Goodbye 2013

Oh no, almost one third of the new year is over and I haven’t written a Goodbye-Post for 2013. I can certainly say that I have the feeling as if 2014 will kick 2013`s ass! So far we have had the most beautiful spring ever, blue sky almost everyday and even carnival was warm and sunny as never before.

Looking back the winter of 2013 was truly horrible. I like snow and ice, but when it is dark and cold for six months, I get depressed. And many others do, too, which is why everyone felt a bit like hungover from winter during the first months of 2013. (Plus I detected a severe thyroid hypofunktion, which had added up to my bad mood.)

The worst thing happening to me in 2013 was certainly the passing away of my dog, Lily. She was suffering from cancer, so it was pretty clear she wouldn’t make it much longer, but it was nonetheless a bitter and very sad experience. With all the horror of the day we had to finally decide to put her to sleep, I learned that death can be a very peaceful experience, as it must have been a relief for Lily suffering severely from the cancer. (I am tearing up as I am writing, I will definitely miss that very special dog all my life.)

Sleep tight, little one.

Canoeing in Spreewald and looking as smart as a future PhD should ;-)
(I tried to turn the picture,
but apparently it doesn't want to be turned)

2013 was also the year of new projects. One of them is my PhD. I haven’t started yet, so it is still on the agenda. But doing your PhD next to a fulltime job proves rather difficult. Especially for a sloth like me… Though I know it will be hard work and will cut into my even now short time of fun with friends and deprive me of sleep, I love the thought of digging into one topic as deep as no one before, becoming the extra-expert and reading and watching tv till my eyes fall out. Oh yes, did I not mention I am a media scientist? Which is why writing my Master thesis meant watching a lot of tv, lots and lots. And going to the movies. Now I can’t think of a better career than one that makes you watch tv and movies. That is why I want to do it all again. Writing my master thesis was one of the happiest and most relaxed time of my life. And when I read the thesis today I still cannot believe that it was me, who wrote it. Not, because it is so great, but because I have forgotten half of it. This year I put the PhD back on the list and have started to read my Master thesis again which shall be the starting point for the new project, plus I made contact with people who have gone through the same procedure (as writing a PhD thesis is not only reading and writing but a lot of bureaucracy, which I hate more than anything in the world. So, I guess from summer 2014 on I will be a PhD student, working halftime and watching television for work. Yay! (Plus I am doing it for my better half, who (and maybe a part of him is telling the truth here) would love to be a “Herr Doktor”. Hilarious.)

2013 also meant a great summer holiday. I have never been a big fan of beach holidays. Staying in one place for two weeks and doing the same routine everyday, no thank you, I’d rather stay at home and go to work. Which is why last year we took two weeks off and decided to make a roadtrip. Around Germany. (That is kind of a bold decision, because summerweather in Germany is highly unreliable and can mean two weeks of rain.) We were so unbelievably lucky and had the best weather. Sunny Spreewald, sunny Berlin. Sunny Hamburg. Sunny Cuxhaven, sunny Baltic sea, Northern sea  and sunny Bremen. It was amazing. We went canoeing in the jungly-looking Spreewald, went to see many great friends in Berlin (starting to really like this city) and watched the sundown in Hamburg harbour. After a ten k-run we took a naked bath in the Baltic sea and when all the camping and sleep-overs got on our nerves, we spent a night in a wellness-hotel. Such a great spontaneous time, without plan, drifting and loving it. 

Last but not least 2013 was the year of DIY. Once you start with projects of Upcycling, reading DIY blogs and talking to your friends about it, it feels like a whole cosmos. Everything can be done. By yourself. This is such a great feeling, I fall in love with it everyday. I started serious knitting and got much more creative and I love it.

This will lead me to 2014: there is a lot to learn. I started learning Italian as I have wanted to like, for ages. And I invited my Mom to come with me to London, my favourite city of all times. I think going on holiday with your mom is a pretty cool thing once you are my age. Plus, she is so eager to learn more English, that is darn cute.

One of my goals of 2014 was : more going to the movies. Well accomplished so far (2 times last weekend) and all of the movies have been great in their way. (I loved e.g. Grand Budapest Hotel and American Hustle), more reading (also accomplished so far. Reading at the moment: Fat Chance, by Robert Lustig. Very interesting, very scientific, but easy to understand book about obesity and sugar.) As there are so many babies born in 2014 – there are always a lot of babies born, but this year it will be a lot I will get to know personally – there will be many opportunities to get better at knitting. I would love to learn some Fair Isle-knitting by the end of 2014. Let’s see how that goes, I will definitely keep you updated.

Let’s have a cheer for 2014, as it has been so good to us so far, hooray 2014!