2014, One Heck of a Year

Today is the last day of 2014 (at least for me in NZ) and really, I’m pretty excited for the new year. This year hasn’t been bad—it’s had its downs, all years do—but it’s been long. A lot has happened, but it also feels like nothing at all has.

In the end it was a year based on recovery and re-learning my own body after the nightmare of last year. That’s been mostly successful! I can run for far longer than before, I can walk back home after going into the bay, my brain fog has lessened, I don’t get anxious when I get phone calls anymore. I’m not good, but i’m okay—and that is something I very desperately needed.

As for my blog, I’m pretty happy I’m still here and writing (Even if there are sometimes big gaps between my posts!) One of my goals for next year is to kick my butt into gear when it comes to writing and blogging for all the blogs I write for, as well as for the novel I’m slowly working on.

Let’s look back at my year, because it’s far more interesting to write my own “year in review” than let Facebook generate it for me.

I actually made a video about it, back when I was doing vlogging!

Boy, I look different with shorter hair!

I ended up in hospital not long after this! No photos of that, though. I put my hospital robe on backwards and got my bra tangled up in my IV line. The nurses gave me the most pitying looks.

And then was Valentine’s Day, in which I made a… pretty embarrassing video for my old vlogging channel. I’m not kidding when I say Obi-Wan is my space husband, guys.

I don’t know what I was thinking, honestly. It was fun to make, at least!

My birthday was in April and it was Tolkien themed, so I experimented with cake decoration with one of my other best friends, Chlo. Okay, sure, it’s a little wonky. We’re still learning!

I also went to Wellington in April for another best friend’s 21st. Long story short, people were pulling kiwifruit out of their pockets and I ended up locked in a bathroom at 2am. Ah, Wellington.

April was also the month I started this blog! This kick-started my love of writing again, and helped me get some cool opportunities this year. One of my better ideas.

In March I went and did some short courses at BodyFX, in which I got to cover my friend’s face in algae, sprayed myself in the eye with an airbrush, cried in frustration at learning new things, and found a love for body art and body paint.

I wrote some posts about abuse in Star Wars, feminism and Star Wars, and racism and Star Wars.

Armageddon also happened in Wellington. It was fun, but the convention center sucked. It was hilarious watching friends beat each other up with Catbug, and I loved cosplaying Flame Princess. I want to do it again next year! (Flame Queen armour, perhaps?)

As with all years, bad things happen—and unfortunately this year is also the year my cat, my closest buddy in the whole world, died. It was a hard time for me, and it’s still hard at times. I miss him like mad. Everything can get better in time though, and I’ll always cherish my memories of the skullcat.

In July a whole bunch of us went down to Ohakune for a snowy holiday (and some cosplay shoots). One of the best parts of this year, for sure. I got super excited about snow and fell in a few drifts, some pants were ripped (not mine), and I tasted the best mulled wine I will ever have in my life.

I went to a high school ball with yet another bestie, Lizzi. It was… strange being at another high school ball after being out of there for so long, but also fun! I don’t see Lizzi much, so it was good to hang out with her.

I had a brief angry meltdown about my fatigue, and then a brief respite after a chiropractor did something (I couldn’t tell you what.) It didn’t last more than a couple weeks, but I’ve been noticeably better ever since.

Elections happened this year, and they were depressing. We had an elections party that ended up with most of us just downhearted and angry.

I went to Wellington again—dragging Alex down with me—this time for Chlo’s 21st. We made Groot cupcakes, played with our friend’s cute kitten, ate waaayyy too much, and danced at a really cool gay bar.

We were honestly terrified we were going to miss our flight out, but thanks to Jetstar always being delayed, we didn’t! (Of course, the flight got more delayed than we would have liked. Typical!) The flight down was mad turbulent, and at some point the plane just plain (ha!) dropped for a few seconds! The sound the passengers made sounded something like this.

Not long after our Wellington adventure, it was Geddon time once again. I didn’t get anywhere near as many photos as I wanted because of how busy I was, but I had so, so much fun cosplaying and hanging out with friends.

Straight after Auckgeddon I headed over to Melbourne for the first time ever! I’d always wanted to visit, and being invited to tag along with friends to PAX Aus was the perfect opportunity. I absolutely adored Melbourne, it’s a gorgeous city with so much good food. I absolutely want to go back next year, if I can find the cash! My goal for the con was to make at least one new friend, and I did just that. So many lovely people in the Aus cosplay community.

There may have been an awkward incident with a guy at a gaming bar, but we don’t talk about that.

I got a medal for a group ice skating routine!

As is tradition, I made a massive Christmas dinner for my friends again. It included (but was not limited to) a strawberry summer salad, cranberry glazed chicken, maple and orange glazed ham, and a pumpkin mousse cake. Needless to say we didn’t eat it all, and I was living off leftovers for a while!

And just this week I had a beach adventure with Alex.

As of this moment, I am about to head off to a New Year’s party. My goal for 2015 is to be happier, chiller, and write a whole lot more! Learn to roll with the punches more than I already do, enjoy the little moments, and laugh freely.

MTFBWY