In easy-to-read, quizmeme format. Yes, if I'm blogging every day, quizzes are going to have to make a reappearance because, frankly, nobody is that personally creative. However, posting this now means I can put off the big photo-post I should do of my little excursion down the islands. Maybe if you people are very good I'll do both today. Onwards!

• What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
  I met a deadline! 2004 is the year I remembered how to work hard, having forgotten sometime in 2000. Shame about that uni career.
• Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
  I can't remember what mine were last year, here are this year's.
• Did anyone close to you give birth?
  Not terribly close, but a girl who I knew in my childhood has two kids now.
• Did anyone close to you die?
  Luckily, not anyone terribly close, but I did attend a funeral which was very moving.
• What countries did you visit?
  Sadly, only Trinidad and Britain. And Barbados, if you count the layover.
• What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
  A raise.
• What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
  I don't really do date-etchings, but July 10th was the date I started my new job? I've been all about my job the last six months really, which isn't a bad thing really, since I spent the preceding 12 months being all about how much I hated my job.
• What was your biggest achievement of the year?
  Dammit, I would list another work thing for this. I've been kinda low on personal achievements. Maybe that's something to build on. Oh, I also wrote Code; I'm quite proud of it even if nobody else liked it.
• What was your biggest failure?
  Several fuckups at work were amusingly expensive, and I failed to finish lots of my little personal projects. Or cure cancer.
• Did you suffer illness or injury
  Earlier this year I started randomly falling over sideways in the mornings, without warning or explanation. That hasn't happened again, so I'll put it down to stress from the awful old job.
• What was the best thing you bought?
  my precious, hands-down, has brought the highest per-pound improvement in the quality of my life of any electronics purchase, ever.
• Whose behavior merited celebration?
  I celebrate the behaviour of all of my friends for all the shit that life throws at them and the way they pick themselves back up and carry on. And several of my friends made moves to London or plans to do so soon, which also merits celebration in my book.
• Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
  The United States of America, collectively. One* word: re-elected.

  * arguably

• Where did most of your money go?
  Going out. And I'd do it again! Also web-hosting, a trip to Trinidad, and presents for other people, which, truth be told, are both excellent reasons to spend your money.
• What did you get really, really, really excited about?
  Going to see the Scissor Sisters live. This had mixed results, but I was very excited. Likewise seeing the Red Hot Chilli Peppers in Hyde Park -- much anticipated, and then there was 18 hours of James fucking Brown.
• What song will always remind you of 2004?
  Everything by the Scissor Sisters, especially "Laura".
• Compared to this time last year, are you?
  
  • happier?: Much!
  • thinner or fatter?: Thinner, just barely.
  • richer or poorer?: Poorer in the short term, though I accidentally discovered this year that I have some long-term financial viability floating around in the form of an investment I made 10 years ago which has been unexpectedly successful. I just don't have any money now.
• What do you wish you'd done more of?
  Getting to know people.
• What do you wish you'd done less of?
  Worrying about money but, actually, it's probably a healthy habit, or I would be even poorer than I am now.
• Did you fall in love in 2004?
  Not in love; nothing so traumatic.
• How many one night stands?
  None. Go me! Also, almost no sex.
• What was your favorite TV program?
  Smallville continues to beat all comers.
• Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
  I'm working up to hate the Gonzalez guy that Bush has picked for A.G., but I'm not there yet. Give me time.
• What was the best book you read
  I don't have the memory for this, really, but I read Rendezvous with Rama this year, finally, and it was pretty amazing.
• What was your greatest musical discovery?
  The Jellyfish! The big bright spot in the middle of hating my job.
• What did you want and get?
  My precious. I spent nine months envying everyone with those white headphones and the rest of the year feeling quiet solidarity. And being absolutely intolerable, I'm sure.
• What did you want and not get?
  A boyfriend who lasted until this year. I was going to say love, but I got plenty of that.
• What was your favorite film of this year?
  The Incredibles! Or possibly Spider-Man 2. Yes, yes, I'm a philistine. Worst film was definitely Birth. Geez.
• What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
  I was 23, and I had a load of people over for the whole day and then went clubbing. T'was fab, but not as fab as my house party, which was rockin'.
• What was one thing that would have made your year?
  John Kerry winning or, more accurately, George Bush losing. No dice.
• How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
  2003's "cheap and cheerful" continues, with added hints of expense.
• What kept you sane?
  Serotonin levels? I'm sorry, I don't have a cute answer for this.
• Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
  Probably still Orlando Bloom. There's been no big arrival on the hot-people scene.
• What political issue stirred you the most?
  In Britain, probably still gay marriage. We got it, yay! In the US, the ongoing attack on evolution in schools continues to disturb me even more than the ongoing rollback of equal rights for gays and lesbians.
• Who was the best new person you met?
  Best newcomer is a tricky one... Ronan has been muchly entertaining throughout the year, Ian was impressively cool, Rob has been a reassuring discovery, Salvador is fun, and Dom has been an amusing ongoing soap opera. Everyone else I met I think I met prior to this year, although if Simon was 2004 then he surely deserves a mention too :-)
• Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004?
  Stop feeling guilty for not being nicer to people, and be nicer to people.