Review of the year 2009

It's time, once again, to review the year that has been. In no particular order (though probably the same as last year as I keep them on my computer) here are the questions that I ask myself and I ask you too.

1. What has been your biggest achievement this year? Getting another first in my last OU course and gaining a Diploma in English Literature and Creative Writing.
2. What made you laugh most this year? Probably watching W 'wash' her face with baked beans!
3. What has been your favourite/most listened to piece of music this year? I've listened a lot to Eddi Reader after being introduced to her music in the late spring/early summer.
4. What was your best holiday this year? I've had two great holidays this year - France and Somerset. They were very different and are difficult to compare, but perhaps France has a slight edge, just because it was so very long since I'd been abroad and also that my two gorgeous nephews were there for some of the time.
5. What new skill, if any, have you acquired this year? Erm ... I'm not sure ... making shortbread, perhaps ...
6. What's the best book you've read this year? 'The White Tiger' by Aravind Adiga.
7. What is your happiest/fondest memory of this year? It melted my heart when I was in France and my older nephew, O, who was 2 1/2 at the time, came running up to me the day before my brother's family went home, threw himself onto my knee as I played with his baby brother on the floor and said, 'Aunty Becky, I will miss you when we go.'
8. If you could spend next year as a film character, who would that be? Perhaps Hermione Granger. I'd have the excitement and adventure that Harry Potter has, but without the fear for my own life, and without having to study hard at the same time to gain good grades because knowledge comes naturally to her.
9. What new hobby did you take up/old hobby did you reinstate this year? Cross-stitch. I've completed two this year, one of which I began 15 years ago, the other 10 years ago! I've also started another and need to find the time to get stuck back into it. I'm not sure where that time's going to come from though.
10. What one thing would you really like to do next year? The gym marathon that I was supposed to do in October, but which got postponed first by an interruption in breathing ability and then by the development of POTS.
11. What has been your best discovery of this year? That Miller Brands make 200 beers worldwide that they assure me are safe for me to drink as they don't contain any of the things I told them I'm allergic to!
12. What news story of this year has had the biggest impact on you/do you most remember? I have trouble remembering what news stories happened this year, but I think the seige on the Mumbai hotel happened this year. That had quite an impact at the time - it was so terrible. The other news story that dominated the headlines and was impossible to get away from was, of course, that of swine flu.
13. What's the best film you've seen this year? 'Slumdog Millionnaire'
14. What was your best buy this year? Probably my slanket
15. What has been your best day out this year? Hmm, possibly the day that W and I went to Fountains Abbey back in March. It was freezing cold, pouring with rain by the end of the day, but a great day with a wonderful time at the deer park where we got within a couple of feet of some of the deer.
16. Is there anywhere you'd like to visit next year? Italy! W and I are going in April for her sister's wedding ... though we do have to book it ... best get that sorted soon, I reckon.
17. Name one thing you did this year that you'd like to do again? Go back to the cottage that W and I stayed at in Somerset. I'd also like to go to Longleat again, which would be easy to do from the aforementioned cottage as it's only a few miles away.
18. Who gave you the best advice this year? Hmm ... a difficult one ... perhaps the advice that my mum gave me on my final project for the creative writing course I did earlier this year. I'm sure her advice helped me to get that first I mentioned before.
19. What new skill would you like to acquire next year? Erm ... I dunno ... maybe something computery, like how to do something I should know how to do but don't ... not sure what though. I'll think about it.
20. What was your favourite TV/radio programme this year? Possibly 'Survivors' that was based on the book by Terry Nation, and for which I've seen a trailer for a second series starting in the next few weeks :o) As for radio it's probably been the Radio 4 comedy 'Cabin Pressure'.

So that's my review of 2009 with a smattering of thoughts about the year to come. What are yours?