When the Cheshire emerges...

On this day one year ago I did a pretty good wrap of my 2012 highlights and I was excited for 2013. Now I'm hanging out for it to be tomorrow so I can start afresh and get my life re-sorted.

I don't really know what I should say about 2013 as a year.

It started great with my trips to the Australian Open and Brisbane/Port Stephens. I have nothing but good memories with those, so can't complain about the summer really.

But then it just fell to pieces by the time winter came along. There were so many things not clicking in different parts of my life and I felt rather lost. I was unhappy with work, which didn't make for a healthy mind, and felt helpless.

The last few months have really helped in restoring what I thought was gone. I'm still getting there, but I really feel anything's going to be better than the rollercoaster of the last 12 months. My connections with friends in Dubbo strengthened when I needed them most, and for that I'm eternally grateful.

And importantly, I landed a job that piqued my curiosity as well as that of many who know my new employer's reputation.

This year has made me doubt my abilities as a journalist, and I still have those doubts sometimes. But in Darwin I've been given the chance to give it a red-hot go and that's all I ask. In a completely different vibe from Dubbo, I've been socially active from the start with people that want my company - no questions asked. You couldn't imagine the difference it makes, whether you know people in a place (as I actually do here) or not.

Having said all of that, it's over. There were lessons learned, as outlined perfectly by this blogger. January 1 brings that fresh start we all need at this time, that knowledge anything's possible. There's plenty for me to look forward to in 2014, namely my World Cup trip and two weddings to attend. I have hope, and that's all I wish for everyone else.

Happy New Year to you all. Sorry for the soppiness. x

WOW.

I've been watching Big Brother tonight in slight disbelief.

It's that time of year ALREADY. It's back. For season number 10 if you can believe it.

Last year's return of the best reality TV show around (sorry, I don't care for singing contests, that's not a social experiment) came off pretty brilliantly. I'd considered going for it but decided not to, and by the end of the season was so impressed I thought 2013 could be my year.

I did actually apply this year FYI, with a video audition because I live far enough from Sydney that I'm allowed to. In hindsight, I think I would have looked more reserved, and as a result didn't have that, ahem, x-factor.

***

This year's contestants really seem like a mixed bunch, different to usual. Ed's the hottie (and Adelaide born, woo!), Tim is going to rub everybody up the wrong way, I think Sharon's going to be a cooler 'older' person than previous counterparts, and this gay Ben is just so cuddly cute.

I can't believe how excited I was before on remembering Big Brother started tonight. It's going to be another three months of obsessing over people and their reactions to changes in their constrained environment.

I can't wait to see how it unfolds.

Courtesy NBC News

Eurovision.

The most wonderful time of the year is here.

Last year I wrote the My decade of Eurovision series about my various quips and admirations of the song contest.

In 2013, my spirits rise once again in anticipation of the most exciting musical event of the year.

I have struggled to decide on whether to listen to some songs ahead of the semi-finals. But after last year's emphatic effort in raising the bar I'm worried that wouldn't do me any good. And I like it better when I'm finding out about the songs as they're performed.

One thing I'm still baffled about a year on though:

It's been three days and I STILL can't understand how @eurovision voters gave Tooji last place. I just want to give Norway a big hug...
— Katina V (@Katiinkaa) May 30, 2012

I still listen to it all the time. I don't understand Europe's thoughts sometimes...

That aside, look out for my thoughts during the semis and grand final. And always feel free to pipe in and join the conversation!

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They used to say to scientists, "Do you believe in God?" and the scientist would respond, "No, I'm a scientist." Today, in the 21st century, if you ask a scientist, "Do you believe in God?" the scientist will say, "Of course. I'm a scientist!".

Did anyone catch The Mindy Project after HIMYM on Monday night? I found it taped by accident and ended up watching it after looking up that it was the first episode. Pretty funny actually, even for another doctor show (seriously USA, there's enough of them now). See how we go with next week's episode...

Now doesn't this look interesting? Another reworking of Sherlock Holmes, yes, but I'm kind of intrigued. Jonny Lee Miller already to me is an awesome choice as the great detective - how has he NOT done it before now? I'm cautious to see how this goes with the major differences (Watson as a woman and the New York setting); I've never really gotten stuck into a Sherlock TV series so I might give this a go.

