My mom always says that on the first of the new year, you should do a little bit of everything good: small bits of good habits you want to carry through into the new year.
That’s how I’ve always tried to start every first day of the year, no matter where in the world I am.
This year, I am doing a little of the same here: going on (very) short runs, finishing unfinished books, starting a new one, do some writing, do some work, trying to be creative and challenge the boundaries. And then, because I’ll be in Lisbon, Portugal in a few days: I’m going to listen to some good music, go to galleries, eat whatever delightful food there is to wonder upon to and take a walk to explore and learn more about a new country, a new city and all it’s neighborhoods.
It allows for a little reflection, a little resetting, and a little bit of conscious forward-thinking about how you should spend the rest of the year.
That’s a little bit of everything good.
—->
I am, however, a kid of tradition (or superstitious – depends how you look at it). And if I find something that works – I go with it. i can’t take chances changing it. Each year I sort of blaze over the best highlights, and then wish for the things I’d like to happen/achieve in 2015. It’s a good way to hold myself accountable – and additionally – i think it works 😉
2014 moments:
It was amazing. And bittersweet. And hardwork but full of laughs and adventures too.
Jan:
I sat my first ever exams in about 8 years. I can’t even remember how to do exams, but I passed all with Firsts. That was a trip!
My Slovakian Friends, Rado & Katka who I worked with for 2 years in the USA, came to live with us for a year! Exciting!
I did some cool work for TalkTalk
Gave a talk on #RONCrg twitter group that I run & recieved some great feedback.
Got Shep – the awesome German Shephard doggie!
Feb:
I started running & going to Row-Fit, which was really fun!
Found a new house for all of us to move into.
March:
Drew the International NHS Health Expo in Manchester, that was so rad!
Drew more stuff for TalkTalk
Got the HEADACHE from hell (which I still have as I type this).
April:
Had my first ever A&E admission [for worst headache ever], nothing like spending a night on an Emergency decision ward to make you appreciate the affects of life on people.
Went to NYC – got to see my friends exhibition, privately, and we got so drunk in the depths of Bushwick. I ended up seeing my first Brooklyn Bridge Sunrise (drunk), and worst hangover to date. I also had to take a plane to Vegas, hungover. So a bunch of firsts. It rained so hard that trip that I had to throw away my running sneakers.
May:
Saw my mom get married! Yay!
Went to Vegas from NYC – met with my great USA friend, Leah, and we had LOTS of including sneaking into pools and beach-pools that we weren’t supposed to & I accidently tipped a pool-boy $20. Call me generous.
Got Shingles – which I thought were bedbugs from NYC/Vegas – duh.
Sat some more exams which I passed pretty awesomely if I do say so myself.
June:
DREW THE AMAZING SHEFFIELD DOC/FEST!!!
More clinical placement antics. Really don’t remember anything of any value here. Just work, work, work.
July:
Got hit by a car & was pretty traumatised by it.
Was in our first ever HUGE house fire.
Started skateboarding again because my bike was fucked up.
Spent the last weeks of July trying to desperately do a whole years worth of ePortfolio in 6 weeks total. (I won’t be doing that again!)
Designed a website for my friend and her exhibition at YorkshireSculpturePark
August:
Passed palliative case discussion.
Got a super dope mark (SURPRISINGLY) for ePortfolio
Got mega cheap flights to USA – So went back to NYC & saw all my friends at Camp in New Hampshire!
Got Shingles AGAIN.
Got another old-puppy – Finnley the Border Collie!
September:
Was made a recluse because of Shingles.
Finished clinical for a bit – went back to uni. Moved back to Sheffield properly (rather than living in Leeds)
Did my first Pecha Kucha Talk! YAY!
Had an awesome house party!
Gemma left for New Zealand.
October:
Drew TEDXSalford
Drew stuff for University of Derby
Had an awesome Halloween pumpkin carving party at Charlottes!
WE ORGANIZED & HOSTED RAD conference successfully – YAY!
November:
Drew stuff for Uni of Sheff
Drew TEDXSheff
Had the bestest Thanksgiving!
December:
Went to Copenhagen & saw so much awesomely designed stuff!
Had an awesome Christmas!
HOPES FOR 2015
- That my mom, bro, nan and friends are all super happy, heathy and that NO ONE DIES! Including ME! But I would die instead of the above people if it has to come down to that.
- Last year, and the year before that I asked for a job that I enjoyed. I ended up getting at lots of cool small ones! So thank you 2013 & 2014 for amazing job years; PLEASE New Year help me find these golden eggs of opportunity and help me reach my potential. Help me make GREAT/BETTER impressions at the places where I currently work. Let me move small mountains. Please find extra work to fund me through uni. Please find me more amazing opportunities. Let me be BETTER. WORK HARDER. Even more so, PLEASE provide me with opportunities to help others and to make a positive difference! Esp. in radiotherapy.
- Make extra time for friends, make sure i actually see friends who live else where. Don’t let money define this.
- This year I need to be more motivated. Be more time-focused. Less TV and more drawing. More studying less sleeping. This is also very, very do-able if I just organize my priorities too! I need to make more great art-works rather than just research and develop ideas that never get shown. I need to remember the stuff I learn in class! I need to be more confident in clinical.
- I really really hope that i can make a positive difference this year, help others that need it, and make the world a place i’m proud to live in.
- More teaching opportunities PLEASE! This is a must if i want a chance at achieving number 5! too
- I would like to interact with people better, so I can communicate effectively and be wayyy more better and likeable esp for clinical placement.
- As with any artist, any exhibition/residential/print opportunities no matter how small or little they may seem all adds to the endless cannon of critical thinking and art practice!
- I need to become more motivated to learn my material… I can only make the difference I want to make if I am disciplined enough to sit down and dedicate the time to master my craft. Please give me the strength, the focus and the motivation – and mostly the energy to do this!
- I just want to feel normal again. Like not have bone ache, or nightsweats, where i could get up in the morning and not feel insanely hungover despite not actually touched alcohol in weeks. I want to not feel SUPER tired for NO reason anymore. I want to be fit, i want to be healthy again, i just want my body and health back from circa 2006 (that was a good year ha!) I’d even take health back from circa 2010/early 2011.
- I’d like to take up running, agaaaaiiiinnnn. By the end of the year I want to run 10K – like a fit person.
- I know I can’t travel like I have done previous years, but I would absolutely love to visit USA again & do lots of small local EU travelling like to Italy!
Thanks 2014 for a dope year, 2015 I know you’ve got my back. Here’s to hard-work, game changing, trying to stay focused, fighting against the ordinary daily events, challenges and finding ways or re-focusing when things might not work out exactly as we might want them to. TO FRIENDSHIP yo!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
