2014 Snapshot

Most people will tell you what a hard/bad/broke year 2014 was - including myself.

Up until September, I was well on my way to successfully realizing a few of my Twenty Wishes. Then a double whammy work bombshell hit and it was downhill for the rest of the year.

Exercise & getting fit took a backseat and I gained 8kgs in a few months.
Besides gaining weight - the additional side effects of not exercising is that is negatively affects your state of mind.

Clearing out my phone and looking through all the photos I took in 2014, I was surprised to discover that work has clouded my mind into thinking that it was all bad, when in fact - it was not.

I heard a wonderful idea on Stacey Norman's show today & she posted it on Facebook. Instead of resolutions, start a "Rememberlution" jar. You write down all the great stuff that happens to you throughout the year and place them in the jar. Then, on 31 December, instead of making promises you can't actually keep, you open the jar and reflect on all the awesome.

I love the sound of this. I will be doing this in 2015, but if I had done it in 2014, my jar would have looked something like this:

2014: A Better Me

Part of my 2013 and 2014 Twenty Wishes was to work less and be happier.

I failed at it in 2013.

Halfway through the year & I am doing better in 2014.

I have only worked late a few days of the year so far.
No matter how huge my deadlines are and how crazy work has become, I refuse to work longer hours. I work through my lunch break and that is as far as my concession goes.

Strangely enough, both the CEO and MD have commented on how different I am.

A close work friend even called me up to ask if I was really ok because he doesn't recall seeing me this happy at work and was worried that I may be hiding some deep unhappiness. I had a good laugh at that, but was touched by the kind gesture.

I feel so much better. The work piles up. I do as much as I can. 2014 is my year, I gave my life to the company in 2013. I am taking it back in 2014.

21 Things about Me # 4 / Twenty Wishes for 2014

List FOUR goals you plan to accomplish in the future
I am actually not much of a planner - never have been. This list really is difficult & I cannot come up with 4 goals.
Most of my goals such as -  own a home, see One Direction live, take mom overseas for the first time - have been/are being realised.

So with that I will give you 1 goal:

1. Take my dad for an overseas holiday - probably to see the Rugby Sevens tournament somewhere awesome like Hong Kong.
   The bonding time with my mom in the UK is going to be amazing. I need the same with my dad. With all his health scares, I want to be able to do this with him before it is too late. Dad and I used to go on road trips to Cape Town and discuss all sorts of things on the 11 hour drive. We have not done this for a very long time.

The rest are all wishes & seeing as I have not yet posted my Twenty Wishes for 2014 ( I compiled it in January, but never blogged it) - here they are:

1. Buy a really pretty dress - Similar to a LBD - in case I ever need an outfit 
2. Try Pilates
3. Host more dinner parties/luncheons
4. Learn to cook more recipes
5. Eat More fruit
6. Go to a movie by myself
7. Kiss a stranger
8. Take more photos & complete my Project 365 challenge
9. Fix my dry feet
10. Do another spontaneous thing (2013: Bought 1D tickets)
11. Have High Tea in London
12. Fall in Love
13. Buy a nice fitting blazer
14. Read a great book
15. Watch a classic movie 
16. Drink more water 
17. Get my weight below 70kg 
18. Tone my stomach
19. Work less 
20. Be a happier person

Twenty Wishes - Recap

I suddenly realised that it was a year ago that I committed to these 20 Wishes.

I seem to have fallen off the wagon a bit and I am embarrassed that I have not done more.

