1.What did you do in 2023 that you’d never done before?
Got turned in a vampire LARP!
Took meds for ADHD
Got qualified in Oncology Massage.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did and I will, it gives me good focus
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Flower did and I have a new nephew!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
My Dad’s cousin Peter died, but I only vaguely remembered him from childhood. I sent flowers.
5. What countries did you visit?
Scotland a lot, Wales some.
6. What would you like to have in 2024 that you lacked in 2023?
A working brain. A less fractured psyche.
7. What date from 2023 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
16th June – M-i-L and I have been together for ten years!
15th December – The Jellicle and I have been together for twenty years!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Level 3 Diploma in Oncology Massage
9. What was your biggest failure?
Continuing miscommunications from 2022
10. Were you seriously ill during 2023?
Covid has continued to screw me and my lungs, I was briefly told I didn’t have PCOS and worried that I might be very seriously ill but nope I have PCOS, fibroids, the whole shebang and honestly that is the better outcome.
Oh and it turns out ADHD meds do bad things to my heart.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Pair of dance shoes – makes dancing so much more comfortable!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Always The Jellicle, also M-i-L and The Riddling Gatekeeper
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Just list the Cabinet. Just all of them that have been in power at any point this year. Fucking Tories more concerned with getting theirs than improving the country.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Massage qualification and too many driving fines.
15. What did you get excited about?
Learning Tango with BBF was cool.
Doing Barbenheimer with Goat and Aunty Iris. It was surprisingly good fun.
16. What song will always remind you of 2023?
The Bonsai Kaiju sung this to Mari Lwyd!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Happier, I was very sad this time last year.
ii. thinner or fatter?
Fatter
iii. richer or poorer?
Poorer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Yoga
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Disassociating
20. How will you be spending/did you spend Christmas?
Quietly at home with The Jellicle and DS Luke came over for dinner and we played the sumo game and watched Tabby McTat.
21. How many one night stands?
None
22. Did you fall in love in 2023?
No
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No
24. What was your favorite TV programme?
Ghosts – yeah I was late to the party but oh it reminded me of the game that got run for my birthday a few years ago – Ghosts in Public and I loved it so much!
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Last Dinner Party – I think they’re fantastic.
26. What was the best book you read?
Emil and The Three Twins – it was a delight to discover that Emil and the Detectives had a sequel! Though it’s also a weird introduction to Goethe, puberty and not talking about things for love!
27. Are you happy with your lot?
I am gradually coming back towards feeling so, let’s go with not yet but I will be.
28. What did you want and get?
I wanted to go to York with The Jellicle for our anniversary and we did.
29. What did you want and NOT get?
To put my psyche back together and it’s not quite there yet.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
I enjoyed both Barbie and Oppenheimer but honestly I think I preferred Oppenheimer- it was just fantastically beautiful.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 41 and I went out to get an espresso martini in Lancaster. This proved more difficult than anticipated as Kahlua availability was hit by BREXIT! Hung out with Medeival Bride, FJ, Teenage Boy, Girl with the Golden Hair, The Mighty Q, The Blue Cat and her Goth Boyf and they were lovely.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being able to afford a really good therapist
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2023?
Is it short and does it show off my butt?
34. What kept you sane?
Honestly the Jellicle cat has these soft lips and they’re very sanity inducing.
Doing crosswords with Beautiful Lute
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Nicole Coenen – whew I never thought I could get that flustered over someone chopping wood!
Steven Backshall has a very nice butt in his tight trousers on… uh… his childrens tv show about dinosaurs… oh dear.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I’ve struggled to engage with politics this year, it’s all just been a little much.
37. Who did you miss?
The Norwegian Mermaid as I was hoping to get to Scandinavia this year but had neither the time nor the money.
Honestly, The Fae Ref, which I know The Funniest would glare at me over that but he got me through the pandemic and I haven’t seen him since April.
Also my Dad. Really missed him this year.
38. Who were the best new people you met?
Met Canadian Foodie in person for his birthday week in London.
Finally met Mme Reflections LARP in person even though I thought I’d met her before!
The Pirate is probably the best really new person I met and he’s been excellent fun over the whole year.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2023:
You’ve just got to keep moving forwards. Also disassociation is not a superpower – except at the dentists.
40. Was 2023 a good year?
It was ok. It had its definite highlights.
41. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
And now your song is on repeat
And I’m dancin’ on to your heartbeat
And when you’re gone, I feel incomplete
So if you want the truth (Oh)
I just wanna be part of your symphony