Boys and Girls.
Gentle readers.
My adoring public.
Alas! I have been absent from you for all too long, disappearing somewhere in the Christmas and New Year whirl, never to be seen again (or so it was presumed).
We have said goodbye to 2011 and all the madness entailed there (be it in the form of Mexicans, my own ornithophobia, an obsession with cake - although, much like a puppy, that's not just for Christmas / 2011, but for always) - and many other things besides.
2012, with all it's possibilities, potentially bad prophecies (do we really think the Mayans have it right? I mean, their civilisation was outsmarted by Angeline Jolie / Lara Croft in Tomb Raider - intellectually I feel that they may, therefore, have their limits), and new beginnings, is here.
"Belle!" I hear you cry, "Tell us your thoughts! Will this be a golden age? What is to befall us? What are your new year's resolutions? How should we proceed in this new and uncertain year?"
My friends, I tell you this - and only this - I do not believe in New Year's Resolutions (and I like to sidestep questions to which I don't have the answer). For me, the new year changes very little - other than the desperate effort of remembering to date things "2012" from now on... You'd be surprised by how much I can struggle with that...
But where was I? Yes - the year ahead. No, I am no believer in resolutions, unless they are a fairly permanent commitment. I have many commitments in my life, all of which I believe in staunchly. They are (not necessarily in order of importance): cake, family, friends, and chocolate. Please be aware that cake covers everything in the dessert-related arena, including - but not limited to - cookies, brownies, pastries, gataeux, etc. I am a cakeface. Fact.
So, no resolutions for me. But definitely a desire to start off the year as I mean to go on. To continue to treat people as I would want to be treated, cook as I'd want to be cooked for, and eat cake as if the Myans are right, and I only have 11 months left to enjoy it.
With this in mind - I pay particular attention to the first couple of days of the new year. To me, they are somehow very meaningful. The Italians go out of their way to set themselves up for the new year, by eating certain foods (lentils, to symbolise an abundance of money) and doing certain things (giving out chocolates, or sweets, so that the year ahead is a sweet one). I agree with them on both counts - although it should be known, that I am also open for receiving chocolates etc. at other times of the year too. I'm just saying.
So there you have my New Year / New Age / More Cake philosophy.
You can, therefore, imagine my reaction when, on New Year's Eve, things did not go quite to plan.
There I was, at the best house party in town, shaking it like a polaroid picture on the dancefloor, and gawping at the Sydney fireworks (which were, it has to be said, probably the most ridiculously spectacular things I've ever seen). Everything seemed to be going swimmingly. And that's an expression I rarely use, being 1) A bad swimmer and 2) Not a fan of chlorine.
But anyhow.
One thing I was not expecting, was The Incident. Walking home, only 2 hours into 2012, and with only a short distance to go I was accosted by a youth weeing in a bush. Upon seeing me, he stepped out of the shadows, waved his willy at me (I've seen better) and asked me if I wanted some. My response was what it could only have been; a very prim, very British "I'm ok, thank you".
Whilst the youth pursued things no further, The Incident upset me greatly. Ok, not greatly, but a bit. If I believe in the significance of what happens in those early, formative hours and days of the new year as being a signal of what is to come, does this mean that 2012 holds a lot of willies in it's future for me? And how do I feel about that?
But then - then! I remembered. Haha! It may be 2am on 1 January 2012 in Sydney, but in London it's only 3pm on 31 December 2011. What happened didn't really count. I had a "Get Out of Jail / Get Away from the Trousersnake - free" card, and I wasn't afraid to use it.
So - here we are. Firmly back in the present. And what can I tell you?
Well, first and foremost - having received no other willy waving these past 11 days, the youth does indeed seem to have been a purely 2011 /2012 (almost) aberration. Phew.
Secondly - that I didn't, and never will, forget you, my readers. And my commitment to this blog will improve and continue this year. Promise. My radio / web silence has not stemmed from a lack of desire to write.
Thirdly - that cakes, chocolates, and other such gifts are always welcome.
And fourthly - that I wish all of you the very, very best for 2012. May it be a wonderful year for each of you.
