The first friday five questions of the year at Dreamwidth.
1. In what ways do you expect/hope this year to be better than last year?
I don’t really hope/expect 2024 to be better per se, but for the first time in 15 years I feel like this year my health problems might stay stable and at the level they are now. All the other years for the last 15 years I’ve either known the health stuff is going get worse, or have had a doomed feeling. But now I feel like I’ve reached a stable state and while setbacks and/or new health problems are always possible what with the Crohn’s Disease and anemia and all, I don’t feel like I’m automatically doomed to get worse.
I’ll happily settle this if it does turn out to be a boring year health problems wise!
2. In what ways do you expect/hope this year to be worse than last year?
Personally: financially and bureautically. There are several law changes in the pipeline by the new far-right wing government that will make my living situation worse.
Politically: the far-right wing government is making changes in employment, housing, social and wellfare laws that mean bad things for the unemployed, low wage earners, the sick, the kids, education, health care and more. Basically everyone who is not among the richest 10% are going to suffer in one way or another, and the lower your income, the more you suffer. The right-wing government are attacking on several fronts, and many of their new proposed laws actually are in contradiction of their stated government programme goals. It’s being said that the government is effecting a paradigm shift in how Finland views many things, even human rights.
The employee Unions and many research etc. organizations are warning of the effects of the new laws and trying to resist the law changes. It’s looking like the country might be heading into the general strike for the first time since 1956.
3. What year would you travel back to if you could?
I’m not sure. Part of me would like to go back to my childhood when everything was carefree – but I’d really actually hate having to go through school again.
On the other hand, I think it’d be best if I went back to 2008 – I could try and get my migraines sorted out so that they don’t go chronic and daily. And also to get a breast reduction done then before the onset of Type 2 Diabetes – because I’ve noticed my wounds don’t heal that well anymore so I don’t think I’ll have it done anymore because of that.
On third hand, if I went back to 1994 May onwards I’d get to be with my Mom’s Beagle pup! She counted be as part of her pack and I loved her like crazy.
4. What was your worst year?
2008. That is a divider for me – there is before 2008, and there is after 2008. It isn’t actually the worst but it’s the watershead of my life. Before 2008 I was healthy with a future, and after I’m not and don’t.
The actual fucking worst are the years when I didn’t know what the fuck was going on with my bowels and whether I could hope for normal bowel function again some day while suffering from horrible daily headaches and migraine attacks 3 times a week – but that time frame went on for so many years and I can’t pin point just one year.
5. What was your best year?
1994-1995. I finished library school, the future was wide open in front of me, full of hope and my Mom got a Beagle puppy who loved me as much as I her. Definitely maybe the best time of my life.