lonemagpie

The annual Xmas end of year meme

1. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?

Fought in an armoured tournament, won an SCA fencing tournament.

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

As I say every year, I don't make them. The way you live your life is for life, not just New Year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not that I know of.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes, very much so- my ex (and mother of my ex-stepson if you want to look at it that way), Gina. She was three years younger than me, only 46 at the time. That's somewhat... hard to take in, at that age.

5. What countries did you visit?

None outside the mainland UK.

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?

Calm and a lack of backstabbing would be nice. Satisfaction. Such limited ambitions as I have in the SCA would be nice.

It'd be nice to be a convention guest again.

7. What date from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Several, related to death and backstabbing. June 9th maybe qualifies, being a good day of fighting demo in good weather, followed by the nearest to hypoing I've had in three years, and it being Gina's memorial day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting a regular paying gig. I hope I can keep it.

Fighting for Dame Leonet - Lynette - in Coronet *the morning after being in quite a bad state) and getting nine kills for her (albeit one discounted due to a hold being called, and so officially only 8)

9. What was your biggest failure?

I'm sure there are too many to choose from. We worked out this time last that by the end of this year we'd be debt-free. We are, of course, exactly as far behind as we were this time last year.

The warranted-as-a-Marshal thing never happened.

If I don't keep the regular paying gig, then we'll retroactively know that was it, though.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing major this time, just the usual ongoing. I'm annoyed that my HBAC number rose in the summer, and there was a bit of a mild concussion after doing the Sunday breakfast at Yule Ball.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Farpoint, my longbow.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Lesley of course. Anne, without whom I doubt we could live; Lynette, who sponsored my Provost prize-play; Yannick, Helena Vestfjord and Vitus and family; Catherine Sherwell, who turned out so great on the fencing field in the summer; Sue Griffiths; Rebekah Wells, who's made such nice stuff for Lesley... probably lots of other people.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Well if you've been following this page, you can probably take a wild stab in the dark at the convention backstabber and SCA ones too.

14. Where did most of your money go?

As last year- Bills and arrears and SCA adventures.

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

I'm not sure I'm capable of being really excited about anything any more. Let down too many times.

16. What song will always remind you of 2018?

I dunno.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Both; my extremes seem to be swinging wider. Mainly it's angrier and more hurt rather than sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? Exactly the same, 12 stone, by intentional maintenance, as it's my idea weight.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer, if you can call it that.

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

Archery with Farpoint.

Fencing/choreography/self defence workshops teaching and coaching, as I always say.

Orgies and bisexual depravity

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

Having needles stuck in my eyeballs. Been stabbed in the back and thus mired in bitterness. (Yes, I know all about the mindfulness stuff to let things go, and I try, but it just... doesn't work for that. I have a long memory and a capacity for forgiveness limited only to those I love.)

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Playing Assassin's Creed Unity on the sparkly new Xbox One. And still working.

21. How will you be spending New Year's?

Hoping the Dr Who special isn't shit. Hanging out in York.

As always, I like to write a bit of something completely new on January 1st, and maybe watch something completely new,

22. Did you fall in love in 2018?

I've said in previous years that I fall in love anew every day, or every time I see the person, with those I've fallen in love with (so, Lesley, obviously)- but if you mean with a new person, no.

23. How many one-night stands?

None.

24. What was your favorite TV program(s)?

Star Trek Discovery, Westworld, Lucifer, The Flash, Legends Of Tomorrow, Murdoch Mysteries, Dr Who, etc

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

Ah, yes... You have been paying attention to previous answers, right?

26. What was the best book you read?

Probably Red Country by Joe Abercrombie (fiction) or Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein (nonfiction)

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The score for Outlander, maybe.

28. What did you want and get?

Finally, regular paid contracts! I just hope I can keep them next year.

An Xbox One.

The rank of Provost in the Academy of Defence.

29. What did you want and not get?

The warranting as Rapier Marshal that I was told in the spring I was ready for.

To be a guest at a convention again, as I had been booked for.

To visit my dad in Scotland as planned.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?

Deadpool 2

31. What did you do on your birthday?

It's next week, so hasn't happened yet. Last year... I think I went to look for bargains in CEX.

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

Putting Lynette on the ID throne.

Not failing to get things done.

Otherwise, examine the preceding answers and take a wild fucking guess.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

Clothed. Occasionally with armour. Or just Sith (not a typo)

34. What kept you sane?

Nothing.

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

I dunno, honestly.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Brexit, obviously.

37. Who did you miss?

The ones who are too far away, the ones who are dead, and the one who moved from the first category to the second.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Alka, maybe, or Baby Alex?

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018:

Not so much learned as had some - like “Trust no-one” - reinforced.

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

We returned to port with sorrow in our chests
An evil shadow followed us on every quest
(Captain Morgan's Revenge, Alestorm)

Everybody will be doing reviews to the year over the next of days,but mine is, again, in the form of a soundtrack tracklist...If you're a soundtrack collector,you might well be able to assemble the following playlist (as I've done) and hear my year...

I'm giving track title, composer/performer, and album, but, as always, no conext. Some things you can figure outeasily enough. Others really will only be significant to me..

