2010 an Odyssey…

Happy New Year folks! I hope your New Year got off to a great start? How could it not with such an amazing Blue Moon to herald in the New Year! It was glorious and so bright. Just as the moon was starting to rise, I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it and it was huge and heavy, sitting on the horizon. Sadly I didn’t have my camera on me at that time, but I managed to get a few shots in after the magic hour…

We had a great night playing Wii and seeing in the New Year.

So as always, I like to do a little recap on the past year, it helps put the year in perspective. Even the worst years have silver linings when you look hard enough. I like to remember the positive things, the successes and the achievements rather than the failures or disappointments. So what have I achieved this year? Well, the thing that  is most memorable about this year is my flying lesson! What an amazing experience and certainly one I’ll never forget!

I’m most proud of the fact that I passed my TESOL qualification and I now teach EFL for a few hours a week. This was particularly an achievement because of my stroke a year and a half ago. I also now teach full time, having got another teaching job as well this year. Sadly, my jobs are two part-time, hourly paid jobs which equate to full time hours but without full time benefits like holiday pay. Sad, but true, but I still count it as an achievement. We also managed to get a holiday in this year, the first for years. It wasn’t without it’s hiccups *cough*clutch*cough* but our visit to Cornwall was lovely and we managed to get to Eden which was great. Actually, we got two holidays if you count our weekend in Glastonbury which was so relaxing.

So what else have I done? I’ve lost almost two stone this year, bringing me back down to my pre-TESOL weight, I’ve been to see a musical in London…

I was a volunteer steward for the Barefoot Festival, a festival of dance…

I danced at two Halfas and went to Alton Towers with my Sis…

I finished my first cable project and a number of other outstanding WIPs. I did a lot of reconstruction and embellishment projects, and some jewellery projects. I cleared a large part of my garden and made a little seating area which hopefully I’m going to improve this year. There is more, but I’m not going to bore you with all the little details. You can look back over my blog for those.

So, plans for this year? Well, this week we’re finally getting our living room floor laminated. Hurray! That’s a major outstanding project. I’m going to get out and about more, and now I have Pearl to guide me (my new SatNav), there should be no problem there. I’d also like to play around more with my mini microwave kiln because I haven’t had much of a chance to do that this year. Too much work and not enough play time makes Samsara a very frustrated girlie! I’m going to go to more festivals and parties, get away more in my caravan, and hopefully get a bit fitter. I’d like to de-clutter my house a little this year. Like many crafters, I’m a terrible hoarder. I’m going to try and getter a better balance in my life, between work, creativity, social and virtual (I discovered Facebook this year and spend way, way too much time on there *lol*)

Well, that’s all I’ve got at the moment. I’m not one for making ‘Resolutions’, I just have things I’d like to do if I get the opportunity'; then I don’t beat myself up about things if I don’t manage them! So, 2010, a new year and a new beginning, another chapter in my personal odyssey. Bring it on!