Here’s to 2020 and the new roaring 20s

Last time we were in the 20s things were pretty different. 

It was the decade of excess, witty murder mysteries, prohibition (lol), shorter skirts, faster cars, cigarette holders, flappers, gangsters, crazy bank robberies, etc. I mean, there was a lot going on. 

Every decade since has had its own defining characteristics and it’s been one technological and social advance after the next. 

Prohibition didn’t work. We had a space race, Pluto was a planet then it wasn’t and now it is again, we got tiny portable computers and battery-chargeable books. 

Basically, since the last time we were in the roaring 20s a lot has been going on. I’d argue that the 2010s haven’t been as rough as the 1910s were, but each to their own. 

I had a varied 2019. 

I started off pretty heartbroken and put a lot of time and energy into being ok and just getting through it. January felt like it was about 8 weeks long and like an active struggle to get through. It didn’t feel like I had anything to look forward to except Japan.

I reorganised and decluttered, I had people there to help me through the worst days. I did go on a few dates but there were a bit crap and nothing to write home about. 

February came and I went to Fiji and though it was still hard things started to get better though I was still angry. 

March and April I was starting to feel better again. I’d lost weight, had plenty to do, and even though I was still angry I’d managed to, for the most part, get a hold of my feelings and be able to move passed it. After Easter I was at peace again - telling off the person who’d hurt me in person certainly helped. 

We did however Anubis in April and that was horrible. He was a great dog and it killed me that we hadn’t even realised he was so sick until it was too late. It’s never easy to lose a pet because they’re part of the family but at least we know now that he won’t suffer. RIP.

In May I went to Japan (yay!) and had a great time. I got to go back to Tokyo Disneyland, live it up in Tokyo and visit the Ramen museum, finally made it to Hiroshima, went to the Rabbit Island, and make my own Cup Noodles in Yokohama. I love Japan and every experience I have when visiting is different so it was great fun to go with one of my closest friends (who actually speaks Japanese as well). 

I did get epic food poisoning the night before we left, had to do my souvenir shopping in a frenzy and stick to plain bread on the plane (and left my damn Kindle behind), but I made it back in one piece and still had a pretty great time away. 

Living out some Alice in Wonderland fantasies on Rabbit Island wasn’t so bad either.

I turned 29 at the end of May and it’s a big number for me - my lucky number. I got two new tattoos leading up to it to represent the past and the future I made it to my birthday feeling much more positive and happy than I’d started the year. 

But by June we’d come to the agreement that we’d buy an apartment - we already went over this one so you know how much of a nightmare that was and that now that we’ve found somewhere I can relax. 

From June through to November though that was the biggest thing and it caused me so much stress, anxiety and drama that I am glad to not have to do it again for a long, long time. I am also so over living out of a suitcase and I’ve realised that I don’t need (or want) most of my clothes. 

There was plenty in between though - musicals, shows, fun runs, exercise, Halloween and Dias de Los Meurtos events. My cat was killed, too, which caused a lot of additional hurt and concern for the dog of ours that was responsible. In the end though, during that time it was really the house hunting that took over my life. 

By this month, December, I was so fatigued I was about to pass out at work a couple times and as the end of the year (and decade) drew closer I closed up shop. The last week in the office I feel that I accomplished so little but so much at the same time and that also includes my near-miss with hypoglycaemia (from intermittent fasting but we’ll talk about that in the future). 

Overall, I didn’t have a bad 2019 - or an overly bad 2010s. There were good times and bad times to be sure - my entire 20s were bad (and yes 30 is fast approaching and yes it does stress me out). Looking back, the 2010s have been pretty fair to me (not necessarily in this order):

My parents split up

My parents both remarried

I went travelling (a lot and mostly solo)

I moved to Sydney

I bought a car and sold it and bought a new car

I worked FIFO

I was a travel agent and cruise expert

I got back into heritage consulting 

I finished uni 

I worked at a cafe

I had a boyfriend

I’ve gotten to enjoy being single

I’ve both made friends and moved on from friends 

I’ve figured out who and what is important to me

I bought an apartment (with help)

There’s been plenty more in the lay 10 years but honestly it doesn’t really matter exactly what when everything I’ve experienced has changed and shaped me. I am a very different person to who I was in 2009 (and probably to the person I was in my last lifetime in 1909 and 1919). I’ve had amazing highs and crushing lows, I’ve finally accepted not everyone is going to like and/or agree with me, that some people really do just want to see the world burn, and that I don’t have to give a shit about everyone or everything in the world. In a way, I kind of feel like only now am I really an adult as I’m heading to 30. Don’t they say that your 20s are about making mistakes anyway? Good, because I’ve definitely made them. 

Going into 2020 isn’t that giant of a deal for me - that will really sort of come in May when I turn 30. I’m not having a big celebration tonight, not getting wasted and not setting off any fireworks. I’m pretty apathetic about seeing 2019 go even though there was plenty of pain because there was just as much good to the year - I did achieve and learn a lot (like Spanish and what I’m worth and that house hunting sucks). 

I do look forward to a fresh new year regardless. I’m going to move into my apartment, get myself a puppy, try to be more sustainable and give back a little more, continue with my intermittent fasting and health/fitness journey. I’m not a mess, my life isn’t a mess, and event though my future isn’t planned it’s not necessarily a light in the tunnel (because there is no tunnel). 

So at the end of the day I wish everyone (even the people who cut me off this year or were nasty and cruel to me) a happy new year, a very roaring 20s and a wonderful future. I hope that you have give and receive good karma, that you achieve your goals and resolutions, and most of all that you’re happy. I hope that the people who had a rough year or decade have a better one moving forward, and I hope that people get what they deserve. 

Here’s to 2020 - I hope it’s dazzling. 

Sam xox