ANDREW'S YEAR IN REVIEW: ZOMBIE ELVES AND THE CANDY CANES OF SUGARY DOOM!

Actually this is really my very merry drunk-on-sherry (not really but the rhyme sounded like fun so I went with it!) Christmas round up for 2011 but I was thinking - what if I decided I wanted to turn this Christmas blog post into a Hollywood movie - and that happens all the time right? - then I'd need a far more catchy title and a kickass picture like this:

(I have no intention at this point of talking about zombie elves, doom-causing candy canes, or even serial killer Santas at this point but you never know so be vigilant!)

So Merry Christmas one and all, and may you not be hunted down by avenging hordes of elves cranky that you didn't like the gift they made you!

That's right! I do not want you dismembered by pissed-off elves, rogue candy canes or Rudolph on a bender. What a good friend am I? Now before you think I have totally lost it and have had one too many cups of caramel-flavoured eggnog, let's move on with all the festive fun...

So what's the big plan for this year I hear you say? Well clearly I can't hear a thing you're saying since you're not here (you should know that), but let's pretend that you're clamouring to know. I am flying out of good old Sydney Town to Melbourne for an action-packed Christmas Eve with my partner's family who, trust me, are so lovely that going to the effort of being in Melbourne for just 24 hours is totally worth it! Everyone is gathering together as if it's Christmas day, cooking up a mountain of food and exchanging presents just for us. Then they will do it all over again on Christmas day. I love his family!

Then on Christmas Eve night we're flying directly to the sunny Gold Coast where we'll meet my sister Helen and my brother in law, and of course my adorable niece, Zara, (my other sister Rachel, brother-in-law- Michael and the adorable Bodhi will likely already be home) and stay overnight before heading down to the ancestral estate in Alstonville for a more leisurely four days.

We used this image on the Facebook invite for the Christmas picnic we had on the 10 December.

My beautiful guy and the wonderful abstract Christmas tree he made for the picnic.

We set up a tent, invited everyone, and they ate and talked and chilled. Perfect.

This year it's the Gillman's turn for the great big Christmas Day lunch and as usual there will be chicken and pig and turkey - all perfectly dead and hygienically cooked trust me - and 1000 different types of luscious salads and all the Christmas pudding a boy can want! Yes there will be over eating, and frankly the idea of some boxing day liposuction is enormously tempting, but more importantly I'll get to see my family, celebrate my brother's engagement to the thoroughly delightful Aimee, and take part in the annual, and not to be missed Byron Bay brunch with Steve and Aimee. I cannot wait to see them all and falalalala ourselves silly. OK well there are no guarantees of copious amounts of falalalala-ing (yay now it's a verb!) but there will be much happiness and merriment and gathering of family and that's what makes Christmas special for me.

Mum decorating the tree

My sister rachel, her son (and my adorable nephew), Bodhi in her arms, my sister-in-law Aimee and Mum gather around this year's beautifully decorated tree

Well that and eating my own body weight in chocolate sultanas (I will over estimate naturally), which is not as easy as it sounds but I am willing to endure hardship for the sake of maintaining those sacred Christmas traditions. That, and fruit mince pieces and this year's magical discovery, sour Christmas bell jubes. Seriously! They are a Coles home brand product, and while that may cause me all manner of ideological angst, they are so good that I am prepared to set aside ethical qualms for the sake of the season. No, no, no need to make a fuss - it is saint like, and you're welcome!

Slightly ghoulish Santa artwork near Marrickville Metro, Sydney

Aglow with my satisfaction at keeping such special traditions alive and kicking, you should know that I have decorated the tree with all the pop culture ornaments you can find on Ebay, I've festooned all my doors, bookshelves and even the dining room table with tinsel and plush Christmas toys, and I have even tweeted all the things I like about Christmas on Twitter to universal... disinterest! But I am not deterred and as far as I am concerned it is the most wonderful, fabulous time of the year and I hope all your days and nights, and even sales assistants in crowded, sweaty department stores whose smiles of Christmas cheer are hurting them, are merry and bright and that your Christmas and New Year will be so fabulous that Viking bards will sing about you!

