I made it to a year, and over 52 blog posts. Excellent. I didn't quite blog every week as hoped, but I came pretty damn close during 2013 and it was a great exercise in making sure I wrote every week.
But as you may have noticed, I have been struggling to keep up with myself lately and I think I've figured out why.
Yes meant dipping my toes
My year of yes meant that I tried out a whole bunch of new things. Music, coffee festivals, running, reading and goodness knows what else. It was sensational sensory overload, and the newness and the encounters gave me plenty of food for thought and resources for opinion-forming and writing.
But that was just me dipping my toes. Now that I know what I like, I want to start diving and swimming out a little deeper.
Living means learning
See, now that I've tried all these things I want to start learning and understanding the best bits a little more. Music is one of the biggest and most obvious examples. Turns out I love live music. I always knew I loved dancing, but had no idea of all the places where I could go to do it. And all the genres that are so great to listen and move to.
So now I've become a regular gig-goer. I've started writing reviews. Spotify, BBC Introducing in Oxford and Nightshift are all opening my ears and mind to new things (as is my fantastically musically talented and knowledgeable man-friend). But I have a whole world to learn about. And that takes time.
Learning means doing
Of course gigs, people and reading up on things take their toll. A lot of good gigs are on a Saturday night, making Sunday (my usual writing day) less suited to clarity of mind and quality of words. As you may have indeed noticed.
Last night, for example, I finally attended the Gypsy Hotel club night. They're held monthly and I have been wanting to go for about a year. It was brilliant and worth not getting in until 4am for. I had an absolute blast and have never felt more at home in a corset and faux leather mini skirt. But see now, now the words are a little tough to type from thought to notebook.
A change of pace
And it's not just music. After much dilly-dallying, I have finally been in touch with my Italian teacher to sort out my first proper lesson and it a fit of whimsy have also enquired at a local dance school about their burlesque classes. As with everything else, this means a re-jig and a rebalance.
Basically a transition and a rethink is required. I definitely want to keep on writing, sorting out my voice and keeping up the practice: but I need a new way of doing it. A change of writing day, a new timetable, planning, better notes and even a bit more research maybe.
And so for a retune
We are all only three weeks in to our new year and our resolutions. I have yet to work out the kinks in my year of living that will make sure I have the energy and time to commit to the things that make me happiest and most excited.
So while I do that there may be a few interferences, white noises and loss of signal, but the station is definitely still here. I'm just upgrading so I can broadcast from a new frequency.