For many a year now I do a run down to post on the last Wednesday; just an excuse to be a bit narcissistic and talk about myself for about 500 words (it is my favourite subject afterall!) As I sit here on boxing day though trying to pull together my highs and lows of 2022, the only thing that’s really on my mind is what’s to come in 2023. But more on that a bit later. I guess the easiest to is break my year down into digestible chunks rather than chronologically for a change. So let’s get into it shall we?
Work
The least interesting first I suppose. All in all works been going well and I’m happy where I am and who I work with. I’m really lucky to be supported by some incredible women at work who are genuinely supportive rather that bitchy. It shouldn’t be a surprise really but I’ve been around bitchy women at work in the past and it’s not a nice place to be I’m grateful to have a few therapists on hand to help me though my wobbly moments. And who I am now calling friends rather than colleagues
One think I’ve definitely taken away from this year though is that I’m definitely taken on too much, especially in the later part of the year. We were all busy writing a business case, I was helping set up a new team, and I had alos committed to a training course which required a lot of work in my own time. Late November and early December I was working some crazy hours, which meant I wasn’t getting many breaks or sleeping very well. Work was all consuming for a couple of weeks, which drags you down and makes you quite unhappy. So I’m going to try and avoid that situation in future. Being better at saying no I think is also something I could benefit from.
Travel
This year was definitely the year of the city break; we went to Malaga in March, Rome and June and New York for my 40 Birthday in September. Malaga was a last minute ‘where can we fly to from Newcastle’ and we didn’t have the best weather so spent a lot of time in museums. When the sun was out though it was lovely and we managed to get some drinks in the sunshine. The tapas we had was absolutely incredible too! Rome was somewhere neither of us have been before so was cool exploring a new city together. It was roasting hot and really busy so we were knackered by the end of it but definitely something kicked off the list. A real highlight was seeing the Pope’s weekly address, and of course, the food was amazing.
New York was somewhere I’d wanted to go for my 40th birthday; which is actually in July but figured would be too hot then anyway so went in September, which was a much milder 28 degrees everyday. We went with my mum and dad for 6 nights, staying in a lovely brownstone apartment in Brooklyn. Without a doubt the absolute highlight for me was the rooftop bar Westlight on the second night there. We’d been down to Battery Park in the morning and had lunch in Little Italy followed by a walk over to to Chelsea in the afternoon. The rooftop bar, with it’s panoramic views over Manhattan as the sun went down was the perfect end to the perfect day.
Friends
Suffice to say it’s been a year of up and downs for all of us but I particularly wanted to shout out Emma, Carrie and Steph who’ve not only handled their only personal rollercoasters with a level grace and dignity that I can aspire to, they’ve still been right there, supporting me through my own worries (which is the main thing, let’s be honest). So I, again feel very lucky to have such strong amazing women around me, picking me up, championing me, making me laugh and giving me those much needed kicks up the arse when necessary.
Health
I alluded last year to a minor health ailment that came to light late last December which in all honesty I’d hoped I’d be ending 2022 with it done and dusted by now. However due to just being a routine case (no bad thing) it looks like it’s finally getting sorted in late January 2023. So the first half of the year probably isn’t going to start so brilliantly. By the summer though I’ll be back to my normal self again, bouncing around beer gardens and flying off to sunnier climes! Plus, if nothing else, it’s going to give me opportunity to rewatch Grey’s Anatomy from the beginning; something I’ve been wanted to do for a while (don’t say I’m not ambitious!)
The best of the rest
- I got botox for the first time and wondered for the rest of the year why I didn’t do it sooner.
- We got last minute tickets to see Bryan Adams at Newcastle Arena in May and he was amazing.
- Our friends Sophie and Graham got married in June and had little baby Eliza in August
- I fell in love with the gym again and ended the year 10lbs lighter than when I started
I know it sounds like I’ve been moaning a bit, but honestly 2022 has been a good year over all. Having a summer birthday was a great halfway point and it was amazing to have so many people round the house celebrating with me. New decades are always scary, but I think my 40s is gonna be a good one!