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On a different note, I've never watched My Kitchen Rules for more than 20 seconds before Tuesday night, but I found myself eating dinner in front of the TV as Tassie dad-son duo Mick and Matt did their best to impress their fellow contestants with their seafood expertise. I can see how it's addictive! Can't say I'll be watching it every night, but it's high pressure watching for sure.

I'm trying to avoid getting into too much new stuff again this year. I found 2012 was pretty hectic just as it was and I'm trying to do different things in my spare time. Will still be keeping up with Downton Abbey among other shows from last year though - I've found myself singing and bopping to my rendition of She Wolf for weeks not being able to get the montage from the ad out of my head! So excited it's "after the tennis" now (in one way anyway).

I'd still like to know what shows you'll be getting into in 2013...

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Creativity means believing that you have greatness.
Why?

I was at Sydney Airport for four-and-a-half hours today in coming back to Dubbo after a (my first) Christmas break at home, so while I usually have time to relax on New Year's Day for reflection on the past year, it was today instead that I took the liberty to assess what I felt I had accomplished and could improve on.

For the record, this trip to Adelaide was my longest (at 10 days) and the one that's been the most important so far. It got me thinking of 2012's ups and downs, how things were getting to me sometimes for feeling isolated or what I've self-diagnosed as an increase in my anxiety. Looking at some books in my bedroom over there, I found myself grabbing this:

My memory's a bit of a shocker these days, so I don't remember who bought this for me (I know it was a present, maybe from an aunty?), but this pocket book contains a series of affirmations to help you... well, stay on the path.

On the path to what? A higher sense of being? Complete happiness? I don't know that I'll ever get to both of those (there will always be complications in life and that is something I readily accept), but perhaps this will help me attain a status close to those. Wayne W Dyer is one of the best in the self-help field so I'm putting myself in his hands.

You can tell I'm all reflective given it's a new year, can't you?

So I've decided to make 2013 a year of affirmations. A page a day for the year, posted on here to help me and you make it a positive 12 months.

For the first two days of the year I will present two affirmations. The first is a great way to look at our lives in general, fitting for the start of a new year.

All of us are on our own paths, doing exactly what we know how to do at the moment, given the conditions in our lives.

Today's:

The measure of your life will not be in what you accumulate, but in what you give away.

I will be generous and care less for material possession. Dubbo has taught me about the latter somewhat - you don't need too much to get by.

As 2012 comes to an end, we often reflect on the highlights and low points. Yesterday was definitely a highlight, with my Twitter review of the past year.

London 2012 and Eurovision dominated conversation, while Luke, my Twitter BFF since January, was most involved in my discussions. Take a look if you like. It's a pretty graphic.

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It's the end of 2012, so I'm going to reflect a bit about what my year's been like in a nutshell.

January brought about the Australian Open and its frustrations, the beginning of my year-long shoe watch (still yet to be completed on here I realise) and I wasn't sure about definite locations for my New Zealand trip. I embarked on that trip at the end of February, beforehand having discovered I was falling in love with reading all over again.

March was mostly holidaying still, while April brought about the return of the mullet in my life, realising my social experiments for Dubbo had largely failed and beginning a trip down memory lane from my epic 2011 adventure.

May. Wow. Introducing Julia and Luke somewhat to Eurovision during my 10th year of watching, being chosen as the runner-up for the Dubbo Showgirl and dramas within Fairfax made it a crazy month.

June was when I discovered online streaming (hel-lo Euro 2012) but July was when I received a crazy amount of hits for a photo I used of Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker (455 at time of writing), The Dark Knight Rises happened and the Olympics had started while home for my birthday.

The end of August marked my time at cadet camp as well as the end of a crazy two months of sports watching, then September got crazy in another way as I travelled from Dubbo to Adelaide and back by car. There are still entries to come on that, again, a result of recent developments.

I was tired in October, but still felt plenty was going on as I found I was allergic to running and then sided with most of Australian AFL fans on the Kurt Tippett saga. Oh, and I was mesmerised by the 7 Up series.

