New

So the first big change I wanted to happen this year has happened.

I got a new job.

I've been there for almost a month now and it feels sooo good. I'm actually doing something I want to be doing, working with colleagues I enjoy working with, meeting great inspiring people and building the blocks to make something even better.

I am excited again.

Amsterdam

 Between Christmas and New Year my boyfriend and I went for a wee trip to Amsterdam. It was lovely exploring a new place for a little while. We spend most of our time there wondering around seeing the sights and eating a huge amount of delicious food. Seriously. Huge amount.

Because of the trip the whole Christmas/New Year period seemed to fly by. It has been a good one though. Christmas was spent with the families, his in the morning, mine in the evening. Again with the huge amount of delicious foods.

New Year celebrations were also really fun. I am superstitious about how the way you enjoy New Year will determine how the rest of your year will go. Going on that logic I am confident to say this year is set up to be a good one. The evening celebrations began with a beautiful meal with friends at Cafe 52 (moooooore fooooood). After this, Phil and I went to an old friend's party. It was really nice to catch up with good friends I haven't seen in a long time. Just before midnight we took a quick dart up to the city gardens to see the fireworks being set off as the New Year commenced. After this we went for a few drinks and dances at our favorite club before heading back to the party and eventually at some point in the night we must have went home to bed.

So all and all an exceptionally busy and fun-filled night (and year ahead).

I am usually one for being reflective and making New Year resolutions but this year it seems so futile because there is so much I want to change. There are a few big things that I need to make happen over the year, preferably as soon as they can. Other than that there are a couple of smaller things I hope to achieve.

The first of the smaller things is that I want to get more into running. I made a solid effort to start exercising for the first time, like ever, at the start of last Summer. After my body got over the initial shock of it, I really quickly started to notice how much better I was feeling. The myths they tell you about exercise are actually true! I was more alert, less stressed, got ill less often, found it easier to sleep and best of all after going to the gym for only one month I had lost one stone in weight. The compliments people started paying me were the icing on the cake. Last June I ran 5k for Race for Life, this year I plan on doing the 10k. And hopefully I'll take it even further than that.

Secondly, I want to start being more creative. Since graduating from art school I've lost confidence with what I want to do artistically, but I don't want to give it up all together. Once some of the bigger things have changed in my life I'm hoping it will be easier to start making things again. Until then I will try bringing creativity into my life a little more, bit by bit.

The main reflection I've made on the year passed is that I was in a much happier place at the end of it than at the beginning. I am so ready and so excited for change and for good things to come.
Bring it, 2014.

Old Year

The year is now drawing to a close. I've always been very superstitious about New Year's Eve. Like, the way you spend the night will be reflective of the way you spend your entire year.

Last New Years Eve Phil and I were both full of the flu. We wanted desperately to stay in bed, watch stand up comedy and leak from all available facial orifices. But for some reason we couldn't let the night escape us. We struggled through a meal with friends neither of which we had appetite for. We stumbled through the cold in uncomfortable clothing arriving at a bar with two many bodies. Reluctantly accepting whiskey shots the music started to sound good. Pockets stuffed with dank tissue our feet found a rhythm, hands found it too. By the end of the night we were dancing.

This was probably my worst year to date. Although some of my worst days belonged to other years' this year was just generally very dark and disappointing. Not enough peaks to even out the troughs.

Everything gradually brightened up however. The thought of being in the same mental state as  I was a year ago terrifies me, although I can't pinpoint any particular time when it changed. Everything is now in a fairly good position for the next steps to come. I hope there is still time for dancing.

Barcelona

Just a small selection of my favourite photos i took in Barcelona this Summer. It was a very colourful and inspiring city to visit.