And so this is was Christmas… although, there was definitely something missing. Every Christmas we used to receive a letter in the mail with a yearly update of some family friends that I’d never met. My parents never once wrote them back and as far as I’m aware haven’t seen them in about 20 years, but still the letters came. That is until my parents moved and failed to update their (clearly close) friends with their new address.

The two kids were about my age and I followed them as they grew in their study, extra-curricular activities and skills in card making. Last I heard of them it was becoming pretty clear that the older sister was somewhat of an overachiever. Her lengthy paragraph was filled with complimentary commentary on her success as a lawyer and generally lots of positive adjectives. Next was the section on the younger brother, William. This was considerably shorter and padded out with details of recent purchases like a new push bike and a monthly train ticket. The shame.

As the youngest of some successful siblings I felt an affinity with William, but I never got to tell him or empathise with him. So this post is dedicated to William and his unappreciative family. May he laugh at my shortcomings and may his family never broadcast his public transport ticket purchasing habits again.

2012 – Highlights of a ‘successful’ year:

Employment: I’m still gainfully employed. And liking it! I work for the ABC who make sweet shows like A Moody Christmas and Problems. Although I’m definitely not paid to endorse that kind of stuff, in fact they’d probably rather I didn’t.

There was also that trip to space…

Left and right: Still can’t tell left from right…

Still.

The end of Gossip Girl: It’s a bittersweet feeling to see a favourite TV show draw to an end. Just recently I watched the final ever episode of Gossip Girl, completing my 6 year involvement in the scandalous lives of Manhattans’ elite. This made me a little sad; like I’ve lost a bunch of close friends. 6 years commitment to a TV show is a significant emotional investment. I know more intimate details about S, B, Chuck, Nate and Lonely Boy than I do friends I’ve known for years (and gladly so). At an hour an episode total time spent viewing equals to around 121 hours, or the equivalent of 15 working days. Thinking about it that way I could have actually achieved something with that time… in three working weeks I could have written my first screenplay, trained for a half marathon, or learnt a language. But no, I spent hangovers on the couch wondering where Serena had got to this time, when Blair and Chuck would get back together, and which of Lily’s ex-husbands would come back from the dead. Was it worth it? That’s one secret I’ll never tell, xoxo.

Who could forget that film clip with Jason Donovan…

Eyelashes: Some of my eyelashes still point the opposite direction. I look a bit like snuffalapagas from Sesame St.

Holidays: I was lucky to get the chance to see some wildlife up close in Far North Queensland. I saw backpackers and diving instructors in their natural habitat at The Woolshed nightclub in Cairns. Many different species came together under UV lights, drank shots from test tubes and danced on the tables… all on a Tuesday night.

Dinner with the Obamas was definitely a highlight…

This blog: It wouldn’t be a Christmas movie without the sappy happy ending!I’ve just passed my one year blog anniversary and I wanted to say a big thanks to all for reading. It  really means a lot to have you guys here, both those that comment and those that visit in silence. Having your support gives me the confidence to keep writing and hopefully improve along the way. Not really sure where this will go, but hopefully I’m headed somewhere in the right direction. And now it’s snowing and Santa’s sleigh is cruising across the sky and the couple finally get together because it’s Christmas and there’s peace on Earth-wait, where was I? Got a bit caught up in my Christmas movie ending. Stuff it, let’s end it there.

God bless you… every one!