The Annual Star Questionnaire 2022/23

Celebration Sparkling GIF by DreamWorks Spirit
 
Name: Mikey

Age:
51

Rate 2022 out of 10:
7.5

What was the best thing that happened to you in 2022?
I helped stop some families from becoming homeless, but that's work-related.

What was the worst thing that happened to you in 2022?
My Dad's dementia escalating far more rapidly than expected.

How did you engage in self-care in 2022? Little things - music (mostly), a bit of writing here and there, and watching ridiculously rubbish TV.

Do you have more money this year than you did last year? Oh God, no.


Who has been a positive influence on you this year?
My friends, my colleagues, my boss and my Mum.

If there were no barriers (money, time, kids etc) where would you like to travel to in 2023?
I'd love to go to Thailand but I hate flying. I'm overdue a return visit to Paris.

Who/what are you grateful to have had in your life in 2022?
My besties and Moopy. This site has helped keep me sane during some *ahem* difficult times. I thank you all for that.

What did you spend too much time/energy on in 2022?
Worrying about the people I couldn't help.

What would you wish for a fellow Moopy poster in 2023?
I wish you all a happy and healthy twelve months, crammed full of love, light and laughter.

What was your greatest achievement in 2022?
Surviving it.

What did you avoid this year?
Crabs.

Tell us about one of your favourite moments this year:
A thoroughly ridiculous two hour phone conversation that had me crying with laughter.

Royal family - yay or nay?
I'm not fussed to be honest (my Dad would be mortified if he knew/remembered).

What do you want to accomplish in 2023 - can be one or many things?
I'd quite like to meet someone as I've been single for three years and I'm a bit bored of it now, but the prospect of that happening also terrifies me in equal measure.
 
Name: Tetris

Age: 32

Rate 2022 out of 10: 5

What was the best thing that happened to you in 2022?
I am struggling to find anything to put here, other than that i’ve had some great fun that has kept me going.

What was the worst thing that happened to you in 2022?
This feels more nebulous than a particular thing, but honestly my mental health has really suffered in 2022. Anxiety and unhelpful thought patterns are back with a vengeance after managing to get a bit of a handle on them the previous couple of years, and I found that my mood and general lust for life has deteriorated. My therapist, who i’d been seeing for close to three years, had a sudden major health incident in August and may not return to practice. This was a massive shock - obviously absolutely horrifying for her and her family, and i’ve also really felt the loss of her weekly support.

How did you engage in self-care in 2022?
I decided to prioritise my energy towards friends who clearly care about me and give the same energy back to me as I give to them. One of the things I had previously been finding frustrating is that basically all of my close friends are not in London, but instead of dwelling on that i’ve made the effort to call or socialise at a distance, as well as prioritising visiting them.

Do you have more money this year than you did last year?
Yes - partly because i’ve continued to prioritise saving and also somehow negotiated a pay rise towards the end of the year. My pay at this place has always been quite shit so honestly i’m hopeful that this will make the month to month less difficult, cover any increases in bills/rent while still allowing me to save for top surgery/travel.

Who has been a positive influence on you this year?
Really hard to name specific people but honestly i’d say any of my friends who just have a bit of a different outlook on life to myself and who can help me look at situations a bit differently. As mentioned earlier, grateful for my therapist and also for the mentor i’ve been seeing who has been helping with gender stuff.

If there were no barriers (money, time, kids etc) where would you like to travel to in 2023?
I have a friend who has recently done a huge trip through the States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. I have never had the opportunity to do any travelling for an extended period - i’d love to be able to do that!

I always need to take a week off every few months because i’m knackered which stops me using my Leave in bulk.

Who/what are you grateful to have had in your life in 2022?
In terms of people, this is largely covered under the ‘positive influence’ question above but in terms of what, it really has felt like a year for the little things that keep me going week-to-week. This includes quizzing, cycling, One More Time club nights (@aquaplex), my favourite podcasts, old Top of the Pops and Pick of the Pops on BBC Four and Radio 2 respectively, and of course, Melodifestivalen and Eurovision.

What did you spend too much time/energy on in 2022?
100% work! Every time I have a lot of time off (e.g. Christmas), I always think about how nice it is to spend time just doing nothing, or doing stuff I enjoy. Too often I just work late to avoid the anxiety of not having done things and because i’m not really at my most productive during standard working hours. (I frequently struggle to get things done during the day but manage in the evenings - but then that’s me technically in work for ten hours a day.) It is hard to enjoy those evenings, especially if i’m not doing much, knowing there is work I haven’t done.

