Looking Back to Move Forward

Last year I got caught up in the madness and didn't post my resolutions until January. This year, I'm embracing the calm before the storm by reflecting on what I said I wanted to achieve in 2016, and looking ahead at what I want to achieve in 2017.

Here is my list for 2016, so let's see how I did and what I can continue into next year!
1. Get the best degree I can, keep up the hardwork 
I got a 2:1 and a 74 for my Criminology dissertation! I now need to continue in that vein and be successful with my masters. 
2. Stop procrastinating about masters and make a decision 
I made a decision! I am now a third of the way (how quickly has that gone please?!) through my master in Terrorism, Security and Policing at the University of Leicester. 
3. Organise the fun stuff too, make the most of all this time off because you'll never get it again 
This year I was able to go on three holiday to Majorca, California and Cornwall, as well as see Bruce Springsteen and the Red Hot Chili Peppers live, not to mention lots of smaller day trips to Christmas markets and even the cinema. All in all, I think I've got the fun stuff down to a tee, and next year's shaping up brilliantly as I'm spending St Patrick's weekend in Dublin, visiting my friend Caitlin in Japan, not to mention lots of little trips in the pipeline - very exciting! 
4. Make the effort with those from 2015 you want to end 2016 with too
There are still some wrinkles that need straightening out, but I've definitely done better than worse with keeping in touch with people. I still occasionally get my head stuck up my arse and go 'sh*t it's been 6 weeks since I talked to that person!' But thankfully, the important people in my life are understanding, forgiving, and do the same themselves. We're all busy living life, but we haven't forgotten each other, so even there's room for improvement, there's definitely still time and encouragement for that too. 
5. But don't feel guilty if some people have to be let go. Work out how to get on with everyone, even if there are some you can only handle for 5 mins a day, it's healthier 
I've pretty much achieved this... I certainly have lost most of the guilt about having to move on from certain situations, and I'm proud that I've done it in a way where I have no grudges, or angst, maybe a little anxiety, but ultimately I am at peace with it all. 
6. Keep an eye on your mental and physical health equally, they're both incredibly important, as 2015 showed
Eyes have definitely been firmly kept on both of these, and I've made all of my decisions with them in mind. However, it has taken me until the end of the year to step it up an effective gear when it comes to looking after myself completely. Just got to keep at it in 2017!
7. Don't stop praying, it's always works 
100% TRUTH. 
8. Stand up after a forward roll! 
Meh. Sort of. I still cross my legs when I do it, but I'm not a cheerleader any more so...
9. Once you've saved for America, don't stop saving. It's a good skill and holidays are fantastic; a car would be pretty great too 
I've saved like a beast the past year so I'm definitely going to keep that up! I've got trips, a car and a home to buy!
10. Do something for charity, or other people in general, it's not all about you...
I'm pretty sure I've given more to charity, particularly through sponsoring the fantastic efforts of friends this year than I have done during others. Need to continue doing that for sure, and perhaps get more actively involved in charities, helping others is something that we definitely all need to do more of. 

I know that 2016 for the entire globe has been pretty darn terrible, but hopefully this is rock bottom so we can only go up from here! There are still positives to be found though, as there always are, so here's to focusing on the positives, striving to eliminate the negatives and making the most of the new year we've been blessed with!  

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

My December has begun in the most festive ways possible, and I think that's why I'm feeling the most festive I've ever felt. I've never been an out and out Scrooge, but Christmas isn't my favourite time of the year at all, I much prefer bonfire night and Halloween. This year Christmas so far has definitely been enjoyable though!

Last weekend, Alex and I spent a couple of days in London. My parents bought us tickets to see England and Australia play rugby at Twickenham as our Christmas presents, so we built a weekend trip around that. As I've said before, I really dislike London, but there are times it's worth being there and last weekend was definitely one of those times.

We traveled down by train on the Friday and checked into our B&B, the Dawson House Hotel near West Hempstead tube station. It was exactly what we needed, decently sized comfy place only 10 minutes from the tube, but on Friday we decided to do the hour's walk to Hyde Park. It was a nice enough walk, seeing bits of London new to Alex and I, we stopped for dinner at the Pizza Express (their Christmas pizza was delicious!! A stuffing, pizza and pork dream!) and then we hit Oxford Road. The lights and decorations were lovely to see, but the people, as always weren't. It was just too busy and people were all over the place. But hey ho, I expect it now. From there we entered Hyde Park for Winter Wonderland.

It really was a sight to behold. There was so much going on from craft stalls, stalls of all the bad but tasty food, fun houses, hook-a-duck games, haunted houses, and the piece de resistance - the german beer tent! After battling our way through the crowds to see all that could be seen, Alex and I queued for about 15 minutes to enter the Bavarian Village. We grabbed our steins, finally found a bench to sit at and then thoroughly enjoyed the festive party atmosphere guided by a really decent and (seemingly authentic) German band. It was fantastic! Considering the Winter Wonderland is free to get into, an the steins were only a fiver, it was a surprisingly decent priced night out in London and thoroughly enjoyable!!

The next day, the Saturday, was match day!! We got £8 all day tube travel tickets and made our out to Twickenham stadium, the home of English rugby if you don't know. On the way to the stadium from the station, we got a pork and stuffing bap from a food van parked in someone's front lawn, as you do, then made our way to the humongous Guinness tent, because what else would we do?! It says a lot of positive things about rugby crowds that alcohol is allowed into the games, unlike at international football matches, and that supporters of both teams sit together rather than apart. It creates a really chill and inclusive atmosphere, and builds up the opportunities for some hilarious back and forth. 

Our seats were amazing, and during both halves much of the action happened in our corner of the try line. We also seemed to be in a particularly singy corner of the stadium, I don't think I've ever sang 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' so much, and I want to start a petition for 'Jerusalem' to be our new national anthem. To to top it all off, England won!!!! And then we had to get back to the hotel as quickly as possible because we had dinner reservations. 

The restaurant we ate dinner at was the Doubletree by Hilton at the Docklands, I found it through Wowcher as they were offering a voucher for a reduced price 3 course meal and a bottle of prosecco. The food was delicious! We were given a table right next to a window that looked out over the Thames and onto Canary Wharf which added to the experience and was totally unexpected. Afterwards, we got a boat across the Thames, then made our way through Canary Wharf, got a tube, then headed through central London for a couple of pints in a Canadian pub Alex knew of. That Saturday was pretty much us in a day, and I loved it. 

After lunch of Guinness cake in Camden market, spotting Rich Hall in St Pancras but being too scared to approach him, seeing that yet again Platform 9 3/4s was too busy for a proper photograph, and wandering around the British library, it was home time!

As if that wasn't enough Christmas for one weekend, this Wednesday Alex and I went to Birmingham to see the Nightmare Before Christmas. It was in 3D, and on for one night only. Alex isn't it's biggest fan, but I adore Tim Burton and Nightmare Before Christmas is in my top 5 favourite films, so he'll watch it with me once a year. This year was a particularly fun watching! I loved how many adults were in there, singing along like big kids, it was fab.

The festivities are still occurring as I'm about to go and meet two great friends from Keele to wander the Birmingham Christmas markets! Hope your Christmas time has started well whether you celebrate it or not!