Here’s a survey I did that has been floating around the internet. Feel free to do it. :)

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
Quite a few things – I started taking photographs at gigs, which found me my newest hobby as has resulted in me meeting so many lovely people and receiving so many compliments. I also drank my first bit of alcohol.

2. Did you meet any of your important goals this year? What are your goals for next year?
I had a wide range of goals, making a list of “101 things to do in 1001 days”. I ditched that project, getting about a third of the way through. Last year I said I was going to be more spontaneous. Next year, that’s something that’ll be even more so, what with attempting to ditch the notion of goals lists. I realise this put a bit too much pressure on me.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin gave birth to a lovely baby boy in early December. He’s got two middle names so I’ve already forgotten them and gotten them mixed up with his first name! My boss’s partner gave birth to their baby son. They named him Jasper.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My aunt’s brother was killed by a train as he was rushing to stop his son from running towards the tracks. It was very tragic and so upsetting for everyone in the family. He died shortly after being taken to hospital.

5. What countries did you visit?
I visited my family in Indonesia. It had been almost five years since I saw them! The trip was nothing new to me, in terms of visiting the country, but I did bond again with my extended family.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Punctuality and more sleep.

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
It’s hard to really pick. The 26th May remains the day when I was first “discovered” for my photography, and when I got to know The Money Go Round, The March of the Real Fly, Hey Geronimo, and got to see The Griswolds for the second time. I can barely remember other dates; my year is filled with memories rather than specific dates.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Actually graduating my Bachelor in Communication. Wearing that black hat was just such a great feeling. Furthermore, receiving two High Distinctions made me so, so happy and proud of myself.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Thinking that a “hash pipe” was like a hash brown, but shaped like a pipe.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I slipped in a puddle and busted my knee one rainy night. It left a really horrible bloody patch on my knees that looked like the cover of Graham Coxon’s album A+E. Unfortunately, it scarred!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My guitar, Sparrow Alexander.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Rachel for her constant dedication to running, keeping fit and eating well. She even started a blog about it. Seeing that kind of stuff from a friend makes me feel so proud of her.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
No one’s.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Gigs, concerts, shows, and more gigs. I kept a logbook until about October, and I can tell you there were entries in there that read “Smashing Pumpkins $80, Ball Park Music $40, Boy & Bear $60, James Morrison $80, Marianas Trench $60”… the list goes on. Not to mention a hundred dollars on Weezer!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Eight o’clock on Friday evenings, when I could run out of the class I disliked and go to my gig of the week and just forget the world.

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
It’s impossible to pick just one, but these match various phases of my year:

• Co-op Bookshop – Hey Geronimo
• Don’t Wanna Grow Up Anymore – Bob Evans
• Desperate Measures – Marianas Trench

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier. I was going through a depressive state last year, and now I’m much better.
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner. I gained weight but it was mostly muscle.
c) richer or poorer? Richer, of course, but I’d be even richer if I didn’t spend nearly my whole paycheck every fortnight on gigs and band merch.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sleep.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Not sleep.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas with the family – mum, dad, Brandon and my cousin Ricky, the twin brother I never had!

21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
I fell in love with Hey Geronimo. I can’t tell you how, or why, but it was magical.

22. Read any good books?
I read Fortune Cookie by Bryce Courtenay, and I read many other books, but that one was very moving. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill was a fantastic thriller that I couldn’t put down!

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Doctor Who. The current series, especially the mid-series finale, was a total tearjerker.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. Hatred is a horrible feeling I choose not to have.

25. What was the best movie you saw?
Didn’t see any new movies in the theatre/cinema, but I watched A Frozen Flower and it crushed me so hard. It’s a beautiful movie, despite the violence and sex scenes. It’s so emotional, and you really feel for each character despite their wrongdoings.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I discovered so many local bands, and a countless lot of bands from Brisbane, and they have such terrific music. I swear this is the most obsessed I’ve been with music, I have never been more in love with it in my life, and having a chance to see some of these bands live and even get to meet the musicians was truly priceless.

27. What did you want and get?
Camera lens, f1.8 :)

28. What did you want and not get?
To go to Brisbane.

29. What did you do on your birthday?
I went to see Boy & Bear, which was a lovely experience. Cal shouted me lunch, and I bought Krispy Kreme doughnuts to share with everyone in the office. I didn’t celebrate on the actual day, but I had a birthday dinner with my closest friends – James, Dylan, Ryan, Seb, Michael, and of course Lilian.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I keep telling myself I would have liked it if I went to the Fat As Butter festival, but I’m just being an idiot. It wouldn’t have made much difference.

31. Who kept you sane?
James. I can’t deny that he kept me sane at every single moment I was about to go mad. He was there, always.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I’d rather not say, but this person knows who they are.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
I’m not interested in politics, so no answer.

34. Who did you miss?
Lilian.

35. Who was the best new person you met?
Andrew; Whitehall; Riley; Jay; Ev; Ro; Marco; Robbie; Pete; Greg; Tim; Oli; Louis – you know who you are. ♥️

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
I’ve known it forever, but this year made me realise: Be yourself. People will love you for who you are.

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
You tell yourself you’ll face it in the morning
now is just not the right time but
how many hours must this endure, instead
find the fight still trapped inside
– The Rafters, Montpelier