2018



2018. It was some year. Here's the summary (and here's part I of this summary, all the travelling):

Which was the triumph of the year?
I was braver and stronger than ever before. Loved deeper than I ever have. Was rewarded times a million.

Best trip of the year:
It's impossible to just say one. I've travelled so much. Most of them were joyful; many of them were also challenging. And as usual, everything I did brought me here, so how could I want to change anything?

What was your greatest success workwise?


First full year as almost full time self employed! And I feel like almost everything has been a success. I have LOVED my choirs. They fill my heart with joy. I have loved my gigs and photo jobs and singing students too. Can't wait to figure out what's next in my worklife.

Which gig was the most fun?


Singing with the Sky is Crying at Dig Deeper.

Best parties of the year:


Liam's birthday party. Saturday night at Hullzapoppin'. Friday night at Dig Deeper. Normandie's Christmas party. New Year's Eve at headquarters.

Best daytrip of the year:


To Snowdonia in Wales with Liam in November. One of the happiest days of my life.

What did you do for your birthday?


Dinner at home with friends. <3

Hobby of the year:
It's always dancing. Even when I'm struggling, as I have been this year, it's always dancing.

Project of the year:
Had too few projects! I'm looking forward to deepening my knowledge in several different areas in the coming year.


Which music did you listen to?
Matilda the Musical. Four Tet. Sure On This Shining Night by Morten Lauridsen. Solala: Fix You. Marthe Wang: Til deg.

Best film you watched for the first time?
I've only watched 4 new films this year! My God this is embarrassing. I need more culture in my life. Well, I need more different forms of culture than I currently have.

Best book you read this year?
See above - I don't keep track of books like I do films, but I've read very few books. That another thing I would like to change in 2019!

Which clothes did you wear?


Black vest tops and comfortable trousers for everyday - same but with a sheer blouse on top for dancing :) Later in the year I found out my proper bra size and bra shopping is suddenly fun! Also, the dress in the photo above was a hit.

Were you happier or less happy this year compared to before?


Happier!!!

What made you feel good this year?


The love and support from my friends. Conversations and laughter and singing. All the adventures I've been on. Nature walks. Waking up next to Liam. Exploring new friendships in the UK. Getting to know myself better through loving someone else.

What made you sad this year?
All of my insecurities, which resurfaced because of mine and Liam's relationship. I've cried so much this year, far more than the years before. But nothing was harder than the thought I carried in the first few months of 2018, that I wouldn't get to keep Liam in the end.

What was the biggest surprise?


I did indeed get to keep Liam. :)

What do you want to do next year that you didn't do this year?
How about move to a new country, for starters? :) Also: own my dancing and become awesome. And learn to play the trombone.

What was the best thing about 2018?
Same answer as to the first question.

where I've been 2018



I always end the year with a summary; a series of questions that I answer more or less loosely every year. The list of questions starts with "where have you been this year?", and in 2018, there were too many places - to many beautiful, fascinating, tiring, interesting places - to throw them all into the blog post with the rest of the summary. So here they are in a blog post of their own: All the places I travelled to (if I spent at least one night there, it counts; day trips do not) in 2018.


Chester


Delft


Valencia


Visby


Copenhagen


Chester (photo taken in Liverpool)


Chester


Oxford


New York


Washington D.C.


Outer Banks


New York


London


Södertälje (well, actually a hostel outside of Södertälje, for Stockholm Blues Fest)


Hull


Stockholm


Banyoles


Amsterdam


Manchester


Chester (photo taken in the Peak District)


Edinburgh


Omberg


London


Beesenstedt


Edinburgh


Chester (photo taken in Liverpool)


Birmingham


Bristol


Chester (photo taken in Liverpool)


Huddersfield


Chester


Birmingham


Stockholm

In 2019 I'm hoping for fewer hours on airports and planes, but I don't doubt that I'll have even more adventures.

normandie's christmas party



Last week, Normandie had a Chistmas party in her beautiful home outside Liverpool. A whole bunch of dance friends were there and it was pretty much everything that you'd want a Christmas party to be.

We ate all the good food, drank all the egg nog and Christmas punch (and tea - though not me obvs), chatted and cuddled:











There were charades:







And we played Mafia:




And I'm proud to say that WE KILLED THEM ALL AND WON.

Even later, I did as I always do, and fell asleep on a couch, safe and calm, ready for my boyfriend to scoop me up and take me home after a fabulous Saturday night.

Donny Hathaway | This Christmas