40 questions to ask yourself

I’m giving Steph Ango’s 40 questions to ask yourself this year a go - a bit of reflection to process everything that’s gone on.

1. What did you do this year that you’d never done before? Volunteer work for a political party. (Mostly because my friend was the Greens candidate for Kooyong, but still.)

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions? I don’t believe in them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes.

5. What cities/states/countries did you visit? Nowhere - only the second year in memory where I did not travel at all (and 2020 hardly counts).

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

7. What date(s) from this year will remain etched upon your memory, and why? October 26th, not for good reasons.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting promoted 🎉

9. What was your biggest failure? My continuing inability to charm the cat. Love me, dammit.

10. What other hardships did you face? Nothing out of the ordinary.

11. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing serious.

12. What was the best thing you bought? A SnapGrip.

13. Whose behavior merited celebration? The 2025-26 Colorado Avalanche.

14. Whose behavior made you appalled? gestures broadly in all directions

15. Where did most of your money go? Rent 🤮

16. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Star Trek 🤝 LEGO

17. What song will always remind you of this year? Sweet Caroline.

18. Compared to this time last year, are you: happier or sadder? Richer or poorer? Healthier or unhealthier? Happier, no better or worse, and healthier.

19. What do you wish you’d done more of? I would say exercise, but that’s a lie as I hate exercise. My stupid brain seems to enjoy it though 😠

20. What do you wish you’d done less of? Wallowing.

21. How are you spending the holidays? With family.

22. Did you fall in love this year? N/A.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Hate is counterproductive.

24. What was your favorite show? Slow Horses. Great writing, short seasons, cracking pace, and Jackson Lamb.

25. What was the best book you read? Deliver Me From Nowhere by Warren Zanes.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery of the year? The Paradox.

27. What was your favorite film? Fantastic Four: First Steps.

28. What was your favorite meal? We had two team lunches at Juni this year and they were both unbelievable.

29. What did you want and get? Ask me again after Christmas.

30. What did you want and not get? My cat’s love 💔

31. What did you do on your birthday? Visited my island on Animal Crossing.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Winning the lottery.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion this year? Strictly utilitarian.

34. What kept you sane? The underlying assumption of this question is dubious.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you admire the most? Tony Gilroy, creator of Andor.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? I’m still on a mental health break from politics - fitting my own oxygen mask.

37. Who did you miss? My friends.

38. Who was the best new person you met? My new teammates - Jess, Sonja, and Mon.

39. What valuable life lesson did you learn this year? Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

40. What is a quote that sums up your year? “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: democracy simply doesn’t work.”