2015 Soundtrack listing:

1) Main Title/Attack On Jakku (John Williams, The Force Awakens)
2) Future Of The Sons Of Mithras (Bear Mcreary, Da Vinci's Demons)
3) Thief Of Bagdad theme – Miklos Rosza
4) Lucretia Donati (Bear McCreary, Da Vinci's Demons)
5) Knight's March (Hans Zimmer, King Arthur)
6) Lucretia And Leonardo (Bear McReary, Da Vinci's Demons season 2)
7) Conan theme – Basil Poledouris (Conan The Destroyer)
8) Betrayed (X Ray Dog, A Breed Apart)
9) The Grey Havens (Howard Shore, Return Of The King)
10) Duel Of The Fates (John Williams, The Phantom Menace)
11) The Lannisters Send Their Regards (Ramin Djawadi, GoT season 3)
12) Visions Of Lucretia (Bear McReary, Da Vinci's Demons season 2)
13) The Enterprise (Jerry Goldsmith, ST-TMP)
14) Prey Overture – Jeremy Soule (Prey)
15) Returns A King – Tyler Bates (300)
16) Narrow Escape (X Ray Dog, A Breed Apart)
17) The German Battlefield – Hans Zimmer (Gladiator)
18) Hero's Return (X Ray Dog, A Breed Apart)
19) Inseguemento – Ennio Morricone (The Good The Bad And The Ugly)
20) It's A Droid (Jerry Goldsmith, Alien)
21) UNIT theme – (Don Harper, Dr Who The Invasion)
22) Trenzalore/The Long Song – Murray Gold (Time Of The Doctor)
23) Qui-Gon's Funeral (John Williams, The Phantom Menace)
24) Never Tell Me The Rules – Murray Gold (Time Of The Doctor)
25) Recovery (Basil Poledouris, Conan The Barbarian)
26) The Fuse (Bear McCreary, Da Vinci's Demons season 2)
27) Ode To Joy (Michael Kamen, Die Hard)
28) Battle Of The Heroes (John Williams, Revenge Of The Sith)
29) Flight OfThe Columbina (Bear McReary, Da Vinci's Demons season 2)
30) Confrontation With Dooku/Finale (John Williams, Attack Of The Clones)

So, in an attempt to start a new and more amusing end of year meme, here are fifteen questions on 2015...

1) What did you do that got you on Santa's Nice list this year?

Well, was my mother-in-law's carer, and tried to be nice and help people...

2) What did you do that got you on Santa's Naughty list this year?

Well, there was this fucking cyclist who got the sharp edge of my tongue a couple of months ago.

3) Is your arse smarting from a visit from the Krampus (or local variant) this year?

Nope, but I know someone who is...

4) What is the most surprising factual discovery about the world that you made this year?

Anal penetration cures hiccups. Don't ask. It puts a new spin on the Blackadder line about Edmund's mother only getting her leg over cos she told her husband it was a cure for hiccups.

5) What is the nicest thing someone or anyone did for you this year?

Too many to name, but I was very touched by a salute from Lynette Nusbacher atone point in August.

6) What is the funniest thing from 2015 – be it something that happened to you, a gag you heard, or whatever?

That moment when there's a keypad above a door, but the door is fixed open so you only have to turn the knob, and people don't know this, so they stand there pressing the buttons and waiting for a beep... until I say "let me help," whip out the sonic screwdriver, buzz the door, and then turn the knob to open it. The look on people's faces...

7) Did you manage to (not) commit any of the seven deadly sins this year?

If I didn't complete the set, I've done something very wrong. I like the lust one the best though- you can keep the others.

8) What's the best meal you had this year?

Dinner at the Royal Victoria Hotel in Sheffield in July. What was on the table was as good as what was going on under it.

9) There must be someone who deserves a special mention and virtual medal- nominate at least one here.

cheyenne7 deserves all the fucking medals. End of.

10) Er... oh, Commandments go with Ten- how many have you managed to break, and did you manage it in a particularly comedic way?Bonus points if you did.

I keep forgetting what they are... I know I haven't killed anybody this year... I definitely do a lot of coveting and breaking the sabbath and taking names in vain... Oh, and, yes, I know thereare actually more than ten commandments, between the various versions.

That said, if we say kill in virtual terms, at the fencing tournament at Yule Ball, where we were supposed to be going for wounds instead of kills, well... I've beenmarried to Lesley for 15 years come February, it was just natural instinct to get the instant throat-shot kill.

11) What's the most embarrassing thing that happened to you, that you're happy to share for laughs?

It may be the same answer as the previous one!

12) What do you want in 2016 that is achievable even if it requires some luck or hard work?

Normal friendships, paid contracts, and, dammit I want to be a fencing marshal. Also, continue to keep the diabetes under control and stay fit and healthy.

13) What are you most proud of having done in 2015? If you answered “none” to the seven deadly sins question, and have an answer to this, go back and fill in the Pride one.

Helped Lesley get her auths and awards and have a good time with her SCA and conrunning and stuff.

14) It's not February, but go and say “I love you” to someone, and mean it. Doesn't have to be on here- phone them, text them, PM them, say it to their face. Just mean it.

Ah, yes... ..

15) Fifteen questions for 2015 sounds about right, so let's end with: What should the 15th question be?

How the fuck should I know?

( forty questions and answers sliced for length )

* - ETA: This is cut and pasted from a Facebook/Tumblr post I made a couple of days ago. Since then, I have seen The Force Awakens, and it was pretty damn great too.