Monday 31 December 2012

2012 Highlights

Despite all attempts by the governments, the weather and Wirral Council, it's been a good year for me on balance.

Travel highlights were the trip to the south western states of the USA - Sedona, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon... oh, and ... erm ... Vegas. Mallorca and Turkey were enjoyable but not in the same class.

Best moments: there was much to remember this year by in the UK too and I'm still buzzing from attending the Paralympics for a couple of days including 'Thriller Thursday' where Hannah Cockcroft, Johnnie Peacock and David Weir won golds.

Despite not being a 'sporty' person, I'd say that following the Olympics and Paralympics was THE best part of the year.



Writing highlights were: My first play - 'Enola Gay' - being premiered as part of Wirral's Festival of Firsts, a couple of competition wins and coming in the top ten of the Pulp Idol novel-writing contest.

Movies: I only saw a handful of new movies but the most teary was War Horse [DVD], and the most satisfying was Skyfall [DVD]


Best purchase of the year... possibly any year ever: The iPad

Best meals of the year were in Cafe Sage, Wallasey Village and The Portrait House, Hoylake. Best buffet - The MGM champagne 'brunch' in Vegas... which I managed to stretch from 10ish to 4ish!

Favourite books: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - a quirky, poignant story about likeable characters facing a heart-breaking decision - and Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson - an unnerving tale of a woman's search for the truth when she never remembers what happened yesterday.

Worst weather: where to begin? Snowed under in Flagstaff? Horizontal deluge at the Status Quo concert in Speke? Or just the remorselessly grim grey gloom that loomed over the whole year.

There are other categories, I'm sure, but these are the main things that leap to mind at this point. Starting the new year with a few more writing credits under my belt, still in gainful employment and no bits fallen off yet. I hope 2013 finds you in fine fettle too - and I'd love YOU to share your highlights here!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

8 comments:

  1. and may 2013 be just as eventful but without the efforts of the government,.WBC etc x

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  2. I'm glad you've had such a good year, and hope you follow it up,with another. (Ours was awful, so we're hoping for better In 2013!)

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    1. It's certainly your turn to have a good year, Frances - here's wishing you one! x

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  3. Highlight for me was undoubtedly spending a huge chunk of time in the US this summer visiting people I love.
    And in the 'lowlight' category, I think having to leave Son#1 in the US and fly back to Seoul would have to be the winner.
    I don't know how it got by me that you'd had a play produced - congratulations! And so happy that you enjoyed Sedona (sorry about Flagstaff, though.) We lived for 6 years in Arizona and still think of it as 'home.'
    Best wishes for a wonderful-if-not-even-better 2013!!!

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    1. I meant to follow your trip but have been a bit absent from blogging of late. Where did you live in Arizona? Loved it, despite the weather. All the best to you for 2013 too!

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