OK that's unlikely since they haven't been around for oh 700 years but it's a nice thought...

So it's been a very big year, and not for the reasons I thought it would be. The plan was to get the novel finally edited and proofread, have a cover designed and published as an e-book on Amazon's Kindle platform. But even though I met with the cover designer and plans are well underway to make publishing my book a reality - at bloody long last! - it will have to wait till early 2012 to come screaming into the pop-culture consciousness of the world and make ridiculously wealthy and famous. Don't worry, I won't forget you... sorry what was your name again?

No the big defining moment of the year was getting a wholly unexpected new job. No one was more surprised than me!

GOODBYE OLD, HELLO NEW
My once lovely job at Optus had run it's course by the start of the year, its attractiveness further blighted by a run-in with a psychopathic workplace bully who made my work life not as pleasant as I would have liked it.  I was the only one brave/foolish enough to confront her and I paid for it.

My breakfast farewell (19/10) with all the other EAs I worked with closely. The very lovely woman on the front right in the orange top is my dear friend Sandra T who was my direct colleague in the Wholesale area. LOVED working with her. 

The gorgeous Sammi T and me at farewell drinks on my last day at Optus on 21 October.

Cutting up my farewell cake on Thursday 20 October.
L-R: Carol, Sandra T, Sarah H and Denise (or 'Dingers')

That's not what made me want to leave the job of course. I have never run from a bully and I stand up to them because after the beating I went through at school, it's simply not in my nature to let a bully win. What that less than pleasant interlude did was spur me on to get a job that could channel my much frustrated creative expression into something that I wanted to do five days a week. I loved writing my novel and this and other blogs, but I wanted a job that allowed me to get paid for that. Of course I thought that was pie in the sky and a million years off but I had to give it a shot, no matter how remote I thought the possibility of such a job was.

So imagine my delight when I saw an ad in the Sydney Writers' Centre newsletter, a company who have 30 plus courses designed for people wanting to pursue creative, business or magazine/newspaper writing, for an assistant to the owner and managing director, Valerie Khoo. The description read like my dream job, and I didn't waste a nanosecond's time (yes I timed it!) applying for, and by some happy miracle - hmm are there leas than happy miracles? There wouldn't be much point surely? - I landed the job! I could scarcely believe it but it turned out my background as a call centre rep (customer service), Executive Assistant to a Managing Director at Optus and my private writing all came together to make menthe right fit for the job.

Leaving for my first day at my new job. Everyone was so warm and welcoming that by the end of the first week I was told it felt like I had always been there. That was great to hear!

The view from the office balcony. It sure beats the car park at Optus in the middle of Macquarie Park! 

To make things even better, Valerie and I hit it off and ever since I started the job on October 31, it's been honestly the best job I've ever had. The job is a mix of basic admin with article writing and blog administration and oversight, and I have never been so happy and creatively and professionally fulfilled. I keep pinching myself that I am in such a great job working with a wonderful boss and three truly delightful coworkers. Good things do come to those who believe.

Now if I could just stop pinching myself...

A NOVEL IDEA
The much talked about and hyped novel is not not dead at all, and plans are in place to have it published as an e-book in the first half of 2011. I have a cover designer, a graphic artists lined up, lots of contacts for editing and proofreading and I am hoping it will be live to buy very soon. I am certainly working in the right place to motivate me to get it done and to learn how best to promote it too!

It's taken a while true but it will be worth it. I can't wait!

ANDREW AND MONIKA'S WEDDING

It was my absolute privilege to attend the wedding of Andrew (an old housemate of mine for five years in the early Noughties) and Monika (now a very good friend and friends with a mutual friend of mine, Jane L, who tag-teamed with me during the speech we did at the reception) down in Melbourne in early February. The weather was suitably cool for suits, and despite Monika being involved in a very serious accident only a week before the wedding (she was knocked off her bike and her leg injured), she was determined to go ahead with the wedding, and it was beautiful.

The speech went off without a hike - we did a musical speech incorporating Monika's love of The Sound of Music, and Andrew's love of Metallica, and it was a hit. It was the loveliest wedding I have been to in quite some time, and we have had the delight of catching up with a few times since in Sydney.

