Looking back across the landscape of 2024, I see that overall it was a year of massive growth for me. I did a whole lot more than I expected to do, faced some pretty unpleasant situations and had some major celebrations and massive highlights along the way as well.
I do love to brag about my amazing yearly achievements, not because I want to rub anyone's face in them, but mostly because looking back and remembering a year completely really helps me to identify all of the joys, personal highlights and reasons to be grateful, of which I have many in my life. Just take a look over the epic year that 2024 was for me: 
JANUARY: 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene (FLOW), Fruit Picking, Spicywatch Movie nights started, joined the sangha, Seth's 19th birthday, Hepburn bath-house, Day-tripping around Victoria, Chinese New Year celebrations, tuned in to the Triple j Hottest 100.
FEBRUARY:  Freja was born! Blackberry picking. 
MARCH: International Women's Day, My 50th birthday, Joined the Women's New Moon Circle, Drag Bingo, Dahlia Flower Arranging Class with Seth, Mushroom picking, Bendigo Stupa - Enliven Festival 2024, Easter Sunday with the family. 
APRIL: Long Service Leave, Groundhog Day in Melbourne, French Cooking Class in Sorrento, Sanctuary Day Spa,  Trivia Nights Started, Surprise birthday lunch at Myra's, Craig's birthday.
MAY: Ghost Hunt at Barwon Estate, Fiji Holiday (Snorkelling and Kayaking), Heritage Week events and tours, Paris: Impressions at Bendigo Art Gallery. 
JUNE:  White Night, Mindful Mingle Started, Spicywatch's 10th Birthday, Ghost hunt at the Palais in Daylesford, Zoe's 27th Birthday.
JULY: Winter School Holidays, 9 to 5 The Musical, French Cooking Day in Enfield.
AUGUST:  Poco Film Festival, Yoga day at Rocklyn Ashram, Ghost Hunt at Bishop's Palace, Book week dress up, Bowling. 
SEPTEMBER: Girl's Night Out with Zoe, Day out with friends in Geelong, Zoe and Ben purchase their first house, Father's Day, Spring School Holiday Break, Ghost Hunt in Elmore, Day out with mum. 
OCTOBER:  Horror Movie Night, Jubilee Lake Picnic, Cave Hill Creek Camp with School, Overnight Freja babysitting, Halloween Trivia Night at Piano Bar. 
NOVEMBER: Accidentally Wes Anderson, Lunch in Buninyong with friends, Ghost Hunt at Bishop's Palace, Sanctuary Day Spa, 30th Wedding Anniversary,  Zoe and Ben's Housewarming, Winning the Trivia Night at Brown Hill. 
DECEMBER: Wreath Making, Colour Run, Forest Glade Gardens in Mt. Macedon, Year 6 Graduation and farewell, Christmas trivia, Landing a great new job, Christmas Drinks with friends, Christmas Day with the fam,  Midsummers Night's Dream at Kirk's Reservoir. 

There is a lot here to celebrate and appreciate that's for sure. And on top of all of that, I have also managed to squeeze in:

• Daily meditation.
• 72 books - a new record for me!
• Workouts - 5 times a week.
• 211 movies.
• 11,500 average steps a day.
• 143 TV series 
• 22 brunches/ lunches and  delicious restaurant meals with family and friends. 
• A daily French lesson on Duolingo.
• Brain Gym everyday for 10 minutes.
• A daily journal entry. 
• 12 Spicywatch movie nights and 8 cinema visits. 

​
Woohoo! That's a lot of 'doing' for one year! 
And now, as 2025 commences I wonder what will arrive in the next 12 months. A new job on the horizon and a lot of new experiences to be had that's for sure. Let's hope that it's as equally fortuitous and joy filled as 2024 was because the last 12 months were a total game charger for me!

ANORA
Release Date: 2024
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 139 mins 
A comedy-drama, written, directed and edited by Sean Baker; Anora premiered in May 2024 at the 77th Cannes Film Festival where it won the Palme d'Or and quickly became the 'must see' comedy of 2024. Anora comes on like a fever dream, taking unpredictable turns and unleashing something that is equal parts seriously screwball and surprisingly sensitive, making it one of the most original films of 2024. 
Anora 'Ani' Mikheeva is a twenty three year old stripper just making ends meet when she is introduced to Ivan, the twenty one year old son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. The two spend a whirlwind week together with Ivan paying Ani $15,000 to be his girlfriend. Whilst the two are partying in Vegas, Ivan asks Ani to marry him at a Vegas chapel. However, once the news of Ivan's marriage to a stripper reaches home, things take a turn for the worst. 
Mikey Madison is fantastic as Anora and completely embodies the sassy, smart talking  character with an infectious energy. She is extremely well support by Mark Eydelshteyn who plays Ivan and Yura Borisov, Paul Weissman, Karren Karaqulian and Vache Tovmasyan who make up the Russian gangster crew. 
This is a very funny movie, I laughed out loud so many times that I almost got tossed out of the cinema! Easily the funniest film of 2024, Anora is a fabulous offering that shouldn't be missed. 
FINAL SAY: I don't have Instagram. I'm an adult, man!
4 Chilli Peppers ​

