New Year

Now is the time I should be writing a blog post about the past year and my hopes for the year to come.  But the truth is I don't know what to write.  So much has happened in the last 364 days but nothing of note springs to mind.  I do know I've changed.  I cannot explain the change within me, and I know that the change is only really beginning to happen.

I feel more at ease with myself than I ever have.  Yet I have also reached a point where I don't know who I am anymore.

So all I can say is I hope that in the next year I continue to allow myself to grow into the person I am supposed to be.  I don't know who that will be but I'm looking forward to finding out. But at the same time I hope to stay in the present moment, and feel who I am right now, at all times.

I look forward to seeing you all next year and we shall see where this journey called life will take me next.

My Christmas Tree

 

Every year I decorate this little tree (I did it rather late this year as I keep it at my parent's and I only came back here a few days ago).  I bought it quite a few years ago.  I looked for a tree I liked, something small for my bedroom, but didn't find anything.  Just as I had given up hope I found this one in the window of a charity shop - I went in a bought it right then and there.  Since then I have decorated it every year with the few ornaments I have. 

Each ornament tells a story and is completely individual - my favourites are the little wooden soldier that I bought in Germany at a Christmas Market and the decorated walnut I bought at a craft market one year.  My original plan was to buy an ornament each year but I just haven't found anything I really love in the past few years.  However I hope to keep decorating this little tree each year and remember with love how I acquired each ornament.  The only thing I really need for it is a little topper - maybe I'll find one next year.

What tradition do you keep each year to keep Christmas alive in your heart?

Happy Yule

Today is Yule, a celebration of life continuing.  Have a good day and appreciate everything you have, remember the Earth has given us so much so it's time we started giving back.

Countdown

There are now only a couple of weeks left until Christmas, but I wonder if we're missing the actual days because we're busy looking forward.  Believe me, I get that the anticipation is a big part of Christmas.  But sometimes I feel like I'm so worried about what I have left to do, tomorrow, next week, that I miss the present day.  So I'm going to take a moment each day to stop and notice today (as in each day that is today when I stop) and appreciate it.  Perhaps I'll make myself a cup of hot chocolate or sit and watch a film that I haven't for a while. And I hope you will join me in stopping and noticing and making each day special for you rather than missing them in the hopes that Christmas day will be special enough for all of the days you miss (which I can guarantee it won't be).

Christmas Cards

As I've mentioned before, I love writing letters and receiving post.  And at this time of year I've found it's become even more important.  Even if it's just a card with To and From written inside, it makes me feel happier.  Here in the UK the last date to send post second class is the 17th December so make sure you've written and sent yours before then.  This is one tradition that will always mean a lot to me, just knowing someone thought of me makes me warm inside (and I get to cover my door in Christmas cards).

This week hasn't been a particularly great one for me and if it wasn't for the decorations I've put up in my room it would have been downright miserable.  However, I don't really want to depress you all so close to Christmas (which is my favourite time of year!) so I think I'll just leave you with a few pictures and the knowledge that there are 13 days left!!!!

[I don't own these images - I found them on Yahoo! image search]

Review: Rebel

          When I ordered this book I wasn't aware that it was a sequel, and if I had known I probably wouldn't have brought it, but I'm glad I did.                                                                                          I don't normally go for YA but reading so many YA blogs and reviews I figured I should give something a go, and this is the book that won out - simply because I read the beginning on Amazon and was hooked.  I wouldn't say that the storyline was anything that amazing, nor the characters.  But I couldn't put it down.  R. J. Anderson has created a world so believable and so vivid in description that I was pulled in regardless.  It did what a good book should do - it kept me wanting to read and it took me away from all the problems I have in my life.  I can't wait until I can read 'Knife' which is the first book, and am looking forward to more in this series.

Extra Time

As I no longer have the internet I have found that I have a lot of extra time, most of which I've spent reading.  Seriously, I've read a lot of books the past few weeks and I'm planning on continuing to read, read, read.

The most surprising thing is that, while I knew I loved reading, I had forgotten how much reading makes me want to write.  It's as if every book I consume fuels my creative fire so now I'm rearing to go.  The only problem with this is that I want to read instead of write.  And when I do write I have to focus on my uni work rather than all the new projects that are competing for space in my head.  But I have found my love of writing again and I'm making sure I write, write, write while I still want to (but somehow can't pull it off at weekends when I'm somewhere that has internet access).

I'm Back - Sort Of

Okay, so as my title shows I'm back blogging (which I'm sure none of you could work out for yourselves from this post.  I had planned not to blog again until I had internet connection at home - due to financial reasons this is now not going to happen till January (when it will be a dongle so don't know how good my access will actually be) so I figured I could leave you all hanging till then.  Not to mention the serious withdrawal symptoms I've had myself.  So each weekend I'm planning on writing a few posts then scheduling them - therefore entirely not my fault if they don't post (as has happened in the past).

In my news: I have been reading and writing a lot (post to come later this week) and my M.E. seems to have picked up a bit.  As for snow, we don't really have much in our area and honestly I don't care - I'm not anti-snow, but nor am I 'wow snow!'  So that is all for now - hopefully you'll be able to read a few more posts this week but no guarantee (and I won't know until next Saturday so don't complain to me).