2013

Here we go again!!

Out with the old and in with the new, bring with you all the best bits from 2013 and leave all the crap behind :)

Well, another year, another blog post reviewing said year! I'm gonna be honest... 2013 has been awesome!! I have absolutely nothing negative to say about it because even if there has been some low points, I've learnt from those times and things and they've got me where I am today- feeling the way I feel, acting the way I act, doing what I do. 2013 has done me goooood ;)

Let's start from the beginning. By now, you should know that my birthday is in January so yep, I'm now 19! The last year of my teens. Most people tend to be quite sad about that but I'm looking forward to my twenties! This year I have proven to myself that I will be perfectly happy as an adult. My 19th year of my existence in this world has overall been a trial to test me on how I will cope in my next however many years of being an adult and I can happily say I have succeeded in that trial. I know that there will be many other adult related things that I will have to go through in years to come where I will be chucked into the deep end but we don't worry about things until they happen so we won't think about those things right now!

My first proper (kind of...) job started in January as well. All of last year's Summer, Autumn and Winter I spent hours searching for a job and finally! I found one. An apprenticeship working at Penk Insurance. I had my interview with Jenny Penk and yes, I was nervous but it seemed to go well. I got a call that evening from the guy who had helped sort out the interview for me and he said that Jenny wanted to see me again for a second interview. I went back the following week and she went through exactly what the job was and if I was sure I wanted it and yes, it was a job in sales but it was also admin and I'd always enjoyed admin work so I thought, what the hell, I'll give it a go. She gave me the job and proceeded to tell me my hours, days that I'd be working and then what date I'd start.
The hours were tough and it was dark when I got up for work and then dark when I got home as well but I was happy enough. I really enjoyed doing the admin work- photocopying, scanning, e-mailing, sending letters, fetching the post, taking the post, making tea and coffee, filing etc but the sales side of the job I was finding a bit difficult. I've never been overly confident on the phone and these were calls to people who barely spoke English so I'll be honest, I hated that side of the job. Eventually Jenny picked up on the fact I wasn't enjoying the sales and called me into her office to talk about me finding another job. I was upset to say the least but I knew this was the right thing for me anyway. I was also gutted because I loved the people I was working with but you can't stay in a job just because you like your colleagues.

I left at the start of May and it was time to look for something else, preferably another apprenticeship. One at Brampton Manor Country Club came up so I applied, got an interview and if it weren't for the silly hours at stupid o'clock in the morning when I wouldn't have been able to catch a bus for the first shift... I would have got the job. She even told me herself that she would have given me the job if I'd been able to make the first shift on time. I would later find out that it just wasn't meant to be and that something better was to come. This isn't that 'something better' but I found another job and got offered an interview and then got offered that job the very same day. I accepted and was asked to start the next day. I then woke up the next day very ill and unable to start but it also gave me chance to think about it and I realised that I didn't want that job. I would have been stuck in the same situation as Penk Insurance, doing a job because it was a job... not because I actually wanted to be there. I called them up and declined the job.

I got a call the same day as I declined the other job and I was told that there was an apprenticeship going at Jameson's Cafe and Tea rooms in Chesterfield and that I'd be cooking and baking, taking orders and serving people, handling money... that kind of thing, which to me, sounded perfect. I had an interview with the manager, Sarah, and got offered the job there and then. I absolutely love my job!!!! I love the staff, I love cooking, I love baking, I love the customers (now that's saying something...). It's had it's ups and downs and it's had me upset, angry and knackered but I still get up every day, not regretting it at all and actually wanting to get to work. There hasn't been a single day where I've thought 'I really don't want to go to work today!' and I think that when you're able to do that every morning, you know you're happy in your job. I have learnt sooooo much in the 7 months that I've been there, not just the cooking and baking and all the health and safety and stuff that comes with working in catering but I've learnt more about people and the challenges but also the fun of running a business. I've learnt more about relationships and friendships just from the wonderful ladies I work with and I can honestly say that this job and everything I do and everything that goes with the job, has helped a heck of a lot in making me who I am today. I've come so far in these past 7 months and I'm proud of what I can do and who I am. So, I'd like to say a big thank you to all the staff- and also the customers- at Jameson's and I look forward to the next year working with you all.

I photographed a wedding this year. It was bloody hard work but it was soooo worth it in the end. So much pressure and effort goes into photographing a wedding and to do it on your own, it mentally cripples you. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my work and if I'm not happy with it, I end up doubting that anyone else will like it. When you've got the pressure from the bride and groom, to photograph their day and come up with these amazing photos that they'll keep for the rest of their married lives... add on the pressure from myself as well and that I'd be disappointed in myself if the pictures aren't perfect, all hell will break lose if they're anything but perfect. You'll be pleased to know that me, the bride and the groom were all overly happy with what I managed to capture and edit and the bride was so pleased with them that she cried happy tears :) I have now been booked to do another wedding next year, this time I don't actually know the bride and groom but I will also have an extra pair of hands with me anyway so fingers crossed it will be another successful wedding! :D

2013 has been a year of friendship and achievement I think. I'll just list a few more things that have happened this year:-
Met some wonderful new people that have become great friends. Some already great friends brought out an album that is fantastic and I can't stop listening to it! (RockMelon- Hot Signal... just in case anyone wants to check it out!). Ant and Laura had a gorgeous baby girl called Amelia. One of my best friends, James, moved to Leicester to go to Uni and I went to visit him in November. Went on a mini holiday with Fern to Bakewell. One of my boys died, Sage :( So we've just got Dill now. Went to Chatsworth with the Stockdale's, August bank holiday and it was a great day! Got my bridesmaid dress ready for Sarah's wedding next year!! and also, I experienced the first death in my family- my wonderful Great-Grandma sadly passed away at the age of 90 back in February of this year, unfortunately on my brother's birthday as well. She was a lovely lady and had a great life and will be missed by many! Rest in Peace Great-Grandma xxx
That's everything for now but I'm sure I'll end up adding things on when I remember them.

So, all in all, as I said earlier, it's been an amazing year for me. I don't tend to say all that new year, new me stuff cause I'm perfectly happy with 'me' as I am! So instead, I'm gonna go with- 2014 is going to be a year of development. I'm going to develop the skills I already have, I'm going to learn more about things I'm passionate about and also things I just want to know more about and I'm going to develop the friendships I already have too because I adore the people in my life at the moment and I know there is lots more to learn about all of them :)

A big thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout the year, anyone who has made me smile or laugh, given me a chance and given me an opportunity and anyone who has just been a part of my year. I'm incredibly blessed to have the friends and family I do so just thank you everyone, for being you! I hope that 2014 is a year of good health, achievements, love, surprises and smiles for you all. Make it a good one xxx