Steve & I all suited up

Jane and I do our thing while Andrew and Monika laugh and wonder if it was such a good idea to ask us!

GOT ME SOME KULCHA
As usual, my guy and I and our friends got out and about as much as possible, going to our usual events like Symphony in the Domain, Open Air Cinema (3 times), Sydney Festival and Mardi Gras, among many other things. Sydney is that kind of city - great weather (usually - the last month or two has been very wet but thankfully cool which I am loving! Sorry Summer people) and lots to do. So naturally we do it!

We also had in house stuff like the fabulous party for Eurovision. Over the top fabulous!

In the Mirazozo temporary sculpture at the Opera House (Sydney Festival - January). Bright translucent colourful fabric that lets the sun through and creates a magical world inside. Thankfully it wasn't too hot that day!

Steve & I at Symphony in the Domain, 22 January. My friend Ian's partner, Ingo is sitting next to Steve and we're all waiting for the sun to go down behind the buildings in Macquarie Street.

Steve's sister Carolyn, and partner Ric joined us. So lovely to have them there!

Close friends Peter and Warren at Symphony.

Mardi Gras baby! Bright red tshirt and red sunglasses! so much fun! 

Peter, Ian, me, Steve and Warren at Mardi Gras parade (March 5)

Big party on the night of the Eurovision final - 15 May 2011

My friend Kerry from Briz adores Eurovision and goes all out . In the colours of the host Germany

We even decorated the fridge! My Steve and Steve M pose beside their handiwork

TWEET ME!
This was the year I started using Twitter properly. It may not seem like much of an achievement, especially if you are one of the righteous Luddite minority who believe that eschewing all social media is a holy and noble virtue (exceeded only by rescuing kittens from fast flowing streams) but it has revolutionised my life! Really...

Here's why:
(a) I get to keep in contact with a wide range of people, many celebrities, quite a number not, who are tweeting out funny and meaningful comments, links etc that make a drab day that little but more sparkly

(b) Groups like TIME, Sydney Morning Herald and Advocate (gay US news magazine) keep me up on news.

(c) I am a pop culture junkie and getting endless tidbits of info on new and existing TV shows, books, music is beyond awesome.

I got birthday wishes this year via Twitter which was very cool!

Speaking of my birthday I had a ball! My friend Kerry surprised me by coming down from Brisbane (she has conspiratorially arranged with my boyfriend, house mate and my best friend Waz), my boyfriend took me out on 24th (the night before the big day) for a romantic dinner at the Manly Pavilion, and I spent a wonderful weekend with Kerry and all my friends. The highlight was, of course, the big birthday dinner at Delhi o Delhi, my favourite Indian restaurant in Sydney, conveniently located 5 minutes from home and 2 mins from the Imperial gay nightclub!

But most importantly...

(d) I will soon have a book and then books to promote so it's also helping me create 'my brand' and get known so people will know I have created something (hopefully) uber cool! My new boss is an expert at using it well and it's been great learning from her.

Of course I got a little overboard earlier in the year, social media-ing myself into a stressed frenzy - yes imagine me overdoing it! That never happens! ... only all the time - but it's all settled down now and it's working for me and not the other way around.

WRITING WITH ARACHNIDS
I finally managed to join a writing group this year and it's been such a joy! I originally linked up with a few of them - the very lovely Elle, and also Nick - via Nanowrimo last year (where I wrote an entire novel in one month!) but with life being so crazy busy, finding time to meet up with them proved a challenge!

But I finally managed it mid year, after the Kindle course in June inspired me to get a lot of things moving in my life like being part of a writing community and using social media far more effectively, and I am glad I did! They are a brilliant group of people, they love writing and pop culture, and are so articulate, friendly and so much fun to be with.

Oh and the spiders reference in the title? Well one of the girls in the group told her mum one night she was going out to her writing group. Her mother thought she said "spiders group" and so the group name was born. I love it - it's as quirky and fun as the group itself.

BUNDLES OF KITTENS...
At this point in the Christmas blog, I like to share my favourite pop culture moments off the year. Since I go to see so many movies, concerts, musicals, and buy so many books and CDs, picking the favourites is a challenge but here, after much deliberation, my Top 5 of everything this year!

