2002

[vyvyanx]

This has been an eventful year! It began inauspiciously, as G had broken up with me a couple of days before new year. I spent most of January going out to pubs, beer festivals, gigs etc; having pointless sex with people I disliked; being pursued by people I didn't fancy; cutting most of my hair off one night when smashed out of my mind; hanging around with my geek friends; listening to lots of Slayer; and doing research. Oh, and posting constantly to my lj, even though I hadn't revealed its existence to anyone else yet. Late in January, I got talking to G in the KSR one Saturday night, and we got back together. A few days later we went to Slimelight (first time I'd been there) where he proposed to me on the dancefloor (and thought better of it later :-)
In February G and I went to the bar known as Pure a lot; I tried to get my fellowship extended; G looked for another job due to the unpleasantness of working at Lloyds; I did more research, supervising and organised our trip to Eastercon; I played a lot of Diablo and G played a lot of Max Payne. Also, a fairly close colleague of mine from college died from cancer and I went to her funeral. Generally a month of angst.
March began with even more angst, as G and I sorted out leftover issues between us. I spent a few days scarcely eating or sleeping, and we nearly broke up again. After that though, our relationship became a lot more sorted. Also in March, I got to know hallucinagene, technotom and zotz much better; finished Diablo; played much isketch and Dope Wars; listened to much Ultraviolence; and revealed the existence of my lj to the world at large. G's job at Lloyds came to an end; he did a set at the Calling; we visited my parents and it became apparent that they weren't at all happy with G; we set off for Eastercon in Jersey.
In April, we got back from Eastercon, having had a fantastic time and spent far too much money. Got back; then in the small hours of April 7th G and I got engaged :-) Most people were very happy for us, including G's parents; my parents, alas, were definitely not happy about it at all (though they refused to say why, and in fact never did really explain). Spent the month in a daze of happiness. Did much research; tried unsuccessfully to dye G's hair black for Whitby; had very drunken engagement party. G played a lot of Red Faction, and signed on. At the end of the month we went to Whitby (staying with zotz and robinbloke and had another fantastic time.
May was very busy. I did lots of research (both what I was supposed to do, and on Linear A) and did various supervising and exam-related things for the department. G tried hard to get another job, and towards the end of the month finally got paid some benefit after an administrative cockup. We worked at the beer festival, which was great fun. I discovered that my fellowship would not be extended the next year, and thus I would be out of job and home come September. G, already unemployed, was informed by his letting agency that all the tenants of his house would have to move out in a couple of months. Oh, and my hard disk died.
In June, my relationship with my parents deteriorated further. G continued to look for jobs; he managed to get housing benefit as well; we began looking for somewhere to live together; we got engagement rings at last (!) and began drawing up a guest list for the wedding. I applied for a position teaching at the Open University, and did a vast amount of exam marking and going to boring exam meetings (which clashed with Strawberry Fair, annoyingly). Much partying and punting in May Week; also went to Jon and Sarah's wedding.
The start of July was taken up with trying to get a flat. Looked at several; applied for one with evil Russell's; managed to get one with excellent Crofton. Got keys on 17th. Spent rest of month carrying stuff over from our respective places of accommodation. Oh, and saw the Cure in London. G continued to look for a job.
In August, G checked out of his place in Chesterton, and I continued to move my stuff over gradually from college. I wrote up an article for a conference proceedings, cooked a great deal (due to finally having an oven) and played a lot of Starcraft. G got a job at last, working at the jobcentre! (And there was much jubilation.)
Early in September, G and I went to Edinburgh for his parents' 25th wedding anniversary celebrations. When we got back, he started work, and I was evicted by college and had to get help moving my remaining things at very short notice. Started negotiating with OUP about trying to publish my book. Reinitiated contact with my parents (and informed them I had moved house at last!). They began being more reasonable from this point on (though they still seemed unhappy). During September, invited many people round for dinner in our new flat, and began making lots of arrangements for the wedding.
October was mostly quiet: more wedding arrangements and such. Also went to Tania and Steve's wedding.
In November I played lots of nethack, and it was my birthday (at which I had a marvellous time, thanks to G organising things!). Both of us became obsessed with Dungeon Siege. I finally heard from the OU, went for an interview in Nottingham, and was offered a job. At the end of the month G had his stag party (which was, predictably, very drunken :-)
And in December we got married! Everything came together on the day itself; all our worries about possible disasters were unfounded (the only tiny hitch was G forgetting to take his engagement ring off before the ceremony, and then being unable to remove it!) Doogle and Katie were wonderfully helpful; ever so many of our friends and relations came along to celebrate with us - it was a truly wonderful day. The next day we departed for our honeymoon in Greece, and had two weeks of stress and excitement in the remarkably unclement weather of Athens, Rhodes and Crete. But at least we saw the Acropolis and the palace of Knossos! Then back home, with some relief, and rushed to get organised for Christmas. Spent a couple of days with our respective families, and then wonderful New Year celebrations at KSR, GB's house, and then party at j4 and S's place. Happy 2003!