That was it?! 2010

 So this is Christmas (ish), and what have you done? Another year over, a new one just begun... in a little while. I am unable to decide exactly when this song is supposed to be sung. 25th December? No, because a new year isn't just  begun. 1st January? No, because then it isn't Christmas. All very confusing if you ask me. However, this year has happened, whether you (or I, for that matter) like it or not. I cannot remember anything in the correct order so I think this will be a bit of a mishmash of things that have happened. Firstly, it was cold and we played out far more than finalists probably should. It was fun though.

As with every year, I had a Birthday. As with most years I had a cake from Mother. She really excelled herself this time, it was incredible!

February saw a return to Austria to wisit Corinne and Christian in Linz...

...and Sonja, Fritzi and Miriam in Salzburg. Even though it was the final reading week of final year and I should definitely have spent it working hard, it was really lovely to go back to the places I missed and do all my favourite things, such as eating Kaiserschmarrn, drinking in KG and having a megabreakfast in the Adomeit household. These are things I still miss and shall endeavour to make happen again in 2011.

Valentine's Day was, of course, a total non-event. It happened while I was in Austria and we went to the cinema. To this day I am still annoyed that I spent 12 Euros on what was supposed to be the greatest film event of all time:

Actually it was totally rubbish and boring and gave me a headache. Blue people are just not really my bag baby.

There was lots of good TV this year, including My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, My Monkey Baby (I know this is older than 2010 but still one of the greatest documentaries ever made). I have really got into documentaries this year. Oh, and Don't Tell The Bride is another classic. There are whole series' I have missed while living in Austria so I have got some serious catching up to do. Probably my two favourite TV events of the year are...

...and of course...DR WHO. I was initially a bit worried that Matt Smith was not going to be able to compare to David Tenant but he has excelled himself and may be, dare I say it... better. Amy Pond, with her ridiculously long legs and beautiful red hair, is one of the least annoying assistants for a while, but she is still not good enough because I am really the only person who is right for the job. In fact that is probably what I am going to apply for when I come back to the UK.

This series of Dr Who was rudely interrupted by finals. I always knew the last year of uni was going to be hard (especially as I hated it anyway) but it was the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life. 20 000 words plus revision for translation, oral and essay writing really sucked my soul. It was traumatic and actually I think I have blocked out most of the horrendousness from my memory because it was AWFUL.

We tried to brighten things up with Magazine Clue (Pick Me Up and Love It!), something that I am pleased to announce is still going strong, I arrived home from Wales to a package of the best magazines from the last 3 months from Becky. Also, Kylie, Becky, Sophie and I had our own little room where we went to work. There was a lot of stress and work but I think actually more eating than anything else. I dread to think how much cake/crisps/biscuits/Diet Coke/coffee was consumed, but I do know it was A LOT. Like, more than has ever been eaten by 4 people ever in the world.

Also going on around this time was the elections. As you know, I am not politically minded but there was so much coverage of it all, even I couldn't ignore it and I even voted, for the first time ever. I really am becoming a grown up.

As it turns out it was all a bit of a waste of time and I shan't bother voting again because they are all as bent as each other and none of the politicians can be trusted but ho hum, you live and learn.

Clichéd as it sounds, all our hard work paid off and we rewarded ourselves with REAL CHAMPAGNE on the Piazza after our final exam (German translation, the hardest of the lot). It could not have been more perfect, it was glorious sunshine and lots of fun was had by all for the following three weeks while the weather held out. I have never had so many barbecues in my life!

Also there was the Grad Ball. It was nice, but as with all things like this, it was incredibly overpriced. But I won't moan, it was nice to do something a bit posher than usual with all my friends.

4 years of hard work (and tears, and shouting, and stress, and essays) came to an end and it was Graduation Day. I saw Father Dear in a suit for the very first time and Mother Dear also had a nice new outfit. It was a long day but it was quite nice, especially going to Brown's for tea afterwards, and actually my only regret was wearing a red plastic ring which is very obvious on all the photos. There is a hilarious video that Mum took of me collecting my certificate and shaking hands with the Fancy Man (I don't know who he was) on the stage, if I can find it I will post it because it is v funny.

Much of the summer was spent in Wales with Boyo. This does not mean I am a Walesophile, it is just how things worked out. 

A not inconsiderable portion of the Summer was spent unemployed, which was AWFUL because it meant I had to go to the Job Centre, the worst place in the world, on a regular basis. I was very pleased to get a job at:

If any of you think that working in a toyshop is fun, you are wrong. It was awful and a bit soul destroying actually, especially when people start their Christmas shopping in August, but I managed to earn some money which was definitely welcome.

2010 saw two big Birthdays; Grandad Bill turned 80 and Mother also celebrated an important one. Actually celebrations carried on well into September when Alastair and I cooked a Come Dine With Me style meal:

It was a resounding success, and we even had a palette cleansing sorbet between courses. Nom nom nom.

At the end of September, both Ali and I left the country. He flew off to Japan for a year, while I returned to what I thought was my adopted homeland.

Turns out it's not and it is actually a bit rubbish but never mind, I will be back in the UK soon enough, and will no doubt moan about things here! School is rubbish, my flat is weird and the Viennese are rude beyond belief, but I have got some friends. Not many, but they are nice. We had a Halloween gathering:

Harry Potter came out (not like that) and I was very excited, especially as Ron got so much more attractive. I think if I do not marry the Doctor, I will marry him. I am so excited for the next installment!

One thing that all the Austrians think I should be interested in (but actually couldn't care less is the Royal Engagement.

Yawn yawn yawn, boring boring, but I drew a picture of it anyway. Seems a weird place to end the review of the year but never mind. On the whole this year has been quite hard actually. I did not fulfil my resolution from last year, which was to watch every episode of Come Dine With Me ever made, so I will try again this year. Also I am going to try to use less commas, as my sentences have become positively German sounding, but at least I don't all the verbs at the end of sentences put.

So I will love you and leave you now, sending lots of love to everyone, especially to Aristah san in Japan and hope you all have a lovely NYE and a superduper 2011!