With love,
Belle x
Gentle readers.
My adoring public.
Alas! I have been absent from you for all too long, disappearing somewhere in the Christmas and New Year whirl, never to be seen again (or so it was presumed).
We have said goodbye to 2011 and all the madness entailed there (be it in the form of Mexicans, my own ornithophobia, an obsession with cake - although, much like a puppy, that's not just for Christmas / 2011, but for always) - and many other things besides.
2012, with all it's possibilities, potentially bad prophecies (do we really think the Mayans have it right? I mean, their civilisation was outsmarted by Angeline Jolie / Lara Croft in Tomb Raider - intellectually I feel that they may, therefore, have their limits), and new beginnings, is here.
"Belle!" I hear you cry, "Tell us your thoughts! Will this be a golden age? What is to befall us? What are your new year's resolutions? How should we proceed in this new and uncertain year?"
My friends, I tell you this - and only this - I do not believe in New Year's Resolutions (and I like to sidestep questions to which I don't have the answer). For me, the new year changes very little - other than the desperate effort of remembering to date things "2012" from now on... You'd be surprised by how much I can struggle with that...
But where was I? Yes - the year ahead. No, I am no believer in resolutions, unless they are a fairly permanent commitment. I have many commitments in my life, all of which I believe in staunchly. They are (not necessarily in order of importance): cake, family, friends, and chocolate. Please be aware that cake covers everything in the dessert-related arena, including - but not limited to - cookies, brownies, pastries, gataeux, etc. I am a cakeface. Fact.
So, no resolutions for me. But definitely a desire to start off the year as I mean to go on. To continue to treat people as I would want to be treated, cook as I'd want to be cooked for, and eat cake as if the Myans are right, and I only have 11 months left to enjoy it.
With this in mind - I pay particular attention to the first couple of days of the new year. To me, they are somehow very meaningful. The Italians go out of their way to set themselves up for the new year, by eating certain foods (lentils, to symbolise an abundance of money) and doing certain things (giving out chocolates, or sweets, so that the year ahead is a sweet one). I agree with them on both counts - although it should be known, that I am also open for receiving chocolates etc. at other times of the year too. I'm just saying.
So there you have my New Year / New Age / More Cake philosophy.
You can, therefore, imagine my reaction when, on New Year's Eve, things did not go quite to plan.
There I was, at the best house party in town, shaking it like a polaroid picture on the dancefloor, and gawping at the Sydney fireworks (which were, it has to be said, probably the most ridiculously spectacular things I've ever seen). Everything seemed to be going swimmingly. And that's an expression I rarely use, being 1) A bad swimmer and 2) Not a fan of chlorine.
But anyhow.
One thing I was not expecting, was The Incident. Walking home, only 2 hours into 2012, and with only a short distance to go I was accosted by a youth weeing in a bush. Upon seeing me, he stepped out of the shadows, waved his willy at me (I've seen better) and asked me if I wanted some. My response was what it could only have been; a very prim, very British "I'm ok, thank you".
Whilst the youth pursued things no further, The Incident upset me greatly. Ok, not greatly, but a bit. If I believe in the significance of what happens in those early, formative hours and days of the new year as being a signal of what is to come, does this mean that 2012 holds a lot of willies in it's future for me? And how do I feel about that?
But then - then! I remembered. Haha! It may be 2am on 1 January 2012 in Sydney, but in London it's only 3pm on 31 December 2011. What happened didn't really count. I had a "Get Out of Jail / Get Away from the Trousersnake - free" card, and I wasn't afraid to use it.
So - here we are. Firmly back in the present. And what can I tell you?
Well, first and foremost - having received no other willy waving these past 11 days, the youth does indeed seem to have been a purely 2011 /2012 (almost) aberration. Phew.
Secondly - that I didn't, and never will, forget you, my readers. And my commitment to this blog will improve and continue this year. Promise. My radio / web silence has not stemmed from a lack of desire to write.
Thirdly - that cakes, chocolates, and other such gifts are always welcome.
And fourthly - that I wish all of you the very, very best for 2012. May it be a wonderful year for each of you.
With love,
Belle x
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