2013...

The phrase that came into my head when I was ruminating on 2012 was, I wouldn't have it any other way. The past year has been an adventure and a goodun - it had momentum, surprise, twists and turns, spontaneity; a certain non linear poetry. At the end of 2011 things were not looking even slightly good in my world. If you'd asked me in January 2012 what I was going to do this year - who I would be with and where, I would have guessed at something completely different than how it evolved. So many new things were waiting around the corner. 

2012 was all about people and places for me. I became a godmother twice, inexplicably only spent four days in Paris but went to Venice repeatedly, Rome and Andalucia. Went to my dream place Mexico on the first family holiday for 23 years. I also started going out in London like a maniac, having spent the previous years as a slightly grumpy about London semi-hermit; spent all of spring to autumn frequenting the same Hackney locales, then stopped going just as abruptly when the wind changed direction. Things moved and changed around me and I with them, in fact so fast that this blog couldn't keep up. Must find a good way to blog on the move that isn't Instagram and for it to show up here.

I started writing about London for HiP Paris, my little shop took its first tentative steps using the mantra above - to be given legs in 2013. I finally said (and repeated loudly) a firm NO to unpaid writing work, and then wondered why I hadn't been able to do that for the seven previous years. Easy. 

I cut all my hair off, went swimming in a river, watched the sun rise over the mountains, went wherever I wanted to go, ate well and drank a little too much a bit too often perhaps. The only thing I really did differently this year was just to do exactly what I wanted without worrying or over thinking it. 

At the end of 2012 I bought the first piece of original art I've bought for my home in years, a pair of mega spenny Celine shoes and a pretty dress from the Mayle pop up. I swapped my tiny black stud earrings for diamond ones, put on matte red lipstick and whoosh - I'm out the door and into 2013. I have to say, I'm excited about the surprises it might have in store.

And if you haven't read it already, here's a bonus: Susan Miller's 2013 astrology forecast for Russh magazine - available to read unedited and unabridged here.

{Credits: Inspirational wording via Jjjjound, Desire print by Louise Mann, Mayle Jeanne Coco Cloud dress, Russh 2013 Astrology Report - wish I knew who illustrated the 12 signs.}