What did you achieve in 2008?

[orudge]

To mirror the 2009 topic, what things in 2008 did you do that you're proud of or that you'll remember?

A couple of things for me would be work-related - getting onto the Google Summer of Code programme and then getting a job sorted for next year. I also moved into an awesome flat with flatmates who are, I guess, not unbearable. ( ) Had lots of fun with Ents and put on some good shows which the general unwashed of St Andrews seemed to like. Plus, I finally got around to seeing Sigur Rós live, which I very much enjoyed.

What about you?

[Bizarre Atheist]

Had a grown-up job for the first time in my summer internship,
Bought my first car that wholly belongs to me (and is now eating all of my money),
Broke the £100,000 barrier for fundraising that I've personally been involved in/responsible for,
Started sport and exercise again after years of lethargy and...
Accidentally ran over my cat (who survives, with just 8 lives now).

[RandomMusings]

Hmmm, I was tempted to say not a lot, but thinking about it, this has been a busy year. Got elected onto the SRC, then co-opted onto the SSC. Joined far too many committees (Mermaids, Fuzzmund, Ents, Accomm, Community Relations to name but some). Produced and teched the epic show that was The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, started working at the Byre, went on 4 different legal work experience events and subsequently decided what I want to do with my life once I leave St Andrews, started posting on the Sinner - oh and did just enough work to get by.
I also met loads of great people over the year who have now become friends (I hope), which is always nice.

[Garnet]

I wrote, produced and directed a show for the edinburgh fringe -which was crazy of me to do, but i am quite proud that i went through with it.
I saw The Cure live, which is one of my favourite bands.
I did quite a lot of writing and think i am starting to improve.

[Guest]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7785410.stm

[queen of scots]

in chronological order...
- trip to Hawaii
- got married
- graduated with my PhD
- got new job

it was a good year!

[Hennessy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7785410.stm

Hahahaha! Genius! 2008 was officially a shit year, you only have to look at the summer weather (least sunshine of any August on record) to tell you that.

[stripedtights]

Qualified as a PADI OW scuba instructor
Got a real job (involving whale sharks and manta rays so maybe it shouldnt count:D)
Hitchhiked over 4000miles without getting cut into little pieces and dumped in the outback
Started uni-havent dropped out yet!
learned how to live on about £2 per day~mmmm porridge

[bdw]

Got hitched.
Bought a house.
Maintained a yeti-sized carbon footprint by shuttling between London, the US, Oz, Asia, the Middle East and, erm, Aberdeen.
Did some world class paper-shuffling.
Despite the best wrecking efforts of the stock market, squirreled away a plum over the year.
Got to see Sonic Youth.
Parred the back 9 at the local club.

All in all, a vintage year.

[ojk6]

The year 2008 was a truly horrid year for me in places, but I'm glad to be able to look back with a smile!
I set out to do a great many things at the beginning of the year - managed to do very few of them but achieved a whole lot more. Compared to years past I didn't build anything great in 2008, but I didn't pull anything down either... so all in all, a stable year!

[Wonderboy]

Smug.

[Guest]

Trebled salary. Lost Job. Got new job with paycut. Think possibly achieved contentment in the end after initial bout of smugness and then self pity.

[LonelyPilgrim]

Patched things up pretty well with an ex-girlfriend/best friend.

Told a LOT of people what I really think about them, good and bad (mostly good!)

Returned to my first love - acting (hopefully for money, soon!)

Began working on/for an international charity.

Lost three stone and have kept it off! (actually, I lost it in 2007, so really just the keeping it off, still...)

Learned how to make chicken florentine... (ok, now I'm just stretching...)

[jjj]

- having a job after being unemployed for 20 months was my biggest acheivement, even though its working at a university (yes, i'm the guy that made this thread awhile ago: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=24077).

- growing up and getting real. i wanted to follow acting too like the lonelypilgrim above me states, but after continuous rejection decided to give up my dream career and settle for any job because at the end of the day the money's more important and i cannot go on in life waiting for that big break if i got rent and bills to pay.

- getting tough. i used to be a softy but not anymore. i remember even trying to add some people who i used to know on facebook, like people who i used to study with, and they'd reject my friend request multiple times, so i decided to quite playing nice and gave them a vicious piece of my mind. this included some flatmates and a lecturer (told the lecturer that she probably remained in academia because she couldnt hack it in the real world, and that her new marriage i would give it 6 months). this new found aggression has proved helpful in making me a more alert and streetsmart person and not a fuzzy booksmart. i take no shit from anyone now and i feel more powerful, although more violent too. (i guess all this grew from the depression and anxiety of being unemployed for so long, having suicidal and even homicidal tendencies as a result of this)

- but a big negative acheivement has been deleting little shits in my life who make no effort at maintaining my friendship with them. for example, i have been nice to someone all year, always saying hello and giving them complements and all. and all i get is just 'thank you' replies which say nothing, and found out there was a xmas party and i was the only person from the group that didnt get an invite or a mention. so i finally grew a backbone and told them all to fuck off. it felt great. i'm sick to death of being frustrated in a friendship whereby i have to make all the effort to keep it going (otherwise it fades away immediately).

- its kind of wierd, to alot of people 2008 is a bad year because of the credit crunch, but to me since it all really kicked in in august, things have been going better for me. perverted luck, perhaps? i don't care. all i can say is i'm alot happier now than i was this time last year. i know for certain if i was still unemployed i would've done a virginia tech.

[Cain]

Lots of things didn't happen for me, but I stayed in the same place for two years in a row, I secured a proper, full time permanent job (after twice getting to Friday not knowing if I'd have a job on the Monday) and I bought myself my first car.

[Guest]

- having a job after being unemployed for 20 months was my biggest acheivement, even though its working at a university (yes, i'm the guy that made this thread awhile ago: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=24077).

- growing up and getting real. i wanted to follow acting too like the lonelypilgrim above me states, but after continuous rejection decided to give up my dream career and settle for any job because at the end of the day the money's more important and i cannot go on in life waiting for that big break if i got rent and bills to pay.

- its kind of wierd, to alot of people 2008 is a bad year because of the credit crunch, but to me since it all really kicked in in august, things have been going better for me. perverted luck, perhaps? i don't care. all i can say is i'm alot happier now than i was this time last year. i know for certain if i was still unemployed i would've done a virginia tech.

Bloody well done! Knuckle down and see where it can take you.

[Mr Comedy]

Dramatically shifted career - I left headhunting and now work for a church.

[househunter]

An erection.