So that was totally like, an awesome year n shit, hey?

Before I sit down to spend my day off reading Michail Gorbachev's "Perestroika", I thought I'd take a couple of equally indulgent minutes to reflect on what has, truly, been one of the most awesome years of my life.
I guess it started with PA giving me the Local Government round, which totally changed how I feel about work and gave me focus and purpose. I fucking love writing the shit I get to write - being the first to show people what new buildings which will change the city skyline forever will look like, exposing council junkets and having almost girly chats with the Lord Mayor. It's bloody fantastic.
This year at work also saw more of the Community clutch come across including my precious McPhee, which is rewarding in a million ways. And to top it all off about half way through the year PA asked Beatrice to share the LG round with me. Best decision ever really, because between the two of us not much slips past us and we are genuinely competitive with other news agencies on the issues worthy of daily paper attention. What's more, the girl is fucking fabulous and just an absolute pleasure to go to work with every day.
The absolute highlight of the year is sort of work-related too. It's Joey and Kelly. Making new friends is always fucking FAB and Joey's arrival in the west, at The West, and at the desk beside me has been a revelation. He doesn't know this blog exists so it's cool for me to write this shit. I love that guy. And Kelly. The only problem being Thom and Kelly lead each other wildly and expensively astray... often on money provided by Joey and I lol.
It's been a good year for friends, actually. Travelling to Sydney to spend a couple of weeks with my beautiful Daniel was fantastic. I got to see the Allcorns and some of the Outback crew and then we hired a Wicked van and drove to Dubbo to hang with the Tourles - the nicest and most genuine people on Darwin's Earth. We spent a couple of days on Naroo and I visited Oxley Downs for the first time in four years. It was a crazy and wonderful thing to do.
Then we drove to Brisbane in the Ultra Jackie Chan Van to hang with Andrew - who I'd actually known for like three years as a result of OBH but had never met. Another one of those people who you feel instantly close to.
Then Andrew and the Tourles and Daniel all returned the favour and visited me in November/December. These were the happiest weeks of the year, hanging with these people.
Then, there is the list of favourites for the year:
Person of the year: Obama. His election is truly historic. Not because he's black, but because this seems a genuine turning-point in the direction of global politics. Even hearing just a few words from his acceptance speech on a tv package last night made me choke up with tears again.
Music of the year: This has been a year of MGMT, Santogold and the Presets. My award goes to Santogold.
Concert of the year: Wow, seen so much this year. Buble, Sharon Jones, Presets, Elton John, Goldfrapp, The Go Team, Gotye, Novelle Vague. My prize has to go to Parklife for giving me Alison Goldfrapp and giving me my first festival experience with both Thoms and Big H. It was so so so fucking special cos it reconnected me and my oldest friend. Didn't realise I'd missed him so much.
Book of the year: There are two winners here because my favourite wasn't actually released this year and that seems like cheating. Holding the Man by Timothy Conigrave was my read of the year. My read of the year actually released this year is the delightfully light and deliciously funny Murder Most Fab by that splendid old poof Julian Clary. Actually could whoever I leant that to please return it? lol.
TV show of the year: Huge toss up here between Skins, which I discovered this year thanks to Andrew, and Heroes. I guess it has to be Heroes. Doctor Who was also exceptional this year, thanks mainly to Catherine Tate.
Movie of the year: Wow, well not Australia or Indiana Jones or Max Payne lol. Considering I am a massive James Bond fan, I would have suggested that would be the film I had most anticipated and would have expected to be the best, but I'm not sure it was. I was a little let down by it. As I was with the X Files movie. I think the winner was Wall-e.
Architecture of the year: The new Oslo Opera House

Day of the year: Whatever day my Spirit of the Blitz birthday party was on. I love all my friends so much for making such an extreme effort to dress up for the occasion! It looked awesome and I'm so impressed every time I look at the photos. My Andrews Sisters especially, and of course all the boys in uniform (which could have been my logic behind the theme). Happiest. Day. Ever!
And finally, my New Year's resolution:
To focus hard on four things: Loving Thom properly, my Russian studies, the gym, and squirreling enough money away for the experience of a lifetime later in the year. Not long now... D&T are on their way, Munich, Amalfi, Rijeka and London!
Happy New Year my beautiful blogging buddies x