2018, that was a year

[gnommi]

1. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?

Became a member of Kew Gardens and therefore ended going really quite a lot.

Became an investor for the first time, investing in our local microbrewery, Park Brewery. Their one-off white stout was A.MA.ZING.

Grew padron peppers, aubergines, Aquilegia, viola, cacti (Rebutia narvaecensis) and cucamelons successfully from seed. We ate a looooot of padron peppers. And yes, we did get a few hot ones, especially towards the end of the season!:D

Went to a fair few new bars and restaurants, notably Phoenix Artist's Club where we saw suspiciously pro karaoke/open mic at the "Gotta Sing" night, Dinner by Heston, and Jun Tanaka's lovely The Ninth

Went to a tutored wine tasting (Wines of Austria at the illustrious Berry Brothers & Rudd in St James', which was actually really fascinating and full of detail - and came in handy shortly after at an evening out with friends - hurrah for being able to choose a stunning bottle of Eva Fricke Schlossberg Riesling!

Did some really interesting projects on the work front, including co-authoring a paper on multiple myeloma in an Amur tiger. The lab got finally sold from under us, however, with dire consequences, which resulted in me leaving clinical lab work for the first time ever, to restructure an ailing research lab, which at the time of writing is hilarious, chaotic fun.

Continued to explore Europe while it's still possible: Visited the newly-opened cave of Champagne Boizel in Epernay, and went to Hautvillers, birth and resting place of some monk called Dom Perignon. We drank biodynamic champagne that had buried at sea at Leclerc-Briant and discovered a new contender for fave vigneron at Henry de Vaugency. There's something really lovely about buying fizz straight from the grower/vintner.

We also spent a few days in Nantes - where we fell in love with the incredible Machines d'Ile de Nantes, pottering about by electric pedalo on the Erdre with a bottle of Vouvray, and the friendly, quirky post-industrial city. I interviewed for my new job via Skype, which was exciting in all of the wrong ways, but got a formal job offer the next day whilst in the Natural History Museum where Dave took serious issue with the whole of vertebrate taxonomy... They also have the only convincingly genuine rat king I have ever seen.

It was also a real pleasure to be able to participate in a run assessment and form a friendly professional (and personal) relationship with the awesome NordiQC, and visit Aalborg in North Jutland. At the moment this looks set to continue into 2019, with further visits on the horizon, which is really exciting! Aalborg reminds me a little of Southampton/Bristol - post-shipping, now university city, a bit quirky and liberal, slightly dry sense of humour.

On the London front, we got to see the abandoned Highgate Station and wilderness tunnels and I got to visit the Gordon Museum at Guy's Hospital - I might have been before but it was so long ago I've forgotten everything about it. I saw Alan's Mummy though, which was quite exciting after having seen the documentary about him being mummified, to test a theory about Egyptian mummification having been achieved by immersion in saline.

We also took a boat trip upriver to Shepperton, which whilst pleasant enough, and had a cream tea at the end at Shepperton Lock, just mainly convinced me never to go back... The station has one platform! We also managed to get onto Eel Pie Island for the Open Studios event: had no idea it was partly very hippified and overgrown: full of boatyard, artist studios, rusting engines, cats and mannequins...

We got out of the city too, and rented a country house with some friends near Dorchester/Tincelton, played petanque and croquet for the first time (I'm quite good at the latter!), and invented a game called petonga, which requires a paddling pool and the construction of a petonkey from a champagne cork and cage. You had to be there really. Incredibly we played petonga twice afterwards in other pools - maybe it's a goer.

The Great Dorset Steam Fair 50th anniversary event was incredible and we rode round the arena surrounded by traction engines in steam - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Al and Dave filmed it and made an awesome video.

The absolute highlight of the year, however, has to have been our trip to the Shetland Islands to visit friends of Dave's: Terry who is a wood-turner and Jennie who spins, knits and makes a whole lot of other handicrafts and live at the head of Tingwall Loch. We took the Caledonian Sleeper (LOVE SLEEPER TRAINS!!) to Aberdeen then flew to Sumburgh. The scenery is beyond description, it's unbelievably windy and miraculously it only rained one morning that we were there. I now spend most days checking the webcams and trying to work out how to go and live there... One day! Jennie's amazing Fair Isle knitting made me try knitting again, and I managed to knit my first ever mitts in the round on DPNs and then made Dave bedsocks all in one piece! May wonders never cease.

Prof Sir Nick finally retired and had a splendid festschrift, with the valedictory dinner held in the Other Great Hall at Bart's - a gorgeous vaulted hall. Sad to see him retire, but very happy to have been involved with his lab and to be able to call him a friend.


2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
As usual it was fitness (same step count as last year, despite best efforts! Curse you, dog) and keeping up with friends. Both just seem to get more and more difficult.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I can't think of any so I guess that's a no?

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, our dear friend Jane, passed away suddenly of a brain haemorrhage at 44. I miss her so much. It's impossible to describe the shock of her sudden death, and the hole it's left in so many people's lives. I have never seen so many people at a funeral. Janey, I miss you; we'll always miss you.

