No, alright, ok, since you seem to be doing it... I'll reflect on the year, the decade and make resolutions for 2010.

As an act of randomness these pictures have been taken from the results of putting the title of this post into Google Images.

A few facts and figures from the last decade:
14 houses, 6 cities and towns, five years studying, three years teaching, two years in Australia.

A few reflections on the last decade:
It happened. I think I have come out of it a lot better than I went in. I say 'Yes' to more chances than I used to. Experience is a wonderful thing, I now realise, it creates comfort in certainties. Experience means I worry less about what I am doing wrong, and instead, ponder events in general.

This lion said 'yes' too (later, he will feel more enlightened for the experience).

Some thoughts on 2009
There is not much to say here. It seems like I spent most of the year teaching. I enjoyed teaching this year more than I had the two years previous. I also enjoyed the holidays and weekends more. The two weeks in Melbourne in January were wonderful. Seeing Neil Young live has to be a pretty big highlight. I read One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and I liked it the most of all the books I read in 2009 (but, he is my favourite author). I re-read Nineteen Eighty Four after going to see a very good play about George Orwell, both had me thinking a lot. I wore more dresses (thanks Laurel).


This picture reminds me of John-Paul and his reading challenge. But is he the one trying to hold the books up, or the puppy about to be squashed under books? The answer lies in 2010 perhaps, but I am sure he will succeed.

Resolutions for 2010.
I am impressed with Richard's resolution to continue striving towards 10,000 hours of practise. Maybe he also needs to put more practise into creating better jokes for the daily notices. I'm sure Fflur will thrive in her new job and The Curmudgeon will defy his name and be tranquil amidst his raised vegetable garden and the sound of birds in the trees and children at the beach.

I have resolved this year not to make any resolutions. Mainly because the year is too uncertain. Between the 9th of March and the 15th of June I will visit Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Nepal, India, UAE and Turkey. After that, who knows? Perhaps I can make one resolution: that I will try to keep you updated on this blog as the years races on.