Besties
Time for the usual interruption in reviewing for my annual newsletter to you all. Yes. Its that time of year again.
2023 was interesting to say least it really really was. So lets try & cover it all shall we.

Lets start off with me, obviously i mean this is my blog, it is my newsletter. So lets tell you what happened.
Last year i wrote that my work had new owners & it would be interesting to see how the company grows… hmmm… moving to a new office with bad traffic & a few other things made me reevaluate. So i have a new job. Only a 10minute drive away, for a nice small business. I’ve only been there for almost 3 months but i am loving it. I wasn’t actively looking to swap jobs so soon, i could still cope with the other job, but these people i just met & vibed with & i am feeling much more like me now. It wasnt until about a few weeks into the new commute & a few things that happened that i realised how much it was affecting my mental health. So yea being more me is always a good thing isnt it.

No big holiday this yea but my money went on a few big events.
I went to Star Wars celebrations at easter. It was phenomenal. It was my first ever convention & i got some really cool stuff & listened to some amazing talks & people over the 2 days i was there for out of the 2. Meeting Mads Mikkelsen was incredible. Such an amazing hug that man has. He was so nice. & usually that would be the highlight of the year, but no. I met 2 of my friends ive made online over the last few years in real life. Nat & Fabi made my two days even more special & they are even better in real life. I love them so much.
The other massive event i did this year was night 1 of Love on Tour at Wembley for Harry Styles. He was incredible & me & the girls had a fantastic 3 days watching that & doing everything in Wembley. Love making core memories.

I got another new Tattoo. Din Djarin now sits very nicely just above my right ankle. Shading is always so therapeutic when you get a tattoo. I actually was brave enough this time to take photos as it was done.
Another think we did was go & see Abba Voyage in London, as my mums delayed 60th birthday. It was fabulous & we had an amazing time. We will have to do the Beatles stuff another time.

My sister & i have done a lot of spontaneous things together this year. Painting classes were fun & we have just been wreath making too. We went to see an orchestra play Taylor Swift songs by candle light at the pavillion. We didnt get Eras tour tickets (we are still hunting for them) but we went to the cinema to see the show. She also treated me to go & see everybodys talking about Jamie for my birthday. We have the 1975 booked up for next year which will be insane & whatever i plan for her birthday that ends in a 0. She had a busy year, she moved house & she her husband & Lando are very happy. I say that they do hate me for being a Red Bull Fan.

Me & the girls have also done a few escape rooms in the last 12 months. Bossed them both & didnt kill each other. Weve also done a murder mystery & a few other random nights out. but the heels dont cope as well as they used to in our youth.

Mum had a health scare this year. Im not going to go into it here , but lets just say shes okay. Was a bit of a shock to the system, but it did mean dad cooked dinners which i have been round to a few times. But other than that both are plodding along. Dads been gardening decorating & bird watching still. They have dog sat Lando a lot. Do have to remind them sometimes that they are both now over 60 & to slow down a bit. Mum has even gone back to volunteering at school to help with the kids exams.

Grandma is still good, now at 91. Shes still a goer. We took her to my cousin Annies not wedding (shes been married for nearly 2 years but due to circumstances never had a party) so we all went up to that in September. Grandma dancing to Gangnam Style will live with me forever. It was a lush day. It was also nice to see some family members ive not seen in years. It was a lovely weekend.

Our art sculpture trail was back again this year. I manger to get half the sheep that was a lot of fun doing that, but damn my feet hurt for the 3 days afterwards.

As you can see from the blog, its all going well cinema & film & other stuff wise. I dont have enough hours in the day to type & watch. But there is still a slim chance we might get to the 100 trips to the cinema mission we set every year. But you guys have really been so encouraging with everything i try & do so thank you all so much.
Formula 1 took up lots of 6am starts this year again. The rest of the world is like boring but im like nah bring the cars & the noise.
We are all super proud here, Brighton & Hove Albion had the greatest season of football ever & qualified for a European adventure & have been bossing it. The city is alive & so proud. Mum sipping out of her Europa League mug as we watched them beat Ajax a couple of weeks ago on tv was insane. To qualify for the knockout stage is pinch yourself stuff. To quote FatBoySlim, weve come a long long way together.

So the real reason for this post is to tell you that again this year, i’m not sending out Christmas cards. I haven’t sent Christmas Cards for about the last 17 years now, mainly because its quite expensive, especially with postage, we’re all online & i try to see most people to wish them a Merry Christmas as well & if i cant i usually text or call them.(disclaimer yes this has been entirely copied & pasted this next paragraph from last year except for the year, so well done for noticing yay next paragraph isn’t though{& i always love the fact i can get away with that}) .
Also we now live in a cost of living crisis so go figure. & have you see how much stamps cost now its crazy.

So this year the money that would have been spent on your christmas cards is going to MacMillan Cancer Support & the amazing work they do. Everyone at some point in their life will know someone who has cancer. Unfortunately thats just the world we live in now. Some get lucky, some survive & some dont & its not nice. So that is where the Christmas card money has gone this year. You can find out (if you dont already) what they do here on this link.

& that is 2023 sorted. Put Loki Season 2 back on or listen to 1989 TV & thorise about the Reputation Era & wonder how good Wonka is gonna be(next weekend ekk). For 10 mins youve stopped to read my news letter for the last year so thank you all so much for bothering about little old me (yes i am now old). I take every single piece of feedback to heart, you bothering makes me feel special & happy.

So Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas & all the best for 2024 peoples. A new year brings new beginnings. I promise for one, to be less miserable & be back to being the old me (which is already in the process of happening). I love you all & i wish you, your families & friends all the best. You know im always here for you no matter what, be it large or small, a virtual or actual hug or you want to just have someone go its okay im here (or if its to thirst over our man i encourage that too).

I’m gonna leave you with a preview of an end of year awards im going to give out. In the film A Man Called Otto, Tom Hanks says, my Life was black & white & then i met my wife & suddenly my world was filled with colour. Its going to be my quote of the year. I hope you find or keep hold of someone who brings the colour into your life or that you are the person who brings the colour to others. Because you know what peoples, youre all fucking fabulous.

So we will speak soon peoples, but until then look after yourselves, be good to one & other & the rest will take care of itself. Now where are my posh mince pies & my The Last of Us BluRay…

Love & Hugs as always
Laters People
E
xxxxxx
YNWA

Photos of the year are bellow in order are as follows.
Me & the girls doing the escape room at new years.
my new Din Tattoo
Fabi Nat & I at Star Wars Celebration
When i met Mads
Abba with Mama & Kate
Me & some of the girls & Harry Styles Night 1
My best photo of the year