2004: NOT MUCH GOING ON HERE

Ok, so I was going to do a 2004 review and then decided that it would be too depressing as it would easily rank as the most eventless and uninteresting year I've ever had. I quit my job and went on a sabbatical for about 8 months. Watched a bit of Dr Phil and walked the dog as inertia set in hard. Then moved to Perth.

But I saw this on Bree's blog and decided to steal it. The questions, not her life... The following boring details, sadly, are all Mellipop...

1. WHAT DID YOU DO IN 2004 THAT YOU'D NEVER DONE BEFORE?
Quit a fabulous job. Got sucked in by a shonky chiropractor. Moved out-of-state to Perth. Quit smoking properly. Started a blog.

2. DID YOU KEEP YOUR NEW YEARS' RESOLUTIONS, AND WILL YOU MAKE MORE FOR NEXT YEAR?
After you give up smoking, all other resolutions seems so lame (and achievable) by comparison.

3. DID ANYONE CLOSE TO YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Mikey boy popped his second. Couple of others I know got a head start on the foetus for 2005.

4. DID ANYONE CLOSE TO YOU DIE?
Italian grandfather died. Close genetically, but that's about all.

5. WHAT COUNTRIES DID YOU VISIT?
No other countries, but WA must count as an entirely different planet.

6. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE IN 2005 THAT YOU LACKED IN 2004?
A video recorder to tape Dr Phil now that I'm back in the workforce. My own high-paid, widely-read column in a major metropolitan newspaper or magazine.

7. WHAT DATES FROM 2004 WILL REMAIN ETCHED UPON YOUR MEMORY AND WHY?
Grandfather's funeral. My devastatingly sad New World farewell party. The day we left Sydney. My triumphant return for the New World Xmas party.

8. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR?
Finally getting Anton out of his rut and getting his arse to Perth.

9. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST FAILURE?
Finally getting Anton out of his rut and getting his arse to Perth.

10. DID YOU SUFFER ILLNESS OR INJURY?
Eerie metaphysical lower back problems that disappeared as soon as I started working again. Cyclical migraines back to belt me around a bit.

11. WHAT WAS THE BEST THING YOU BOUGHT?
My beloved eMac.

12. WHOSE BEHAVIOUR MERITED CELEBRATION?
Everyone who reads my blog regularly. Cheers all!

13. WHOSE BEHAVIOUR MADE YOU APPALLED AND DEPRESSED?
My own.

14. WHERE DID MOST OF YOUR MONEY GO?
Well not working for eight months helped annihilate my meagre savings. Moving all my bloody books and CDs to Perth took care of the rest of it.

15. WHAT DID YOU GET REALLY, REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT?
Dr Phil.

16. WHAT SONG WILL ALWAYS REMIND YOU OF 2004
Drive by Shannon Noll. Me, Anton and Comanche tooling around in the car singing loudly and changing the lyrics to "I've got a dog, I've got a big black shiny dog, Maybe tonight we can go for a walk...Let's Waaaalk...Anywhere you wanna go I will take you there 'Manche, Take you there 'Manche..."

17. COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR ARE YOU:
a) Happier or sadder? Much the same.
b) Thinner or fatter? Marginally fatter. Damn those stubborn two kilos...
c) Richer or poorer? POORER!!!!

18. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU'D DONE MORE OF?
Work. Writing.

19. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU'D DONE LESS OF?
Nothing. As in doing nothing.

20. DID YOU FALL IN LOVE IN 2004?
That happened back in 2000. Still going strong.

21. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE TV PROGRAM?
Kath 'n Kim.

22. DO YOU HATE ANYONE NOW THAT YOU DIDN'T HATE LAST YEAR?
I don't hate anyone.

23. WHAT WAS THE BEST BOOK YOU READ?
The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand

24. WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST MUSICAL DISCOVERY?
Blue by Joni Mitchell. Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. Still ambivalent about new music by Devendra Banhart, Interpol and The Libertines. 2004 kinda sucked for new music - any recommendations are eagerly welcomed.

25. WHAT DID YOU WANT AND GET?
To move to Perth.

26. WHAT DID YOU WANT AND NOT GET?
I always get what I want.

27. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE FILM OF THE YEAR?
Super-Size Me

28. WHAT DID YOU DO ON YOUR BIRTHDAY, AND HOW OLD WERE YOU?
Had lunch at the pub in Cottesloe. Had dinner and saw a Ramones documentary at outdoor cinema. 28.

29. WHAT ONE THING WOULD HAVE MADE YOUR YEAR IMMEASURABLY MORE SATISFYING?
Having an income for most of it would have been nice.

30. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL FASHION CONCEPT IN 2004?
Jeans and trainers. I don't do heels or skirts. Or fashion, actually.

31. WHAT KEPT YOU SANE?
Music and books. Anton and the dog. Blogger.com.

32. WHICH CELEBRITY/PUBLIC FIGURE DID YOU FANCY THE MOST?
Robbie Williams

33. WHAT POLITICAL ISSUE STIRRED YOU THE MOST?
I'm fairly apolitical these days. Was momentarily depressed when Howard got back in but hey, what's another three years...

34. WHO DID YOU MISS?
You all know who you are

35. WHO WAS THE BEST NEW PERSON YOU MET?
Do virtual friends count?

36. TELL US A VALUABLE LIFE LESSON YOU LEARNED IN 2004:
I value (and need the companionship and support of) my friends and family more than I thought I did. Herbal diet pills don't actually work.

37. QUOTE A SONG LYRIC THAT SUMS UP YOUR YEAR.
Two from Belle & Sebastian

" I spent the summer wasting, the time was passed so easily" (except in my case it was a whole year)

"Ooh, get me away from here I'm dying" (applies to me in both Sydney and Perth!)