As you know, I’m briefly back to normal before going away again, and I wanted to do a quick review of what’s going on at the moment (aside from my travels).

I know I keep saying how busy I am, and how many things I’m up to all the time and all that, and I’m aware it sounds like a bit of self-back-patting. That’s not at all what I’m trying to do here… It’s more a sort of to-do list for myself, or to keep track of what I’m up to (and if anything of what I do inspires you to do something similar, well, that’s a win-win and all that).

Sunday was spent mostly in bed, first sleeping, then watching series. I was exhausted from my trip, and my body pretty much forced me into passing out for most of the day. When someone says think of your happy place, I automatically think of my bed. Not the idea of it, but the actual physical place. It’s way too comfy at any time, my mattress, my duvet… Anyway, that was Sunday.

On Monday, it was the exchange of luggage with Steve, from the trip. He brought my snowboard to work, and I brought his rucksack. Having the board next to me all day reminded me of how much I wish I was still in the mountains. I wonder how possible it is to work at a resort…

Yesterday it was a tough day. I had a hospital appointment in the afternoon, which then got delayed. It meant I didn’t eat anything from 7.30am and didn’t drink from 11.30am… and was only admitted into theatre at around 5pm. I was starving by then, nervous and even shaky. Good thing it was a really quick thing, and it got me out in about 20 minutes! My brother came to keep me company on the way back, and the poor thing had to wait for hours because of the delays. Anyway, it’s all good now and recovering nicely!

The best of that is that it has allowed me to work from home these couple of days before the long weekend… PJs all the way!

On top of that, we’re still struggling because of the ski trip. We are not happy with how many things have been handled and are writing emails and letters to complain about some things… which is a bit of a headache!

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot again. As part of the book club at work, I finished Sophie’s World, and more recently Fight Club (review coming out next week!). It was so easy to read, and I got so excited with my Kindle, that I got a bunch of other books to read. I finished #GIRLBOSS in about two days, and I loved it (would you like me to write about it too?), and I’m currently reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. I’m halfway through and let me tell you, I’m loving it! I’m finding a lot of good points that are making me think and analyse my personality and how I relate to the world. If you think you’re an introvert, I recommend this book. Actually, even if you don’t see yourself as an introvert, as this book will probably give you an insight of how a big group of the people you interact with function.

Other books currently on my reading list are: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), by Mindy Kaling, Yes Please, by Amy Poehler, Bossypants, by Tina Fey, and the next book club selection, The Girl who Saved the King of Sweden, by Jonas Jonasson.

Thing is, life isn’t just about reading! One of my goals for this new year (which for me, starts right around my birthday, January and February being simply trial-out months) is to cultivate myself. I already started by going to a photography exhibition in March, and I want to keep doing so. I just bought tickets to see Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A Museum in June. McQueen has always been one of my favourite designers (along Westwood), and I can’t wait to go to this exhibition. I’m feeling a bit like when I went to see Genesis, by Sebastião Salgado (one of my favourite photographers), at the Natural History Museum in 2013.

I want to make sure there’s budget for entertainment and arts this year. Not only exhibitions and museums, but also theatre. I’ve finally watched Book of Mormon in March, and it has reminded me how much I enjoy going to the theatre (and watching musicals in particular). Whilst in London, I’ve watched The Lion King four times, Avenue Q, Shoes, The Phantom of the Opera, Rainman, Waiting for Godot, Les Misérables, and a bunch of others that I’ve probably forgotten. I want to keep this going!

Another of the goals I’ve mentioned before is to improve my photography, both on camera and on post-production. The first one is relatively easy, yet so difficult, get out with my camera more, and actually use it! I keep saying I would love to do portrait photography, but everyone is camera-shy around me. The second part is a bit easier, getting better at Photoshop, because it just means I need to train and practice. I have a new tutorial from Phlearn (a site I’ve mentioned in the past), and I already started having a look at it. It looks very interesting, and of course I know it’s going to be easy to follow, since I already love all their free tutorials.

As soon as I feel a bit better, I’m back on my workout plans. This past week has taught me that working out regularly does improve your fitness levels. Snowboarding for a week was hard work, and I know if I hadn’t been pushing myself during the months before, I would have been much more sore than I actually was. I am not naturally fit and healthy, I have to force myself and make sacrifices… I think the trick this year is to work out smarter, not harder (OK, also harder, but you know what I mean). The fact that just a week before I went snowboarding I was able to do a couple more of better push-ups encourages me to keep going. By better, I mean better shape.

I’m also feeling quite a creative streak at the moment. I’m currently making a hat/beanie for my friend Sam, and I want to keep making things. Yesterday, while waiting to be seen, a lady next to me was working on a piece of cross-stitch. It had a relatively basic pattern, but it was beautiful. We started talking, and when I was telling her about crochet and knitting and sewing, I realised how much I like doing these things. This year is the year of do more of what I love, which brings me to my last point.

Writing. I’m relatively good at writing (not necessarily here, ha-ha), even if I’m probably never going to win an award, or be a best selling author (although if I ever publish anything, who knows!). I used to enjoy doing research and writing essays and I actually enjoyed writing my dissertation, mainly because of my love for writing in general. Every time I feel like I’ve had enough of this blog, of the schedules, or work, or anything like that, I just start writing about it, and then I feel so much better, feeling the keys under my fingers. I am keeping this public blog, as well as a private one (a document, actually), in which I write about everything I don’t feel comfortable sharing with others, but I still need to write down. Writing helps me organise my thoughts, and you could say it keeps me sane. I’m not talking about finishing the novel (OK, I am a bit), but more about the actual putting my thoughts into words. This year is also about writing.

I realise I probably don’t have what it takes to make it, make it in a big way, and that’s alright. It’s about making a difference that counts to myself and to the people closest to me. Hopefully, a small change here and there will spark a small change somewhere else, and a tiny difference will be made all around, but what matters right now is to be true to myself. I said it at the beginning of the year, this is my year. Not in the sense of good things happening to me, but in the sense of I’m making myself a priority. This is the year when I make good things for me.

It’s a Bank Holiday weekend this weekend, and I’m going to be busy. What are you up to? Are you going away, or sleeping in?

Spring is here, and it’s a new start, what are you going to do with it?