Also, and somewhat more comically, fucking TikTok! What a timesuck that app is…

What would you wish for a fellow Moopy poster in 2023?
Definitely for @Penelope to be able to keep moving forward and rebuilding.

And for @Kate to get as much dicking down as she so desires, of course.

What was your greatest achievement in 2022?
Getting through it, I think! Outside of without any of the personal stuff, through the second half of the year in particular, it has just felt like the country is falling apart and the world is getting worse. That makes the day-to-day hard for anyone who is feeling the effects of that, in big and small ways.

Otherwise, and slightly more negatively, it has felt a bit like a period of stasis for me personally and I am keen to feel like i’m moving forward a bit more in 2023.

What did you avoid this year?
Related to the above - moving forward with further aspects of social and medical transition. Not having told family (beyond mum and dad) about my gender identity stuff feels like a huge barrier to moving forward with anything else.

Tell us about one of your favourite moments this year
Hard to narrow to just one so i’m going to go for three and they are ALL Eurovision related:

- February - All of our group erupting into hysterics at the Swedish Church as Klara Hammerstrom pushed her clone to the floor
- March - Struggling to keep composure with pals as Anna Sahlene outstays her welcome to perform MATA HARI at the Melfest pre-party
- May - @Penelope and I LOSING OUR FUCKING MINDS as the UK bags points after points after points

Royal family - yay or nay?
I don’t support having a Royal Family in principle but I think abolishing the institution without changing anything else in British society wouldn’t do very much to tackle inequality. And honestly Mick, I love the drama!

What do you want to accomplish in 2023 - can be one or many things?
- Further along in transition - coming out to rest of family, making progress on administrative stuff, meet more trans people!
- Better work/life balance - set a realistic goal to stop working late so often and take TOIL. Do NOT do work on the weekend other than sorting a few emails / making a to-do list for next week.
- Cataloging the notes from all my previous therapy sessions to remind myself of all the lessons I learned over the three years! This is a bit of a stretch goal but feel like if I speak it into existence it might be more likely to happen.
 
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Name Gros Renné

Age
40 prime years

Rate 2022 out of 10
Solid 9

What was the best thing that happened to you in 2022?
Managing to travel a fair bit was nice

What was the worst thing that happened to you in 2022?
Business based wobbles really tested me as a human

How did you engage in self-care in 2022? I think learning to let go of things helped. And mushrooms.

Do you have more money this year than you did last year? I have no idea, probably.

Who has been a positive influence on you this year?
I would be rudderless without Ms Ron by my side. She has no idea how grounded she keeps me (🤢)

If there were no barriers (money, time, kids etc) where would you like to travel to in 2023?
This is a truly impossible question. I'd love to do another winter in the alps or some other ski resort, maybe a few months in Central & South America. A summer in the med then the winter in SE Asia.

Who/what are you grateful to have had in your life in 2022?
I have such amazing friends around me, and for them I am brimming with gratitude.

What did you spend too much time/energy on in 2022?
Investment pitch decks

What would you wish for a fellow Moopy poster in 2023?
Sex for all

What was your greatest achievement in 2022?
Doing ket in the House of Lords

What did you avoid this year?
A mental breakdown

Tell us about one of your favourite moments this year
Its very hard to pick but to be honest it was probably camping with a big group of mates and all our kids - beautiful weather, communal living,just proper simple and wholesome fun

Royal family - yay or nay?
I used to be fairly ambivalent about them but I think its time to go

What do you want to accomplish in 2023 - can be one or many things?
Just to be more present, not worrying or striving for the next thing in life. There are lots of things I want, but I live a very charmed life and I should spend more time being content with what I have, and not pushing for more, because really I live like a fucking king.
 
Name Cobly

Age 38 :(

Rate 2022 out of 10 It was very up and down, so I'll say a fair 6.5; a strong start, VERY low middle but it ended on a high.

What was the best thing that happened to you in 2022? It really wasn't on my radar at all, but someone really special coming into my life in the final months of the year has to be the highlight. I also have to mention buying a new flat, and also getting to go to Eurovision for the first time ever was a highlight too.

What was the worst thing that happened to you in 2022? Well, a lot of the year from late May onwards was quite tough. The end of a relationship with the associated changes in living situation, followed immediately by the (admittedly self-inflicted) hassle of selling my flat and finding/buying somewhere else, all with the background of probably the most stressful period at my job since I started there nearly ten years ago. It has been pretty hard to deal with! There were quite a few very low points.

How did you engage in self-care in 2022? Well, I didn't really deal with my stress very well at all last year. The work stuff was so difficult as we were so short staffed that I couldn't really take time off, and ended up just having to look forward to finishing for Christmas which has actually been the break I needed. I phoned a helpline at one point, which helped, and a lot of friends (both on here and elsewhere) reached out when I was at my lowest and I appreciate it more than you know.

