Tuesday Ten

I came across these 40 questions to ask yourself every year through another blog that I read regularly, that I won't link because it's a bit worky and I'd rather try to keep that a bit separate. They reminded me of the sorts of surveys we'd love to take as teens and I thought they'd make a great Tuesday Ten prompt, split up over four weeks, since I like the rhythm of Tuesday Ten posts but struggle a lot to think of topics for them. 

So here are the first ten, and I will follow up over the coming weeks with more, reviewing my 2025. 

1. What did you do this year that you’d never done before?

I can't think of anything significant. Visited a couple of new countries. Swam in a few new places Hit a new top speed while skiing. Lifted a heavier deadlift than ever before. 

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions?

Yes. I only made one silly one and it was fun and easy to keep - that I would pose outrageously for any picture I was forced to take for work. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No. I seem to be in that middle age bit where my friends have all finished birthing their babies but their babies aren't old enough to be birthing their own yet. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes. Mother Z passed away in the summer.

5. What cities/states/countries did you visit?

I began the year in Kazakhstan. 

I spent four weeks and some odd days here and there in Oxford. 

I went on school trips to South Tirol, for skiing, and Greenwich. 

I went to the Brecons for the usual Wonderwool weekend.

I went to Liverpool for a conference weekend and spent many days in Birmingham for work things. 

I summer-holidayed to Norway, Italy and Albania. 

I spent a bit of time in Portsmouth in the summer. 

I had my (perhaps now annual) pre-Christmas solo trip to London and visited with the smalls a couple of other times. 

6. What would you like to have next year that you lacked this year?

Some time off. 

7. What date(s) from this year will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I can't think of any, specifically. This was a really good day, though. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting into remission from diabetes. 

I got merits on all three MSc assignments I submitted this year. Very pleasing. 

I also felt that I had more follow-through this year. I planned to do things and then actually did them, which has led to me feeling generally more accomplished. The termly goal lists have helped with that, as has just doing things or booking things as soon as I think of them, instead of giving myself thinking time. 

9. What was your biggest failure?

I consistently fail to accurately predict how long things will take. I'd love it if I could get better at this. 

10. What other hardships did you face?

I'm a very fortunate person. I don't really face hardships. I found one of my uni assignments incredibly hard and working almost every single day from the start of June to the middle of October was horrible. But are these really hardships? 'Oh no, my expensive degree is difficult and I am inundated with paying work' blah blah.