1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Moved to Bali, fell in love with a stranger, got married. What a crazy year.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions last year, I was in Bangkok and too busy travelling and having fun (after I recovered from the food poisoning) to think about things like that.

3. Did someone close to you give birth?

A few of my friends had babies, one had twins!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My baby star kitty cat 🙁

5. What countries did you visit?
Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, oh and Australia… nearly forgot that one.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Money!!! A couple of other things too but they’re secret, you shouldn’t tell everyone your wishes.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
8 Feb when i first met Made and 23rd November – our wedding.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year
Surviving on my own, not running out of money and making my own income, finding a life that i’m happy to live in every day.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Erm…. well there’s not much but i don’t want to talk about it right now!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I wasn’t ill for the whole year until my family came over for the wedding and brought their hideous english germs with them!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My laptop. No way I’d be able to work without and it’s like another limb now…

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My parents and Lucy and Coddy for coming all the way to the other side of the world on really short notice.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
A couple of people but I’m not going to mention names

14. Where did most of your money go?
On renewing my visa probably. And larutan, haha.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going back to Bali when I was in Australia, god i’m making myself sick now!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Jason Mraz -I’m yours. Can’t go for more than a day or so without hearing it somewhere around here

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Happier.

ii. thinner or fatter?
thinner i think

iii. richer or poorer?
probably about the same. i had no money then and i have no money now! i don’t care!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Speaking Indonesian, doing things that scare me a bit and being more confident.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wasting time on the internet. As usual.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We went to the beach and then went out for dinner

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes!

23. Any one-night stands?
No

24. What was your favourite TV program?
My TV viewing here is limited to Indonesian soap operas that I don’t really follow but the plots usually involve somebody trying to kill somebody else. I’ve been enjoying downloaded episodes of Dexter though. Oooh and Lost of course.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.

26. What was the best book you read?
Extremely Lound and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. The most beautiful thing I’ve read in quite a while. I don’t read as much here because even second hand books are expensive but I just joined the library so hopefully that will change

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothing, the only new music I’ve heard is Indonesian pop/rock and it’s nothing special.

28. What did you want and get?
A new life. Happiness.

29. What did you want and not get?
a UK visa for Made. pah, we don’t want to go back to stupid england anyway.

30. Favourite film of this year?
Slumdog Millionnaire. I think it came out in 2008? But I didn’t watch it until this year.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 29. We were in Bangkok. We got cupcakes and drank pink wine.

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

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
It’s summer all year round so don’t waste time thinking about what you’re going to wear.

34. What kept you sane?
Motorbike rides in the rice fields at dusk

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Nobody. I have no interest in celebrities!

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I don’t really pay much attention to politics any more, not that I ever did…

37. Who do you miss?
Everyone!!! All my friends and family back in the uk and my Pocky kitty cat.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Made of course!!!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Just do what you think you need to do to be happy and everything will work out.

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

I’m sure there are many… but I can’t think of any right now!