want and not get?
To move into the new house. Some contentment.
30. What were your favourite films of this year?
Spiderman: No Way Home.
A new job.
29. What did you want and not get?
To move into the new house. Some contentment.
30. What were your favourite films of this year?
Spiderman: No Way Home.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 33. Had a good partywithfriends the day before, and spent the morning drinking coffee and shooting the shit with D. Met parents in the afternoon for a biriyani lunch before coming home and having a supernova-sized fight with S. It was a ... mixed sort of day.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A little less work. A little more action.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2020?
Pajamas with ratty t-shirts.
34. What kept you sane?
Cats and dog and books and friends.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Siddhartha Mukherjee and Neil Gaiman.
Cats and dog and books and friends.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Siddhartha Mukherjee and Neil Gaiman.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I ... don't know where to start. Next question please.
37. Who did you miss?
The 'me' I was before 2019.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
T, maybe?!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2020.
This, too, shall pass.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
"...In the clearing stands a boxer
And a fighter by his trade,
And he carries the reminders
Of every glove that laid him down
And cut him till he cried out
In his anger and his shame
"I am leaving, I am leaving"
But the fighter still remains, he still remains..."