You know what they say about the best laid plans right? Well, I got a really big serve of 'nah ya don't' from the universe this month, that I did not see coming at all. And I could've crawled into a hole and cried for days but I did not do that, even though I really wanted to, more than once or twice. Okay, well in all honesty, I may have cried a bit for a day or two, but not nearly as much as I wanted to. I did however decide to get all proactive and take the bull by the horns and I think that I have managed things pretty well, all things considered. 
So, let's start at the beginning. Things started to go south for me on December 3rd when I discovered that I needed to find a new job. After seven years of working 'one to one' with a blind student, I thought that I had given my employer plenty of signals and enough verbal interaction for them to know that I was not willing to undertake another 'one to one' learning support role in 2025. Working 'one to one' with high needs students has a 'burn out' factor that can really only be explained when you have walked the miles yourself, so to speak, and I can assure you that it takes its toll. It takes its toll physically, emotionally and mentally and everyone deserves a break from that level of intensity and I knew that I needed one.
Anyway, my employer did not listen closely to my conversations or requests, and also did not follow through on previous implications around my role, and rather unfortunately placed me in an awkward position where I found myself again in a 'one to one' capacity. Only this time, I was placed with an even more complex student that also needs to be toileted. And to that I said - hmmmm, no thanks! And that is what I told them, thank you, but no thank you. 
Which meant that I was left with less than three weeks of term to find another job. Time to draft my resume and get my cover letter sorted, I was back on the market! Fine, I got this. Then, two days later I was racing Seth to hospital because he had tonsilitis and his throat and epiglottis swelled up so much that it was closing over his wind pipe and he was choking. That was a fun ride to the hospital with my pulse racing so fast that I nearly needed an ambulance as well. 24 hours later, Seth's throat was sorted but I was struggling to sleep. That was also the day that we found the baby brown snake hanging from the garage door and I thought, what the hell is actually happening here? Mind racing, I pulled out of my work staff party (who feels like partying when you feel like that?) and my monthly sangha because I was a bit over-wrought and not great company; in fact my stress levels were quite high at that stage and I just had to retreat and have a re-group. 
I went in hard and applied for six jobs and got two interviews within ten days, which wasn't bad odds. I accepted a terrific job offer on Monday 16th December, only to receive a better one on Wednesday 18th December and then I had to have another awkward conversation to pull out of the first offer. I actually really hated doing that too because I do not like to go back on my word and it was a really good job. However, the job that I did end up taking is excellent and it is probably my last shot at leadership, so I felt that if I didn't take it I would be doing myself a disservice.
Plus, I had asked, or rather prayed, to my dad to help me on this one. I've not asked for his help with anything since he died five years ago, but I was so lost and overwhelmed that I actually called on him for a favour and asked for his support, and sure enough I landed an excellent job - so thanks dad. I really did feel like you and the universe had my back on this one. Crisis averted, got a job lined up for 2025, had my streak of three bad things, I must be coming out of the poo-pit by now right?
Yeah, not quite! After an emotional farewell to the Year 6 graduating students that I have worked with for seven years, a goodbye to the blind students that I have supported for just as long and an exit from my workplace (that's a lot of goodbyes at once - and a lot of feelings right there), I left work on the 20th feeling relatively good in spirit and ready to enjoy a well earned break and rest. All the Christmas shopping done, all I had to do was relax and enjoy the festive season. And then yesterday, because a work colleague had tested positive for covid, I thought I had better, especially since I had mum staying over for Christmas and yep - you guessed it - positive!  I have bloody covid again, for the third time and the second time over Christmas! UUUGGHHH!
​So, yep, Christmas plans had to change again! As I said, the best laid plans right? Honestly it's enough to make you cry. It turns out that Zoe, Ben and Freja all had covid last week, so they have full immunity and can still join us, which is actually fortuitous, if covid can actually ever be fortuitous. Anyway, they are still coming and will arrive tomorrow for a few days. Poor mum however cannot be anywhere near us, so she is the one who really lost out with this, but I have promised to make it up with two fun days out with her as soon as I get a negative test result. 
Anyway, long story short, it is two days until Christmas. I have experienced my own kind of fresh hell in the lead up to it but I do not want to harp on about the shitty stuff anymore. It's time to crack open the champers, put up my feet and share some quality time with my lovelies out here in Enfield. I am ready for some Christmas joy and don't want to hear another bad word about any of it. I am leaving it all behind me with 2024 and moving on up to higher ground. 

