20 Good Things from 2020

We all know that 2020 has been a cluster-fork of surreal and life changing events. From the flooding way back in January to Trump spitting out his dummy and spreading dangerous fake news; 2020 has truly been a year to remember. And more importantly, there are good things to remember from this year. Amongst all the madness there have been some rays of light.

Carole wrote a post about her favourite twenty things from this past year which has inspired me to do the same. So prepare yourself for some mushy sentimentality and a loooootttt of backlinks.

1. I got a job.

Oh yeah, you read that right! Having spent the entirety of lockdown (and more) looking for employment, I have succeeded. What can I say, I like to live life on hard mode. It is a very exciting role, doing lots of writing. I have a work computer and I get to say grown up things like "I have emailed that product description over to purchasing". I am very pleased with myself and it has honestly been a brilliant way to end the year.

2. I moved house.

This came off the back of a sad event but is still something I have very happy about. It's wonderful to have our own space, the chance to decorate, and make our very own Molock HQ. (Molock is the merge of mine and my partner's surname. It's our team name.) I'm sure I will go into more detail about this (and the previous item) at some point down the line as they deserve more than a few sentences.

3. We have had some lovely foster dogs.

The last two years of fostering, we have generally kept the dogs for six weeks - give or take. This last year, however we have kept them for extended periods. Starting with the Frenchie puppy way back in Sept'19, who stuck around for six months, then the Staffie we had over lockdown; followed by the Staffie and Terrier pair we had over the autumn; and now the collie who is sat at my feet demanding her fourth walk of the day. Each one has had delightful quirks and so much love to give. The week where we were dogless, I was at an utter loss and didn't know what to do with myself! Each has been a source of love and entertainment.

4. I launched a second blog.

Ok, so Ivy Is Lost *technically* predates this blog. Somehow I don't think posting two blogs and then ignoring it for a couple years really counts. But back in the spring, I did a revamp and some branding and relaunched my fiction blog. I'm largely using it as a motivator to actually write some of my fiction projects as well as an exercise in editing them. It's been good fun and the moments where I have sat down to actually get some writing one have been really satisfying.

5. All. Of. The. Quizzes.

Somehow, I managed to avoid doing any Zoom Quizzes until after lockdown lifted and have since only done two. However, I have hosted a number of quiz events on my facebook page. They were great fun to curate, research, and write. Honestly, any excuse to spend hours on Canva. Which leads me onto my next item...

6. Discovering Canva.

You might think it weird that I get excited over a picture building website but you have no idea how much this revolutionised my blogging and artwork! Between this and discovering I have a basic version of Photoshop, I have gone from posting badly framed photos to posting photos which have been cropped and enhanced so you can't see how bad my photography skills are. Not to mention all the banners. They are very much how things looked in my head back when I started and all I could do was lament the fact they weren't as awesome as they were in my head.

7. The sunshine.

There's no denying, if the weather had not have been as good as it was this year then lockdown would have been even harder. Of course, this one can also be a cause for concern as summer started in April and did not end until October which is not normal in the slightest. But being able to get out of the house and soak up that vitamin D was a godsend. Plus, when we could visit people outside, the warm weather made it an actual viable option.

8. Musical discoveries.

Having spent a lot of this year on my computer for several hours a day, trawling job websites for the slightest sniff of an opportunity, it is no surprise that I have used and abused Spotify. Just think of how many playlists I made for this website alone! Most days I stuck to my Heart Eyes or Final Fantasy playlists as I seek comfort in the familiar notes of my favourites. Amongst those, I have rediscovered some old faves - like Norah Jones, The Cab, and Bowling For Soup - as well as finding some epic new bops. Three particular stand outs are Parov Stelar, steampunk jazz, Little Big, insane Russian techno, and Smith & Thell, a Scandinavian folk duo. Go listen. You will not regret it. (Maybe a little with Little Big but at least listen to Hypnodancer.)

9. All. The. Games.

I've enjoyed board gaming for a few years now. But this was the year it went from a passing interest to an absolute obsession. From the many hours I have dedicated to Board Game Arena or Tabletop Simulator, I have amassed a whole load of new games I am desperate to own. And the gaming obsession doesn't stop there. I have rocketed my way through Rollercoaster Tycoon, established thriving countries in Civilisation VI, and hit all the things in Neverwinter. (I am a barbarian, it's what we do.) But wait, there's more! I have continued playing Dungeons and Dragons, even taking the leap from player to Dungeon Master. I DM for Carole and her kids in a fun, kid-friendly campaign which has paved the way for me doing a campaign for my sisters and brother in law. I have become that person who reads the guidebooks cover to cover. All in all, it has been a good year for gaming.

