2009 In Brief

Summary of 2009 via meme found at Blue Milk

1.What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Get (and stay) pregnant, gestate a baby for almost 9 months.

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

My resolution was to take it a little easier on myself this year - expect less and be happy with more - and I think I at least improved in this area. I've tried to forgive myself when I don't live up to my own expectations and tried not to focus on the expectation of others. That's certainly a start. I don't think this is the year for resolutions, other than to try not to let it fly past too fast, and to find some enjoyment in the soon-to-begin chaos.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, an old high-school girlfriend had her first child.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, but it was a sad year for some friends.

5. What countries did you visit?

None, despite having paid for fares to India and planning to see Mansha. On a positive note I mostly managed to avoid going to other states within Australia. The last few years have been crazy with traveling all over the country and this was a great year for nesting and staying close to home. Our only holiday was to Daylesford/Hepburn Springs for a few days and it was positively perfect.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Some face-to-face time with this baby I've been growing.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Not sure there are dates, per se, but certainly the day I found out I was pregnant, the day I shared that with my partner and my mother.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Managing to grow another human being from scratch, publishing three print magazines and one online publication, staying in the black financially despite significant challenges.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Keeping up with my personal writing on this blog fell very low on the achievement list, but the biggest was probably my social life. In trying to focus on not burning myself out I missed a huge amount of events and time with the people I love. It's an almost impossible juggling act for me, and I don't think I managed it well in 2009.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I don't believe in the idea that pregnancy is an illness which needs management (which is how some mainstream medical systems behave) but unfortunately the combination of pregnancy and CFS has pretty much amounted to illness. Research has shown that many women who fall pregnant while managing CFS find marked improvements in their symptoms or their condition overall. Let's just say I don't fall into that category.

11. What was the best thing you bought? (was bought for you)

Best thing I bought for myself? No idea, probably the full day of spa treatments and relaxing in the day spa at Hepburn Springs. Bought for me? Himself bought me a gorgeous ring and earrings for Christmas, and my mother spoiled us with a new digital SLR camera... both put massive smiles on my face.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Certain friends, who have accepted (with astounding grace and patience) my last minute ditching of plans or inability to leave my own house. They haven't given up on me and I can't explain how much that has meant. Taking the cake this year however, was Dave, for traveling all the way to Melbourne (on the dreaded red-eye, no less) to be with me for my surprise early birthday party.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

It's been a disappointing year to watch Kevin Rudd, that's for sure. Or almost any world leader who attended Copenhagen.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Having a roof over our heads, trying to pay off debts and also manage to save a little. Pretty good year on that front, all considered.

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

Adding to our family.

16. What songs will always remind you of 2009?

It was a poor music year for me. I'm drawing a blank on this one.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i) …happier or sadder?

Happier.

ii) thinner or fatter?

Both. I'm much bigger in circumference, but have actually lost weight. Pregnancy seems to have kick started my metabolism.

iii) richer or poorer?

Richer. It's been a year of feeling almost like a grown up with money. Very strange.

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

Spend time with other people.

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

Spent my time shuffling between my couch, bed and toilet. Gotta love that pregnant bladder.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas Eve with my mum, morning with her side of my extended family (where we discovered that my great aunt and uncle have had a bunker in their backyard all my life and I never knew!), afternoon and night with Himself's family. Mostly it was spent calmly and quietly.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?

Yes, with my changing family.

23. How many one night stands?

None.

24. What were your favourite TV programs?

My love affair with Midsomer Murders continues unabated, plus The Wire, Weeds and Californication.

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

My dislike for some has grown, but hate is a pretty strong word.

26. What was the best book you read?

That's tough. Some highlights were The Road (Cormac McCarthy), The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson) and revisiting some favourites like Evelyn Waugh, P. G. Wodehouse, Agatha Christie and Jasper Fforde.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I really can't think of anything. Shamefully, I didn't even see any live music this year that I can recall.

28. What did you want and get?

Growing our family.

29. What did you want and not get?

More time reconnecting with Melbourne now that we're back here permanently. Finally travelling to India (so close this time).

30. What was your favourite film of this year?

Honorable mentions to Up (it was just right for my mood that day), 2012, which was the perfect end-of-days movie, it made me laugh so hard I nearly peed my pants (although, again, pregnant bladder may have something to do with this) and Twilight: New Moon, which was so terrible I got uncontrollable hiccups from laughing too much and the seats were so comfy that it became a highlight. The one which will stay with me is probably Milk. Fantastically made biopic with a compelling story to tell.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I managed to squeeze in two birthdays this year! The first was my 29th in January, which was a quiet affair. Himself and I spent the day at Healsville Sanctuary where I got up close and personal with my favourite animals, the bats, then had a lovely country lunch and finished off wine tasting at one of my most loved places, Yering Station (where I managed to score myself some wine to bring home, of course). The second was my pre-30th birthday. Himself threw me a surprise party in December to make up for the fact that I'm due to welcome this alien to the world in the same week as my actual birthday. This means I'll either be too huge and over it to celebrate, or may be busy freaking out over the alien I now have to figure out how to take care of. Either way, I can't exactly make plans, so he spoilt me with a lovely day of friends and food. So thoughtful and perfect, plus a genuine surprise, right up until I was in my front door.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

The return of my brain. I really miss being able to articulate what I mean, keep up with conversation and enjoy a book/movie/television show/live performance with some level of complexity.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

What fits? That's what I'll wear.

34. What kept you sane?

My mum, Himself and the knowledge that for better or worse, life will change completely in 2010. This CFS fugue I've been living in, which makes most days blend into each other and the future seem hazy, will become something different. Even if it is a different kind of fog.

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

Alan Davies Give me a man who can make me laugh and stars in English murder mysteries any day.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Climate change. It's so hard to see the stalling of this debate at every turn, and such a betrayal to see Rudd's government undermine any progress. Stupid me, I really did have more faith in their election posturing on this particular issue. I'm starting to think we would have had a better result from the Libs.

37. Who did you miss?

Mansha, after not getting to visit her in India this year. Some of our friends in other states, who we usually get to see in flying visits around the country when we travel more.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Scout. She's been a joy to have around (mostly...) and has definitely made Mycroft happier overall. Mind you, Himself and I have concluded that while she was my Christmas/birthday present in 2009, she is most certainly his dog. She adores him.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009

It might not come naturally, but my life doesn't have to revolve around stress and anxiety. I can find calm and I can alter my own state of mind.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

I've hardly been outside my room in days,
'cause I don't feel that I deserve the sunshine's rays.
The darkness helped until the whiskey wore away,
And it was then I realized the conscience never fades.
When you're young you have this image of your life:
That you'll be scrupulous and one day even make a wife.
And you make boundaries you'd never dream to cross,
And if you happen to you wake completely lost.

Yup, depression and realising life isn't the path you always imagined and you're not the person you assumed you were.

41. What was your favorite moment of the year?

Finding out I was pregnant.

42. What was your least favourite moment of the year?

When I started bleeding.

57. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2009 and change what?

I'd have been in the same state as Himself when I got to tell him I was pregnant.

58. What are your plans for 2010?

Meet my child, redefine 'family', enjoy those changes.