The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 13,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 3 Film Festivals
What a year!
I may well say this every year, but this time it’s definitely true – the past year has been the biggest, the most life-changing of any of my 29 years on the planet so far (if you exclude being born).
The year kicked off well as I became an aunty for the very first time to the cutest little munchkin that ever lived. The down times included spending far too much on hospital car parking… but I’d do it all again just to hear that “It’s not cancer!” news one more time. A highlight was of course saying “Yes!” to the man of my dreams, as well as celebrating a number of beautiful weddings and exciting engagements (taking notes all the time). I embarrassed myself on national television, kept the family business afloat while my parents lived it up in Europe, and ticked off 13 challenges from my ‘Top 30 Countdown‘ list!
Phew!
I’ve always been a little jealous of our friends in the Northern Hemisphere… at least, when it comes to Christmas. The thought of a white Christmas sends me quite green with envy. Perhaps it’s because of all the Christmas carols and Christmas TV specials that have wormed their way into my heart over the years. “6 White Boomers” never stood a chance.
Then again… Frosty the Snowman might be alright, but he’s got nothing on a “Blue Christmas”!
You’ll be doin’ all right, with your Christmas of white,
But I’ll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas…
Yes, this year, I took to the water like a duck with 30 challenges to complete before its 30th birthday! Under the scorching red hot Australian sun I had a red hot go at list items number 3, ‘Finish your scuba diving course‘ and number 5, ‘Catch, kill and cook an animal of some variety‘.
Here is the photographic evidence!
Andy’s starting to really dislike watching my movies with me. Now, however, in the midst of my ‘No TV’ challenge, there’s really nothing else I can watch with him and so, occasionally, he’ll whip out the latest selection and (somewhat reluctantly) press play.
I really don’t know what his problem is… Although I suspect it might have something to do with the constant moaning emanating from the opposite end of the lounge.
“I’m boooorrrrred….”
“When will it ennnnd Aannnndeee?”
“I’m just going into the other room to shoot myself. Let me know when it’s over”.
‘The Third Man’ was no exception.
On Saturday morning, Andy and I rose early to tick off list item number 4, ‘Catch a flight somewhere random at the last minute with just your handbag and a credit card‘.
As promised, we arrived at the airport with little more than the clothes on our backs. The conversation with the taxi driver went a little something like this:
Taxi Man: So, which terminal?
Me: I don’t know!
Taxi Man: I mean, which airline?
Me: I don’t know that either! We haven’t decided where we’re going yet!
Taxi Man:(disinterestedly) So, Terminal 2?
Me: I guess!
So… where on Earth did we end up?
Tomorrow, Andy and I will tackle list item number 4, ‘Catch a flight somewhere random at the last minute with just your handbag and a credit card‘. It was Andy’s birthday on Monday, so this is his birthday gift from me and, indirectly, from my Mum, who set me the challenge. Whether it is a great gift… or Canberra… remains to be seen.
I should point out that I don’t have a problem with Canberra. We visited there once when I’d won a hotel stay and we couldn’t afford a flight. We visited Cockington Green (a miniaturists wonderland) and even a winery. We had a good time. Thing is, I’m seeking adventure this time, and a brief flight into the ACT just isn’t going to cut it.
It is at about this time of day that I might usually tune into good old Dr Phil.
Instead, Andy has commandeered the TV, and (with just a hint of a smirk) informed me that “I’m going to be watching a documentary on the TV so don’t come out”.
Good! I’ll just sulk in here instead then!
By Wendy G.
In this large, noisy family I’ve never really spent enough time individually with my nieces and nephews. However I am always ready to share with others my love and pride in the wonderful people they have become. I have taken for granted that they know how I feel.
I am incredibly impressed and inspired by the achievements of my beautiful goddaughter but have never really got around to letting her know.
In fact there is an awful lot of things that I don’t quite get around to doing (I don’t think I’m Robinson Crusoe in this regard). Life, work, friends, family etc etc always take up my thoughts and time.
When Amanda first put out her request for list suggestions it really got me thinking about what my goals were before I turned thirty…
Today is the first day of the rest of my life… but it’s also the first day I give up TV for 2 months! (List item number 14, courtesy of my bff, Tracey).
In fact, I tried to start the challenge yesterday, but forgot, and accidentally ended up watching The Morning Show (my loyalty to Larry Emdur shall henceforth never waiver). It included a very engaging piece on “Extreme Cougars” (and not the four-legged kind either). It was both disturbing and enthralling.
But that’s TV!
Of course, I was still reeling from missing the final episode of Neighbours for the year. I had my whole evening planned out and then my equally fanatical Neighbours fan of a friend’s tyre exploded in protest and I was stranded in Milsons Point.
Bummer.
Lately I’ve been starting to feel like I’m running out of decent movies on the Top 100 list and, you know what? I think my feelings are pretty accurate.
How this piece of utter garbage made it to the Top 100 movies of all time list is beyond me.
I’ve been talking about doing this for a while, and now I’m finally going to do it. I’m going to tally up all the gangster/killer/war/wild west films on this godforsaken list to prove to you that there is a serious bias going on here.
top30countdown 