5. What countries did you visit?
Denmark, France, Scotland. Mostly my spare time was spent walking the dog.

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
Less authoritarianism and intolerance. Fewer inches round the waist. Something productive to do in my spare time.

7. What dates from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Great Dorset Steam Fair arena ride, an amazing spectacle that will probably never be repeated. Job interview by Skype, for all the wrong reasons - although it did get me a the job I wanted from what was the worst interview of my life, last year! The horror at Jane passing. Standing on the cliffs at Eshaness. Spending christmas day at home, with just the two of us, for the first time - and making a passable christmas dinner.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Becoming invited assessor for NordiQC and moving on from a deteriorating job, even though I loved it. I think I'm finally getting better at pragmatism.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Again, not taking time to look after myself properly. Not being focussed and ambitious enough professionally. Spending too much time on social media and getting embroiled in other peoples' battles.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Well that bit of dermatitis went away, but had a bit of a scare with a couple of bouts of severe abdominal pain that are probably down to adhesions and stress. Had an awful chest infection that threatened pneumonia in the early months of the year. I really have to look after myself better.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A couple of astounding tiny paintings by Suzanne Falk, who I originally met on LJ, and whose beautiful sugarcubes I can now afford (if I save!).

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
As last (and every) year, enduring love for Professor Sir Nicholas Wright, and Ian Hislop, as always. Chuck Tingle: keeps on proving love is real <3.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Politicians. Graceless winners. Bigots. The willfully ignorant. Domald Tromp. GOP. Extreme right wingers, extreme left wingers, internet warriors. Authoritarians. Up to eleven, but I am sure it has a lot worse to get.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Commuting. Mortgage. Double glazing.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
NordiQC, Shetland, knitting.

16. What song will always remind you of 2018?
I've hardly listened to any music this year, I've been nose to the lab grindstone and glad to be on more humane hours in the new job. Probably the theme music to the Fruity Knitting Podcast!

17. Answer these for 2018:
a) happier or sadder? Sadder, for the world and because my old lab disintegrating got me down.
b) thinner or fatter? Hey look! A monkey!
c) richer or poorer? About the same.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Travelling, seeing friends, being productive.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Working. Anything involving a screen.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Just the two of us at home! It was AWESOME.

21. Did you fall in love in 2018?
15? years and counting with absolutely my best friend in the world, who also happens to be ridiculously cute. Three years I <3 Ridiculous Small Dog, who is now a full-blown merciless squirrel murderer with crankiness levels in triple figures. Typical bloody Jack Russell.

22. How many of your friends moved away? How many of them did you go and see or have to visit you?
We went to see Jennie and Terry (who are my friends now I guess, but weren't at the time). Went to Soton to see friends for my birthday. Managed to catch up with Chrissie after many years failure, in Brighton, during a Roche training course, of all things!

23. What was your favourite TV program?
Masterchef - The Professionals, Shetland, DCC: Making the Team

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Not got the energy for that, but I wouldn't be sad if T_D had some kind of cessation of animation event.

25. What's the best book you read?
I enjoyed the latest Aaronovitch, Strange Sea Stories and the E.F.Benson compilation I'm currently on.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothing really.

27. What did you want and get?
A new job. Fab connections with Danish EQA! More time in the evenings. A bit of crafting mojo back.

28. What did you want and not get?
Thinner. A world with more tolerance, not less.

29. What was your favourite film of this year?
Dunno, but I really enjoyed Shetland.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Curry for many at the Kohinoor of Kerala with mates in Soton. Meen Kerala Curry with tamarind mmmmm. 46. We played an unfeasible amount of Pop-Up Pirate in The Crafty Fox.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Seeing my friends and relatives more often, any indication that people might pull together for the good of the planet and not just devolve into petty little factions based on fear-mongering and lies.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
Practical things. Skinny trousers/leggings, long jumpers, waterproof coat, wellies, hiking boots, copious mud. Bought a few more dresses but I really think I should get away from the whole sack thing I've been clinging to. I probably wore my cheapass iridescent kids Aviators a bit much but hey, sue me.

33. What kept you sane?
Same as the year before: The hairy half, Fisherman Dave, Horrible Doggo, too many friends to mention, pathology, having lots of awesome museums within lunchtime walking distance, Private Eye and learning things.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Dunno really, nobody really springs to mind this year.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
WHY IS NOBODY DOING ANYTHING EXCEPT TRYING TO GET RICH SPECULATING ON CLIMATE CHANGE? WHY IS POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE SUCH A TERRIFYING CONCEPT?

36. Who did you miss?
Jane, Rob, Caroline, Jme, Lola, Mum, Karim, Krk, Grunt, Louise, Julia, Andy, Mike... eh so many people... why are you all so far away?

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Mogens and Rasmus and all of the NordiQC team, you guys are THE BEST.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018:
Pragmatism.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
Mud, mud glorious mud...



Here's last year,
2016,
2015 (I seem to have missed 2014 somehow),
2013,
2012,
2011,
2010,
2009 and
2008.

TL;DR: Work got the better of me this year, though changing jobs should help. Travel was a bit of a wash-out, must try harder. DOG is still a force for... something. I should just stop reading the news, or anything on the internet that doesn't involve handicrafts or booking trips.