bring out the old, bring in the new

inspired by Petra, here my abridged version of her end of year questionnaire...it's a bit late but it took me a lot of thinking to write this. Hasn't been an easy year...

what themes defined 2012 for me? 

loss, recovery, forming of new routines, optimism, energy

what things have I been putting off that I need to execute on before the end of the year? 

ha, writing this exact post (amongst many others)

what have I accomplished this year? 

I finished my university "career" in my beloved Mainz

what emotional lessons? 

life goes on, always.

what got in my way?
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"...as valid as ever

who contributed to my successes?
my husband and my father obviously.
But one friend in particular as well...without her kicking my ass to get on with uni again after dropping out and without her unbelievable help with editing my final thesis I wouldn't have a degree now!

what do I need to let go of? 

my mum

what was missing for me this year? 

life as I knew it

I stopped... ?
saying or doing this only cause I'm supposed to...I have become even more honest, outspoken und rigorous, at least I hope that

I started... ?
studying photography...as well as history and literature

I created... ? 

many many photos

I loved... ?
on a shallow level: watching Downton Abbey...seeing Cate Blanchett on stage...sniffing Cartier Baiser Vole...my new Freitag bag...cooking, eating and travelling

I was embarrassed by... ?

nothing serious...the older I get the more it takes to embarass me

I was frustrated by... ? 

superficiality, platitudes

I needed more time for... ? 

myself...when it comes to me-time I'm high-maintenance

I missed... ?

being part of a large family

I went... ? 

to Stratford-upon-Avon, Hamburg, Munich, Karlsruhe, Lubeck, Marburg, Heidelberg, Koblenz, Bruges, DePanne, Bath, Glastobury, Bristol, Volterra, Pisa, Florence, San Gimigiano, Lucca

I relaxed when... ? 

...I'm in theatre, at an airport, on a train, going for a long walk, in my bed or having a bath

time flew when... ?

every single day...I mean, 2013! Really?!?

I want to repeat... ? 

nothing, it happens for a reason that nothing in life can be repeated

I felt most alive when... ? 

I was walking through my beloved London on my own on a sunny and quiet Sunday morning

physically, the biggest difference since last December is... ? 

about 40cm less hair

psychologically, the biggest difference since last December is... ? 

being free of the extreme worries considering my mum's health

spiritually, the biggest difference is... ?

knowing that whatever happens, it will pass

socially, the biggest difference is... ? 

realizing that we all have a different ways of life now and that sometimes it is very difficult to connect again with people you once were close with. Next step is to fully accept that now.

my biggest win was... ? 

concert tickets worth 50Euros each

I want more... ? 

"quality time" (oh how much I actually hate this phrase) with my husband

the best thing I did for someone else was... ? 

going on holidays with my Dad I guess