Adventures in London: Issue 231

Its a New Year!!! The adventures continue, but the rules have changed. I love writing this blog, but let's be honest my life and events here are not that interesting to justify a weekly update. The lack of an eventful life coupled with Sundays being replaced with 'Spa Sundays' means I am going to replace the weekly adventures with monthly catch ups. 

So let's kick things off :-)

I kicked off the year in a rather interesting way. I landed from NYC and hit the ground running in London. After a nap and getting freshened up it was off to start the NYE celebrations. Before heading up to Broxbourne to party with the O'Loughlins, I met up with someone for a cup of coffee. When you have had your heart broken you swear that you are never going to love or see anyone again.

Dating is not an easy game to play, especially in today's times. The important thing to remember is that with each date we get closer to finding the person that we want to spend the rest of our lives with. With each date you learn more about yourself and more about what you want your life partner to be. Britney and the Kardashians may have given the example that if you don't like the decision you make you can just get out it, but I am not willing to accept that as modern day marriage. When I commit to someone I want it to be for a lifetime and nothing less than that. Not a fleeting moment that I can hit a redo button on or return after 30 days. Some people are lucky to have their second half of their heart when they are 25, 27 or 30 even. Love cannot fit into a project plan, some things you just need to just let happen.

As the saying goes, "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in the baby carriage" -- or something like that. The first party of the year (and in the flat) was a baby shower for Mamma Powers. It was a lovely afternoon with the ladies and was great to catch up, play some games and eat loads of food. I may have gone a bit over the top with some of the games, but hope everyone enjoyed chugging from a baby bottle. Apparently it is hard than it looks; thankfully Game Master cannot play (but can take photos) :-) It is amazing how far our group has come over the last 4+ years. We are all evolving and more importantly growing up.

It is amazing how time flies. It is hard to believe that its been 18+ months (if I did the math correctly) since Brenda and Silas moved to Singapore. It is always great when people come back for a visit and truly touching that with good friendships you just pick up where you left. There is none of that awkward Q&A time. You just spend time like you always do. That is the sign of a good friend. When weeks, months, years feel like minutes when you get back together. It was great to see everyone else as well as this was the first we got to see Mamma Millar post having beautiful baby Lottie. I do miss our old group, but I am very pleased for everyone. We are all where we should be and more importantly we are all happy. Although we don't always see one another, we are always there, we never stop caring and we will always be family - - a truly global family :-)

Speaking of a global family, one of the joys of working in a worldwide team is working with and aligning countries to a single way of working. I am all for technology and emailing, conference calls and web-ex meeting, but nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. JH and I traveled to Paris for a few days with the team out there. It was a great to meet the team and more importantly see members of my team rock a meeting! It was great to be in Paris and spend some time with JH (and not being schooled in darts and pool our new Tuesday ritual). It was a really wonderful trip in so many ways. Not only was the meeting a smashing success, but we still manage to spare enough time to run around Paris catch the sites and see Paris in the snow. There was a bit of panic that we would not make it back to London due to the snow, but thankfully everything worked out for the best (could have done without the annoying girls on the train who didn't know China was apart of Asia, but hey ho you cannot have it all).

Sadly the year kicked off with a member of the team moving on to another opportunity. It is always hard to lose a member of your team, but when they go on to pursue something that they are passionate about you cannot argue and stand in their way. Professionally you will always be gutted to see them go,  but personally you wish them the best. Becky it was a pleasure working with you and having you apart of team :-)





This month has been a very enlightening one. I am looking forward to what 2013 has in store as it is looking to be a wonderful year. The lessons learnt are to not to rush into things. Remember who you are, what you want and under no circumstances should you settle. Trust your gut and know that there are somethings you don't share especially when it comes to life and love. Things don't always work out, but from every situation you grow, you learn, you move forward :-)

Love you all and miss you more

xxx

T

Adventures in London: 2013 New Years Resolutions

Taking the red-eye flight back from New York meant that my tradition of have a end of the year run did not happen, but I am fine with that. I had a great close and kick off to what is going to be a VERY SPECIAL 2013!!

2012 has been an interesting year filled with highs and unfortunately with a bunch of lows. Overall I will look back on 2012 with great smiles. It was a year beyond words; it was a year of the 2012 Olympic Games, it was a year welcoming the birth of my dear nephew Parker, it was a year that saw the union of Brenda and Silas. It was a lovely year even if it had it's stresses, heart ache and pain, but Life and Pain are both four letter words that cannot pieced and parceled.

I will look back on 2012 with great fondness and never with regret. It was a grand year, but I am determined to make 2013 a VERY SPECIAL YEAR! I didn't have a theme for 2012 (which ironically was the theme in itself), for 2013 its about being the girl on fire. I am determine to keep both feet on the ground and burning it down! I am going to rise to the top of the world in 2013...not just in terms of work, but in life.

Here's to 2013; a year without pressure, a year of embracing the moment and a year of smiling and enjoying life in style :-)

To make 2013 a #VerySpecialYear, I plan on the following resolutions:

1. Learn to make/bake/prepare 13 new desserts (2013 is going to be about the sweeter things in life)
2. Read 6 new books
3. Train to run 20.13k distance
4. Train to be able to swim 20.13 lengths (without a break)
5. Run a minimum of 2013 minutes every 3 months
6. Visit 3 new countries
7. Work no more than 13 hours a day
8. Do more with my photography (fingers crossed sell something)
9. Take a class (photography or cooking)
10. Maintain the blog and fall no more than 3 weeks behind
11. Host a minimum of 3 parties
12. Keep in touch more with family and friends (allow no more than 13days without talking/writing)
13. Be happy and maintain a smile :-)

Let's see how it goes!!! Either way, I am determined to make this year a great one!!