2019

2019, where on earth did it disappear to? Amiright?!

For me it’s been a bit of a weird one. Work wise it’s been bloody great. But personally, it has just felt like a relentless wave of difficulties to deal with, I don’t want to dwell but they have included;

• having to move flat
• family members being very very unwell
• housemates moving out constantly (I can’t tell you how many evenings I have lost showing people round)
• chasing people for money (especially people who I used to live with)
• being ill myself (10 days of gastroenteritis and then 5 days with laryngitis and not being able to speak)
• and unfortunately a family funeral
• and some other bits which I am still getting my head round..

I feel like I have had chronic stress from all the stuff going on outside of work for probably the last month and a half, so the Christmas break is very much needed.

I just need to properly switch off. Not think. Just be.

I think the upside of all of this is that I have realised how resilient I am, that no matter what I am dealing with I can turn up every day (sometimes a bit grumpy) and do much job, and not just do it, but evolve it.

Just imagine what I could have achieved if I wasn’t under all that stress? *cough* World domination*cough*

(Actually you laugh, but I am sure if I was able to mobilise all the squirrels in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, it would be achievable)

Anyway, I digress, onto the better bits!…

I have been out and about round Europe this year for work..

Starting with Geneva in March, and it was the first time I had been to Switzerland, and it was so pretty over the lake just as dusk fell.

This was my very first European marketing lunch, and it could not have gone better, very thankful to the warm welcome and open discussion at that lunch.

Next stop on my work trips was another place I hadn’t been to.. Milan back in May!

Unfortunately though, it was raining, that didn’t put me off having a walk around before heading to work drinks.

There were some really interesting points that were brought, many about the generational differences, which is prevalent throughout most countries with social media to varying degrees.

(Also can I just say how much I love the girls at our Milan office, now where’s my Ciobar?)

My next work trip in June took me too.. Madrid.

Another place I hadn’t been to, and I loved it, such a beautiful city, especially when it’s hot hot hot!

In July, I headed to Frankfurt, poor Frankfurt lucks out here, as I didn’t have enough time to explore properly.

So let’s move onto Paris! Which I was on the train to in September. We had two marketing lunches scheduled in, and in fact the first one was oversubscribed, it was really great to see how keen every one is to discuss, and a couple have since asked for some guidance since.

And then finally, in November, I headed back to Berlin! I was hosting the second Social Media Cafe, the first one last year went so well it was what enabled me to go round Europe this year.

I very much enjoyed catching up with the ladies who attended in after the gala dinner, what a lovely bunch they are.

I of course realise how lucky I am to be able to travel to such wonderful placesX next year I am already confirmed for New York which I am looking forward to!

Other work highlights include my Digital Marketing workshop in March and the Social Media Cafe at Berlin.

And I am excited as last month I was invited to speak at SMIF 2020!

Onto some non-work highlights now!

First up, back in April I went to my friend’s hen do in Rome. Ah, Rome, it’s one of, it not, my favourite places, I always feel content wandering it’s streets, eating gelato and drinking wine on rooftop bars (funny that).

(As a really random aside, which you didn’t ask for.. I own some really beautiful pyjamas, which I have never worn, I am saving them for a time where I can be somewhere in Italy, in the morning stood on a balcony overlooking the beautiful scenery, is that weird? probably, that is my modus operandi after all)

And following the hen do of course, was the wedding itself! A beautiful summer’s eve spent within the grounds of grand Holkham Hall. It was so wonderful to see Caz get married, to a really lovely lovely guy. Just an all round great day.

You can see me failing at courtyard games below.

Next up was another visit to Secret Cinema! This time it was Stranger Things, and I have to say they really outdid themselves, recreating the mall, and the outdoor fair all within a warehouse in Canning Town. It was just amazing. If you can get tickets to go, then go!

I have also been to the Theatre a few times this year, starting with ‘Grief is the thing with feathers‘ which I still think about today, it was that good, the book also is one that you’ll occasionally find yourself thinking about. Cillian Murphy should have gotten more nominations for his performance, or at least for his balancing skills.

Then it was onto Betrayal, which starred my future husband; Tom Hiddleston, as well as the brill Zawe Ashton and Charlie Cox. Really simple set, and focused just on the 3 characters, you almost wanted to see it 3 times so you could focus on each character at a time, but as it was a sell-out no can do mon amie.

And finally, but definitely not least, was Sir Ian McKellen on stage, actually now the third time I have seen him on stage, but this was him discussing his life, and career, and it began with him reading LOTR ‘Fly you fools!’ passage (It is ‘fly you fools’, and yes you still owe me £10, you know who you are). Anyway the whole afternoon was just fantastic, what a treasure he is.

Now let’s get onto some music! It was all about the 70s/80s, as this summer I got to see both Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles. In the same week no less.

I loved both, and they both remind me of growing up, especially FM’s album ‘Tango in the Night’ (I know, everyone always talks about ‘Rumours’, but this is the one for me) but I was 1 when this came out, and I swear it was on permanently for about 4 years.

And of course The Eagles, who were on as much as Fleetwood Mac, and I have to say I probably know all the words to sing-a-long to on at least 4/5 of the records, I even attempted to learn it on the harmonica at one point this year (was more successful with Louis Armstrong).

I have also been quite creative this year, I painted another self portrait, but also, for the first time I painted someone else’s portrait, a very good friend of mine for her birthday, and thankfully she loved it!

I am hoping to can fit more time in next year to do more. I have seen a couple of life drawing classes back in London so I hope to get to a few of those.

There have been many other things I have done this year, but I feel I have gone on for long enough, so here’s to entering 2020 with a clear vision (geddit?) and I’ll leave you with some Christmas party snaps!