2009 in Review
Just like I did for 2008, 2007 and 2006, I bring you my review of the year, in the form of one of those annoying round-robin email type question things. Yeah!.
This year I’ve changed some of the perennial questions to more appropriate things.
1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Bought a car.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Yeah, I beasted it on the bike. Next year; Do the One Hundred Push Up Challenge by my birthday (February 20th), and learn to juggle by the years end.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not that I noticed.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Magnus and Emma’s Mother, Margaret Bean. May they both rest in peace.
5. What countries did you visit?
Pretty poor this year, only Cyprus.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Less paperwork.
7. What date(s) from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
8th October; Driving through the night to Newcastle after Margaret died.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Minor race positions probably.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Crashing on the Forth Road Bridge while looking totally the wrong way (the truck I was looking at was pretty exciting).
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Had a sore throat for a week, been lucky this year.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My MSC Koncept Carbon frame.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Kirsty, my sister, who graduated. Again.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Davide Rebellin. At least with Schumacher it was predictable.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Bikes, despite buying the car.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing Up! at the cinema.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? The same, as always!
iii. richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Training.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Driving.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Mum’s for Christmas day, Dad’s for Boxing day.
21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
My dad, getting updates on the happenings in his world.
22. How’s the big romance going?
Ace.
23. How many CDs did you buy this year?
Probably only about five. Hello digital music era.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
The Big Bang Theory, second season just keeps the laughs coming.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nah, I’m pretty mellow with everyone. Same again.
26. What was the new best book you read?
A Dog in a Hat – Joe Parkin. Pure comedy.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
MGMT.
28. What did you want and get?
A car. A nice watch.
29. What did you want and not get?
Sledging, despite all the snow.
30. What was your favorite new film of this year?
Burn After Reading.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 24, rode my bike and had a birthday meal..
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Retiring to become a full time cyclist.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
It was the closest thing to hand when I wanted to put clothes on. Same as last year. Again.
34. What kept you sane?
The bike, Emma. Same as last year.
35. Which public figure was the biggest loser of 2009?
Tiger Woods. What an idiot.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The car scrappage scheme coming in right after I swapped cars.
37. Who did you miss?
Magnus the Dogoid!
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Steve Deas, he helped me out loads this year.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Have more than one compass, so you can find it when you really might need it.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“It’s times like these we learn to live again, it’s times like these we learn to love again”