10. Because of this I have found some awesome online communities.

A local gaming group moved online and I joined just as lockdown hit. I only met them all in the flesh just before Christmas but they have been a vital part of my lockdown routine. Thursday night is game night! My regular group also went online, playing DnD via Discord and Roll20. In addition to this I found a female led community full of awesome folx around the world who I game with regularly. There have been some very patient teachers, epic games, and fun sessions. 

11. Fun in the kitchen.

As always, I have had some fun in the kitchen. I learned how to make canneloni, braved cheesecake, and even dabbled in boiled sweets. For whatever reason, I haven't blogged about all my kitchen escapades but that is something I hope to rectify in the future. Our new place may have a much smaller kitchen but it will still see plenty of use! I have already tested its baking capabilities and if the response I got from the gingerbread I made is anything to go by... well, it was a roaring success!

12. Better connected.

Many of the ads and complaints I hear are about how we've not been able to see loved ones this year. While it is true we haven't been around as often, there are some cases where I have definitely stayed better connected! During lockdown, my college girlfriends and I video chatted pretty much every week; I had regular gaming sessions with sisters; and I even spoke to my nan on video chat. Corona may have disconnected us physically but nothing was in the way of getting together online, something I am so very grateful for. I honestly think I have stayed in touch more with folks this year than in previous years!

13. The third Spongebob movie.

I went there. This movie dropped on Netflix a few weeks back and I loved it. I am here for the Keanu Reeves Renaissance (Revaissance?). He nailed his role as Sage, the Sage who lived in sage. Much like the second film, it played out like an extended episode. There were some cracking songs, beautiful animation, and, of course, Matt Berry. Seriously, anything animated within the last few years and he is probably in it. He's the Money SuperMAAAAAAAHHHHket guy and has a really distinct voice. I've loved him since he was in the Mighty Boosh.

14. Enjoyed the slower pace.

While the circumstance was not fantastic, I actually really enjoyed the breather life got this year. Suddenly there was a lot less pressure on everything which made life just that little bit more manageable. Don't get me wrong, things were still hard, it was just a lot easier to be forgiving especially to myself. My facebook news feed was full of posts about it being okay not to be okay because life was weird. I follow a few pages which post that sort of stuff anyway, but to have it shared by someone I know allowed it to hit home a little more - because clearly they were struggling with the same stuff I was. Knowing you are not alone is half the battle.

15. Because of this breather I have done some healing.

I won't go into all the gory details but I have dealt with a real storm of bad mental health issues. Things got especially bad in 2019. I reached my breaking point and it sucked. Thankfully, there has been enough positivity and being kind to yourself this year that I have really started to heal. I am not 100%, possibly never will be, but I am better. I feel more confident in myself. My reflection is not a hollow eyed imposter. And the invasive thoughts are few and far between. It is honestly a weight off my shoulders. I am lighter for this opportunity to heal. Metaphorically, I have not weighed this much ever before. She types, while eating sweets...

16. I made a podcast.

I proper went out of my comfort zone for this one. I am quite good with editing software, thanks to my degree, but I had never done audio specifically before and usually hearing myself talk makes me cringe. It was a challenge but one I enjoyed. Trying to talk slower, getting audio to align, researching my topics. It is honestly a shame it was just so time consuming, I really want to do a season 2! But without another pair of hands, especially now I'm working, I fear it's not a viable option right now.

17. Sewing projects.

Sewing and I often don't see eye to eye. I stab myself, cannot work my machine, and can't stitch straight with a ruler next to me. But I persevered. This year I have made: dice bags, pillows, pencil cases(ish), and a dinosaur tail. You read that right: A dinosaur tail! Ok, so I forgot how circles worked and accidentally made this tail which is supposed to be for a toddler fit a grown man, but that's fun for all ages, right?

18. Volunteering.

Right before lockdown, I tried to volunteer for the local library. That didn't pan out because, you know, pandemic. Instead, I volunteered for Race Time Repairs as their social media intern. It was a mutually beneficial set up: I got experience and the fella had more time to actually work on the bikes. Win. Win.

19. Friends and family.

Without my partner and my support network, this year would have been unbearable. Even without the pandemic. I cannot thank them enough.

20. I saw the Headington Shark.

Remember when we could go visit people? Well back in January, I went to visit my sister Charis in Oxford. We ha a lovely weekend, eating, shopping, gaming, eating. She also lives right around the corner from the Headington Shark - that random shark statue sticking out of a roof for... reasons. (Best explanation I could find.) I will remember that weekend fondly for year to come, if only because it was the first time I played Patchwork. I kid, I kid. Love you Charis.

 

 

So there we have it, 20 happy things for 2020. Can you think of 20 things? May your 2021 be filled with more than 21 happy things, so that when I come to ask this of you next year you'll struggle to pick!

Happy New Year!