A review of 2005

[lnr]

Life, love, family and friends: My job's still not inspiring me: I went back fulltime in March at the same time my contract was renewed for a year. I've just been informed they're not happy enough with my progress to appoint permanently yet, which I was expecting, but that instead they'll renew for another 6 months with montly progress reports. I'm not terribly happy about this, and might consider looking for work elsewhere. I've rearranged more furniture than I thought possible, taken up knitting and then crochet, and had photos taken for a nude SGO calendar. Despite several attempts to diet I've still put on weight, and I'm still dyeing my hair. I've developed a bit of an ebay habit but kept it mostly under control. I've failed to have a proper holiday. I've passed my driving theory test again though.

I started the year with two partners, and end it with a new boyfriend. I split up with Richard in May after 7 years, because I simply wasn't in love any more. And 3 months later in August it turned out Ernie wasn't in love with me any more either. 3 months of being single was something of a record but I met Mike on a dancefloor as I turned from 29 to 30 and we've had a fun 6 weeks or so of knowing each other. I'm still hung up on Ernie but trying not to talk about it too much or dwell on it. It will pass in time.

My mum and dad are much as ever, dad's diabetes well under control. Steph has a new job which lately has had her involved in writing an in-depth report on asylum seekers in prison and the lack of resources available to them there. She's still happily living with Dave, though they're thinking about looking for a new house. Emily's career is doing well, and having been assistant manager for the big branch in Leeds for a while she's now been offered the manager's job for a Clark's shop in Hull, and since John is now a fully qualified solicitor and working in Hull in the practice where he did his articles they're trying to buy a house near there. They'd still like me to live closer. I'm still telling them to bugger off. My grandad's eyesight is now almost non-existant after a nasty bleed in his good eye in August, but he seems well, and all the family I saw at Christmas seemed pretty happy. With the possible exception of Walter who seems a bit of a mess, but perhaps that will sort itself out soon, with big brother Bob back from Christmas in New Zealand to shout a bit of sense into him.

I end the year still with many lovely friends. I won't have seen Chris at all but will catch up with him tomorrow in the early hours or the afternoon. I've been to two weddings both of which were lovely and have resulted in smugly happy married couples, which is just as it should be. I've met new people through Ernie and LJ and Whitby. I've not seen half as much of some of you, especially those in London, as I would like to. I can't think of anyone of whom I'd say the opposite, which is as it should be.

Books, films and music: I've read very little in the last year, compared to previous years, and certainly didn't keep a good record of it. A lot of it has been re-reading old favourites: Austen, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, Alan Garner. The Harry Potter all the way through in French was probably the biggest single chunk of reading. I did enjoy the Patrick Gale I read at my mum's this week, and the Margaret Atwood at the beginning of the year was great. Must try read more next year.

Film too is somewhere where I didn't go to a lot of effort, I saw one or two of the blockbusters and enjoyed them, I tried out lovefilm for a while for DVDs but found I wasn't watching enough in a month to be worth it. Now giving Easy's offering a go: they're 1.99 a shot instead of as many as you like in a month, but that's probably about right for me. As a result I finally saw Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. And giving PayPerView a go I caught Robots which is another one I missed at the cinema. There doesn't seem to be much out right now that I'm keen on. And I could really do to catch more arthouse stuff too. I've decided to become an Arts Picturehouse member though, so perhaps that will help.

Music is what's filled most of my year though. I've been to 24 gigs this year plus three festivals (Glastonbury, Reading and Whitby) and I've gradually been increasing my CD collection, there are still lots more I want though, as always. I've also taken to listening to BBC 6 music on the Radio, which is a great way of hearing new things. I've taken to mailing the DJs on and off, especially Vic McGlynn who mentioned my LJ on air, and Steve Lamacq whose show I was on (recording).

The Future: I already have several gigs lined up this year as well as Reading late in the summer. I've got weeks away planned for Whitby at Easter and my mum's 50th birthday celebrations in August. I'd like to get away and have a proper holiday of my own at some point too but we'll see. I'm intending to book myself a long-weekend intensive driving course with the test included and actually pass my driving test. I'm resolved to actually lose weight this year, with a solid goal of ending the year weighing less than I started it. I also hope to end each month lighter, but this is a bit more negotiable. We'll see. We'll also see what happens with me and Mike, for now I'm just enjoying it and not taking it too seriously. Perhaps I'll find a more interesting job. Perhaps I'll go out and buy some tile paint and make the bathroom look even nicer. Maybe we'll even redo the kitchen this year. Hopefully all in all it will be a happier one though.