End of year review

(Thanks to Prof. Dr. Molly Steenson for initiating this habit when I was a student. I’ve now trimmed it down a little as I find myself with the same answers to some questions year on year.)

1. What did you do in 2022 that you’d never done before?
   Stopped caring as much about the wrong things.
2. Did anyone close to you give birth?
   Yes.
3. Did anyone close to you die?
   No.
4. What countries did you visit?
   Canada (flight), Ireland (flight), France (train).
5. What would you like to have in 2023 that you lacked in 2022?
   Romantic love would be nice but I’ll settle for more money and longer holidays.
6. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
   Getting back into the habit of solo holidays.
7. What was your biggest failure?
   Having to send a debt collection agency after a client.
8. Did you suffer illness or injury?
   Perimenopause has kicked in so the quality of my sleep is awful now.
9. What was the best thing you bought?
   A really lovely Issey Miyake imitation dress from COS.
10. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
    Women in Iran.
11. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
    Too many to mention.
12. Where did most of your money go?
    Visits to 40 Maltby Street again.
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
    Getting better at glazing in pottery class.
14. What song/album will always remind you of 2022?
    This 2018 Sons of Kemet album.
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
    More tired due to a totally different work pattern compared to last year’s lull post-project.
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
    Longer holidays and there’s always an opportunity for more cycling.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
    Email.
18. How will you be spending Christmas?
    Lunch in Soho with J. and his mum.
19. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
    J.
20. Did you fall in love in 2022?
    Multiple times but never for very long.
21. What was the best book(s) you read?
    White Teeth by Zadie Smith was a revelation.
22. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    Too many jazz musicians to name.
23. What did you want and get?
    A lovely 9 month contract at the Design Council.
24. What did you want and didn’t get?
    A japanese rice cooker and a chef’s knife but that’s because I like delaying my consumer pleasures. I’ve been considering these for years now and never really make a move.
25. What were your favourite films of this year?
    C’mon C’mon kindof killed me.
26. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
    It’s on Friday and a cycle and dinner is on the cards. 42.
27. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
    Less email.
28. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2022?
    Chief Design Officer vibes with big jewellery and fun collared shirts.
29. What kept you sane?
    Conversations with J. , voice notes with M. chats with mum, dinners on my own, cycling.
30. What political issue stirred you the most?
    *waves at everything*
31. Who did you miss?
    M. who died in 2021.
32. Who was the best new person you met?
    M & F are nice new people.
33. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2022.
    Pace yourself, don’t waste energy, concentrate on what matters, care about the right things, not everything. It’s been an exhausting lesson to learn.
34. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
    Every day, I lean on a lamp post
    I’m wasting my time
    Every night, I lay on a pillow
    I’m resting my mind
    Every morning brings a new day
    And every night, that day is through