SPEAK NO EVIL
Release Date: 2024
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 110 mins
If there is one thing that James McAvoy can do well, it is crazy, and he is completely delivering 'the crazy' in Speak No Evil. A psychological thriller and a remake of the Danish- Dutch film of the same name that was made in 2022, Speak No Evil manages to bring just enough intrigue and interest to keep you invested until the bitter end. 
While vacationing in Italy, an American family of three befriend a free spirited British family and gain an invitation to holiday at their farmhouse in Devon. With the option of free travel available, the Americans happily head to the remote English location to immerse themselves in some local culture but soon discover that they have become embroiled in some very sinister goings on.
The story isn't exactly ground breaking, and the writing is on the wall very early on here, but the incredible cast really sell this film with their on-point delivery; especially Aisling Franciosi, Mackenzie Davis,  Scoot McNairy and as I mentioned earlier, especially James McAvoy who brings so much sinister side eye and sly smiling that it is impossible not to feel unnerved.  For a simple thriller, this is definitely worth a gander. 
FINAL SAY: Because you let us!
3 Chilli Peppers ​

I know that I say this every year, but what happened to October and November? I mean really - what happened? One minute I am contemplating Halloween candy in the shops and the next thing I know I'm putting up the Christmas tree and planning Christmas events. And I do not recall how it happened or how I arrived at December so quickly. Only 14 working days until the summer break commences and this year it is going to be an especially big ending for me because I am going to be saying farewell to a cohort of children that I have been with for seven years, along side of the blind student that I have supported. 
It is huge saying goodbye to a cohort, a role and an identity that I have had for seven years, but I am so ready for a new challenge and I am more than ready (although I do care for them dearly) to farewell the children that I have travelled with throughout their primary school experience. It will be a bitter-sweet farewell and an emotional one as well, that much I am sure of.
And now, over the 23 days I commence the count down to Christmas and begin to consider the wonderful opportunities that I will soon have to once again share more time with my nearest and dearest, and I cannot wait! The December calendar is fast filling up with fun events, festive celebrations and triumphant endings and I am really looking forward to enjoying all of these events with enthusiasm and energy, and the only way to do that is to make sure that I rest well, eat well and mindfully take care of myself along the way to avoid burn out. But none of this should really be a problem for me, I am quite good at setting boundaries and caring for my own wellbeing these days and I have every intention of arriving at the end of term feeling both fresh and relaxed. 
I have even made sure that my December viewing list has been created so that I don't miss any festive flick options. I am hoping to tackle (before Christmas arrives) a number of Yuletide themed undertakings:

• The Heist Before Christmas - Foxtel
• Silent Night - Foxtel
• How to Make Gravy - Foxtel
• There's Something in the Barn - Foxtel
• Dear Santa - Foxtel
• Nugget is Dead - Stan
• Fatman - Stan 
• Ru Paul's Christmas Drag Race - Stan
• No Activity Christmas Special - Stan 
• Christmas Bloody Christmas - Shudder
• That Christms - Netflix
• Nativity 2 - Netflix
• The Man Who Invented Christmas - SBS
• Terrifier 3 - Apple 

And can I please recommend, if you haven't seen it already, a movie that has become my new favourite Christmas movie? You can find the review below if you are interested and I highly recommend that you make some time to see it if you can (currently streaming on Netflix):

THE HOLDOVERS
Release Date: 2023
Rating: MA 15+
Running Time: 133 mins 
A Christmas drama, directed by Alexander Payne and written by David Hemingson that explores the relationships that can develop when people are placed together by circumstance. With a slew of Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, The Holdovers garnered overwhelming critic acclaim and saw supporting actress Da'Vine Joy Randolph deservingly take both the Oscar and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. 
It's December 1970 and an uptight professor called Paul Hunham has been chosen to stay behind at Barton Academy, an all male boarding school in New England for privileged young men. Over the Christmas break Paul has to supervise the five remaining students who were not collected at the end of term. As the days go by the boys eventually leave, and only one angry upstart named Angus remains behind with Paul, along with the cafeteria manager Mary Lamb, who has no reason to return home for Christmas since her son Curtis was recently killed in the Vietnam War.  Together they share the days and their stories with each other over the festive season. 
This is a beautiful and satisfying story that really touched my heart. The performances are first class all around with Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa all delivering emotionally and faultlessly. The Holdovers has just become my favourite Christmas movie of all time, it's an unmissable viewing.
FINAL SAY: For most people life is like a henhouse ladder: shitty and short. 
4 Chilli Peppers ​