November saw the end of Big Brother's return and Stereosonic (my first festival in more than 12 months), not to mention the beginning of my recent blogging decline with photo issues. December hasn't been without its moments though, namely the prank call scandal, the end of the world and my quest to become a professional blogger for Expedia.com.au.

It's been a pretty huge year.

I've been blessed with the opportunity for more travel, both domestically and the great time in NZ. I've spent time with family and friends well, seeing as it doesn't come around much with my current location, and while there's been turmoil in the company, work's alright. I'm constantly learning about myself and others and that's all I can ask for.

I think 2013 has the potential to be my biggest year yet. I just have to utilise it early. Happy new year!

*For the record, I don't know what my favourite film of 2012 was. I'm yet to see The Hobbit and haven't had time to really assess it. But I think The Dark Knight Rises would be up there.

While watching sports replays aren't everyone's cup of tea, there are definitely advantages. Some general, and some specific to the given game.

Having followed the Tomic vs Verdasco Australian Open game online while at work (and now with Optus I can get it on the road for free, yew!), it was good to wind down with watching the last two sets.

Even if I knew how it ended.

Because you find out things. You're not watching for the score as much as the other elements. Tennis is a particularly interesting example.

People still call tweets twitters.
   Jim Courier trying to correct Bruce McAvaney was hilarious while still very subtle. People today were tweeting from set three that Tomic could come back...

The tweeters are always right.
  They weren't wrong were they? I particularly liked one tweet (sorry for the lack of source) that wrote they were loving the tequila sunrise outfits of Verdasco and his Spanish ensemble. Great comment. Power to the tweeter.

Things about the players' outfits become more noticeable.
  While I saw the outfit first as a Spanish summer as opposed to the drink (bright with their flag colours), Verdasco's wearing a hat now. Whether he did before I cannot recall, I was always too busy appreciating his face. Which is harder when a cap attempts to cover it.

You appreciate faces in the crowd.
  Many a time there's someone famous in the crowd, or a mysterious partner/friend/relative in a player's box that isn't revealed as a significant person for much longer than you would like. Or just general people in the crowd like in this game, where who I think was an extremely good looking guy was sitting behind Pascal Maria. On a side note, that's a name I appreciate. The coolest name for an umpire ever.

Realising the ad quality has seriously declined = dampener.
  While the Australian Open is back (which is awesome and something I ALWAYS hang out for), I miss the awesome American Express ads with Andy Roddick in his heyday. Nothing could ever top those for this tournament I don't think, too good. We lost out when Amex pulled their major sponsorship.

Jim Courier would have to have the best US accent ever.
I've been on the Courier bandwagon for some time now with some help from my besties, but listening to his voice without having to reeeeally pay attention to the commentary is very manageable. It's not nasal, doesn't have a twang, and he doesn't stutter. Plus he's totally charming so that always works in someone's favour.

I never took advantage when it was closest.
I lived in Adelaide. It can cost you $49 one-way to Melbourne with hand luggage. WHY I never organised to take the time off I don't know. And then when I looked at ticket prices for 2012 (thinking of finally getting there) I moved halfway across the country.

But regardless, I will be going in 2013. I've waited far too long and next year it will be well deserved.

FLASHBACK: this is the last tennis action I saw live (besides the mens Wimbledon final last year, but that was on a screen so technically doesn't count), the inaugural World Tennis Challenge in Adelaide in 2009. We saw Jim Courier in the flesh and watching the oldies play was a lot of fun.

Djokovic with his trophy just by the door there...

I have three posts waiting to go. But I refuse to reveal them to you without photos and there's currently a glitch in the Blogger system, so I frustratingly have this post sans visuals as my only vice.

However, I'm watching the tennis and STOKED it's finally Australian Open time next week. Only this time watching the day sessions will never be possible because of work, which is a total shame. I miss the summers where I would veg out every day I could. It's becoming less and less of a reality.

That's why I'm taking time off for the 2013 event.

I've said I would go for years but I think I have to really get my act together and do it. First week action would be the name of my game, although a final would be nice too...

I have photos from my venture to Wimbledon for the mens' final in 2011, where I sat in Court 2(?) and watched it eating strawberries and cream under a strong English sun. But I can't show you those either, CAN I? How stupid.