la bella isola verde

This time last year I was in Ireland. It's the part of my trip that I reflect on the most - Ireland sank into my skin and hasn't left me since. I think I will forever look back on it as one of the most beautiful, joyful times of my life.

This year, I am at work after a refreshing 2 weeks spent with family and friends. NYE was no better or worse than usual, but a last minute decision to go to Tijuana Cartel 2 days later was the saving grace of the NY weekend. They were fantastic, energetic and fun.

As the first post of the year, it seems sensible to make note of a few of my hopes for the year ahead. I'm trepidatious in that I can hardly imagine 2010 being as wonderful as 2009 was, but it's early days yet and life has a way of handing out pleasant suprises to those who are paying enough attention to spot them.

I hope I can:

• manage to write here at least once a week. It changes the way I see the world.
• continue to build a career that is challenging but also rewarding.
• sate the endless desire I have for creativity.
• focus on few enough things that I make real achievements.
• drive myself into a healthy routine that includes more exercise and less wine.
• face the fear of heartache with courage and dignity.
• draw enough inspiration around me to live 2010 as colourfully as I lived 2009.

The things I'd like to draw colour from:

• guitar
• making my own clothes
• making arty bits and pieces for my home instead of always buying them
• taking long walks
• morning kayaks on the river, when the water is like glass
• appreciating every little moment for what it is and what it's worth

We shall see how the year ahead pans out, shall we?