1. Fall in Love -Still waiting
2. Buy a nice fitting blazer - Due to point 20 - I am managing my budget better, so no space to buy any blazers just yet
3. Buy a cool pair of Converse 
4. Go overseas  CHeck & CHECK! Japan and Mauritius (I flew over a sea to get to Mauritius - it counts)
5. Read a great book - The Perks of Being a Wallflower perhaps - I watched the movie. Dammit, it doesn't count, does it?
6. Watch a classic movie - I have never watched Mary Poppins, Sound of Music etc
7. Cook/bake more I have 2 awesome Le Creuset mugs to show for this!
8. Do another wine tasting trip in the Cape - I went to Mauritius instead.
9. Drink more water 
10. Go to a live concert - Justin Bieber
11. Get my weight below 70kg - then lose a further 5kgs- Let's not go there
12. Work towards a better toned stomach ...........
13. Get rid of the people in my life who drain me 
14. Buy a dining room table 
15. Go on a photography course: Budget constrictions
16. Have a wall full of frames with my photographs from all my trips etc 
17. Work less - Overall I did do better in 2013 than I did in 2012. I aim to improve this even more in 2014
18. Be a happier person
19. Do something totally spontaneous - I bought One Direction tickets in London without having any plan other than knowing I want to be there.
20. Manage my budget more diligently - being a homeowner means I need to be alot more careful 

50% success rate. Meh.

I will do better in 2014.

New list to be posted before Christmas.....

Twenty Wishes - Progress Report

At the end of December I jumped on the Blog band wagon and made a list of Twenty Wishes I would like to achieve along with taking my life back.

Here is my progress report so far:

1. Fall in Love - Still waiting on this to happen
2. Buy a nice fitting blazer - Have not looked yet
3. Buy a cool pair of Converse DONE! and I am loving them. Ok they are Levis, but its the look I liked and I wear them so much!
4. Go overseas I am going to Japan in April for work and working on my holiday in September to visit Zurich and Croatia. Exchange rates pushing air tickets up, but I am hoping they will reduce a bit
5. Read a great book - The Perks of Being a Wallflower perhaps
6. Watch a classic movie - I have never watched Mary Poppins, Sound of Music etc
7. Cook/bake more
8. Do another wine tasting trip in the Cape
9. Drink more water
10. Go to a live concert - if it was One Direction, my life would be made
11. Get my weight below 70kg - then lose a further 5kgs
12. Work towards a better toned stomach
13. Get rid of the people in my life who drain me I am getting along on this one very well
14. Buy a dining room table  DONE! Now I need chairs....
15. Go on a photography course
16. Have a wall full of frames with my photographs from all my trips etc 
17. Work less - Not getting this one right, but trying
18. Be a happier person - If I can get the above right, I will be happier
19. Do something totally spontaneous
20. Manage my budget more diligently - being a homeowner means I need to be alot more careful

Join us and let us know what your wishes are for this year


 

Christmas 2012 recap

I realise that you are all most probably in the full swing of 2013, so please forgive me for my veeeeerrrryyyy late Christmas holiday recap post!

My December holidays weren't exactly as I had planned them, but I had the 2 weeks off from work, which was the most important for me.

I worked until 21 December and had the weekend to put up my Christmas tree & inject some Christmas spirit into my house.

I did some shopping for Christmas presents and ended up spoiling myself - thank goodness for Edgars accounts - and bought myself a new Gemini nomination link (more to follow on my Nomination bracelet soon) and a lovely across-shoulder bag to go out with when I don't need my 10kg artillary regular handbag.

Christmas was really enjoyable for us because my nephew is almost 2 years old and now able to enjoy the Christmas presents so much more.

He is a very well-behaved child and has a very sweet nature - I am so proud of my brother and sister in law, they are doing a great job with him.

Mom says that when he visits them, Noah sees my photo in a frame and carries it around with him - BLESS!

I surprised myself when I actively sought him out to play with him and I enjoy the time with him because he appeals to my inner-child. I still do not feel the need to become a mother just yet - at 34, I have been told I will feel my biological clock ticking... perhaps the batteries are dead.

After Christmas I was stung by a bee & turned into Princess Fiona/Shrek. It was not pretty and I was princess-down for almost a week. The swelling went past my wrist and I was literally stung in passing, the stinger had not even gone past the top layer of skin in my little finger. Talk about bad luck.....

After I recovered from the sting, I contracted a stomach virus which had me unable to even hold a glass of water down.

To live up to it's reputation of happening in threes, a close friendship of mine came to an end.

Despite all this, I am feeling quite positive for the new year. 

I have my Twenty Wishes list and my new home to look forward to this year. It cannot possibly be a dull year!