Do you have more money this year than you did last year? Absolutely not (see above re: buying a flat) :( I'm going to be living PRETTY LEAN in '23.

Who has been a positive influence on you this year? Anyone who reached out (whether requested or not), to talk or just to listen. I know that's soppy, don't worry :tongueout:

If there were no barriers (money, time, kids etc) where would you like to travel to in 2023? I'd definitely love to see more of Scotland, it's quite terrible how little of it I've actually been to.

Who/what are you grateful to have had in your life in 2022? Moopy has been important to me this year, so thank you all. Also a lot of friends have been invaluable, and of course the cat as ever.

What did you spend too much time/energy on in 2022? Expending mental energy on things that weren't worth it.

What would you wish for a fellow Moopy poster in 2023? I'd just like everyone to have a year of good fortune, and to be where they want to be this time next year.

What was your greatest achievement in 2022? Honestly, just getting through it in one piece is enough for me.

What did you avoid this year? Pears.

Tell us about one of your favourite moments this year A few people have mentioned it, but getting to be in Turin for Eurovision was fantastic (particularly being in a Scottish pub for the final :scotland:)

Royal family - yay or nay? Nay!

What do you want to accomplish in 2023 - can be one or many things? I don't have anything specific in mind, but currently I'm just looking forward to a more positive year in general. I'm finally settled in my new place and it's going to be so much better for me here, particularly once the weather improves, so I'm keeping that in mind to power through the remaining winter months.
 
Name
Ms Bev

Age
36

Rate 2022 out of 10
8? 9? I kind of liked it.

What was the best thing that happened to you in 2022?
- life returning to normal a little and being able to sit in a cafe without worrying about getting a virus and dying
- some writing accomplishments; the paperback of my book came out this Feb
- spending time in Berlin and Athens and pretending I lived there for a while
- a really nice chat with my editor, which freed me from certain fears I had regarding my book’s success
- going to Eurovision with some very lovely girls and one very loud one

What was the worst thing that happened to you in 2022?
I’m not sure. Catching covid on the eve of a holiday wasn’t very nice. Having lots of imposter syndrome hasn’t been very fun. Sometimes the old anxiety and insomnia rears its head. But I have lots to be grateful for.

Edit: a good friend, somebody whose presence was formative in my twenties, has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, which has been an incredibly hurtful to learn. Some people just don’t catch a break in life.

How did you engage in self-care in 2022?
- Walks
- Birdwatching
- Nice foods and cute cafes
- Time spent with Mrs Boverley

Do you have more money this year than you did last year?
I don’t know. I always feel like I have less.

Who has been a positive influence on you this year?
Mrs Bov. My parents. My sibling.

If there were no barriers (money, time, kids etc) where would you like to travel to in 2023?
Travel? I’d never come back home. But for the purpose of the question, let’s say Bolivia.

Who/what are you grateful to have had in your life in 2022?
My partner, parents and sibling. But honestly, I have quite a few hangups - I’m being reminded lately - about friendships. So, good friends, people who make time for you consistently, and value you for exactly all your quirks and interests, has been super special.

Edit: I have to say, Mrs Boverley is a wonderful human, who drives me insane, but teasing him and having deep chats with him, and adventures, is the best.

What did you spend too much time/energy on in 2022?
- On writing. It sucks you in, honestly. When I’m not writing, I’m thinking and worrying about my writing, and I wish I could switch off from it more easily.

- Comparing myself to others and feeling like not a good enough writer.

- Just thinking about THINGS. I’m very analytical and I need to shut off my mind some more.

What would you wish for a fellow Moopy poster in 2023?
Only good things for everybody. I’m a firm believer in wanting for others what I want for myself.

Edit: I want @floppet to be healthy. I really love her.

What was your greatest achievement in 2022?
I think getting published in the New York motherfucking Times? In a piece that was attached to one of the biggest podcasts of the year? I spent all Christmas last year freaking out that I would fuck the opportunity up and have it taken away from me, so when I didn’t fuck up and the editor told me it was her fave in the series, and even my agent was goopt, that felt amazing.

What did you avoid this year?
I’m not a very avoidant kind of person.

Tell us about one of your favourite moments this year
Having QUEEN Nigella Lawson read an article I wrote and reply to me on Twitter? And some very excited friends messaging me very early in the morning to get me to check my Twitter? That was PEAK.

Royal family - yay or nay?
Guillotine them all.

What do you want to accomplish in 2023 - can be one or many things?
I don’t want to say because I’m very superstitious.
 

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