2018 in Review

So 2018 is officially done. To be honest, I’ve had some worse years. And that’s saying something when you’re as pessimistic and miserable as I am. In a nutshell, 2018 was the year I threw up in my husband’s BMW after drinking too much (don’t worry, it was in a Primark carrier bag), the year I got my phone, driving licence and debit card stolen after drinking too much, and the year that I’ve written off a fair chunk of through – you’ve guessed it – drinking too much. Yes, there is definitely a pattern.

Before you start thinking that discussing my impending drinking problem is a bit too dark for a first post, you can relax. First of all, I’ll tell you that I rang in 2019 pretty sober, and that this is the first New Year’s Day that I’ve woken up hangover free. Secondly, 2018 wasn’t a complete car crash of a year. In fact, it was actually a pretty good one.

The Year I Discovered Pilates

Those who know me will be aware that 2017 was the year I discovered running. Subsequently, 2018 was the year I stopped running. Why? Simple. It was cold and inside I’m still technically a miserable little 13 year old who skips PE during the winter months. With a note from my mother – total badass. Anyway, wanting to keep up my new found fitness levels, I tried out a Davina DVD. But the problem with an exercise DVD is that it gets old really quickly. Luckily, my friend told me about Blogilates. If you haven’t heard of Cassey Ho and Pop Pilates, check her out. She is amazing. I’ve discovered a form of exercise I actually enjoy and I’ve managed to stick with it all year.

The Year We Bought a House

Officially deciding that it’s time to grow up properly, my husband and I are currently in the process of buying our first house. We were feeling pretty smug with the fact we were buying a new build – no need to worry about people pulling out of a chain and all that. We were very much looking forward to moving in by October when we started things back in August. Then it was delayed until December. Then til January. It’s now delayed until March. Possibly. We don’t know. Let’s just say the smugness has completely gone now and I want to punch anyone that asks “any news about your house yet?”

The Year of Great Stand-Up

Stand up comedy is always a thing my husband and I do, and we’ve seen some good ones this year. My particular favourites were Rachel Parris, Chris Ramsey, and a charity gig that we went to for Above & Beyond, who support hospitals across Bristol. They had some of my favourite comedians like Joel Dommett, Jon Richardson, and my love, Russell Howard, to name a few. It was a hilarious evening with the all important message of making sure that we look after the NHS, just as it’s done for us all these years.

The Year I Discovered Gilmore Girls

Don’t judge. I had tried many times to get into Gilmore Girls in the past, but just couldn’t for whatever reason. Then I decided to take advantage of it being on Netflix and I now feel like a dick for not persevering with it. It wasn’t just Gilmore Girls though – 2018 was the year I discovered plenty more obsessions. Take The Greatest Showman – a film I had no interest on seeing, but after a spontaneous cinema trip, I discovered this absolute MASTERPIECE. Also – Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron dancing around in waistcoats…oh my. Music wise I was listening to Taylor Swift’s Reputation pretty much all the time (my Christmas present from 2017) because let’s face it, she is FLAWLESS. Swiftie forever.

The Year I Quit My Job

I finally decided to grow some balls and leave the job I’d been unhappy in for quite a while. After 5 years I was staying there due to my irrational hatred of change, but with the new house coming up, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for a fresh start. May as well go all in, after all. After several unsuccessful job applications, I interviewed for and was offered a position writing for a digital media company. I get my weekends back, it’s better money, and most importantly, I’m much happier when I get up in the mornings.

The Year I was a Bridesmaid

I had the absolute joy of being one of the bridesmaids at my best friend’s wedding this year. It was a fabulous day all round and I cried more than I did at my own wedding. If you’re reading this Lils, you looked amazing and thank you so much for letting me be a part of your day. Love you!

So all in all, 2018 has been a pretty good year. I also went to Gran Canaria for a second time, and my mother and I went to Dogfest 2018 in the hope of meeting Noel Fitzpatrick. We did not. Although we saw him filming something, so somewhere there’ll be a video of him talking while two women in the background argue whether or not it’s actually him while their fluffy little dog is just living her best life in the sunshine.

Hopefully, this time next year I’ll be writing a similar post but sat in my new house, with a decent laptop unlike the piece of crap that I’ve had to abandon using and continue writing this post on my phone.

Happy new year y’all. X