Top 5 songs (in no particular order)

1. Shuffle - Bombay Bicycle Club (read my review of their album here).

2. Videogames - Lana Del Ray (read my review of this song here).

3. Rolling in the Deep - Adele.

4. Hello - Martin Solveig.

5. Jumped Up Kicks - Foster the People.

Top 5 TV shows (of the ones I managed to watch anyway!)

1. Eureka.

This fantastic show is set up in a quirky town where the people who work at a top secret scientific facility all live. It's got great characters, humour and drama and a great sense of fun!

2. Community.

Another show packed full of quirky characters (sensing a theme?) all attending Greendale Community College which is not, let's just say, an Ivy League school. It is deliciously imaginative, pushing the boundaries of what a sitcom can be and for that reason alone, I bow before it.

3. Warehouse 13.

Yep you guessed it - more quirkiness! You can tell now that I don't do straight laced boring police procedurals. What I like to watch though is a show about  secret agents who guard a top secret warehouse full of artefacts, all of which possess some kind of malevolent force. It's a mix of ongoing story lines and artefact-of-the-week searches, with characters who are goofy and yet not, all at once.

4. Miranda.

I have always loved  a well-written, extremely funny British sitcom since I first laid eyes on The Good Life and To the Manor Born, and this one is right up there with them. Once again, quirky characters abound, Miranda (Miranda Hart) talks directly to the camera when needed, and the situations are absurd and yet at the same time, all so believable. I laugh often and much.

5. Big Bang Theory.

Another sitcom but this one's US in origin and features a bunch of nerdy scientist friends living and working together. Star of the show is undoubtedly Sheldon (Jim Parsons) but he wouldn't be anywhere near as appealing without the rest of the cast who are funny, real, and oh yeah, quirky. Like they weren't going to be if I was watching it!

Top 5 Movies (if the title is hyperlinked then there's a fab review of the movie by yours truly).

1. Crazy Stupid Love.

Somehow I managed to see three Ryan Gosling movies this year and it's not simply because he's GORGEOUS (the abs alone are worth the price of admission if I wanted to sound totally shallow, and I don't mind that I do). He's also an amazing actor, and in this movie, which is one of the best romantic comedies to come out in years, he flexes some great acting muscle, along with Steve Carell and Julianne Moore. It had intelligence, wit and charm and tackled some all too real issues.

A standout. 

2. Midnight in Paris.

Woody Allen was back in top form in this movie which featured time travel (possibly), razor-edge smart comic interplay and a script packed full of more bon mots than a top class dictionary. It was also an engagingly sweet movie that you wanted to stay a part of for as long as possible. I came out of this with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

3. Drive

This is not the movie for everyone, I'll admit. The drama unfolds at a very slow boil until it breaks out into furious but in context violence before settling back to a simmer. But it explores the underbelly world of crime and poverty in Los Angeles with dazzling mastery, and of course Ryan Gosling, as always was superb.

4. Beginners

Imagine finding out that your dad is gay only weeks after your mother has died, and then watching your father embrace his new life with an enthusiasm you can't muster for your own life. This is what happens to Oliver (Ewan McGregor) who looks on as his father Hal lives life with a fervour that as they draw closer finally draws Oliver out of his shell. It's a quirky indie movie but with lots of heart and soul.

5. The Help

What an inspiring movie. It tells the story of the awakening among African-American maids in the 1960s in Alabama when they slowly realised, thanks to interviews by the daughter of one of the rich families in town who chose to profile their lives and write about them, that they have rights. It was rich, deep, and beautifully filmed and acted. A joy to watch which gives you much to ponder.

So what's going on for New Year's Eve I hear you ask with feigned interest? Well this year my friends and I are mixing things up completely and watching the fireworks from where I work at Milsons Point which has an awesome rapture-inducing view of the Bridge. It's a view I see every day and it is beautiful and since we had free guaranteed access to the balcony, I couldn't pass up the opportunity!

I am hoping it will usher an amazing year where I'll get to keep writing, get published and most importantly spend lots of time firstly with the most beautiful man in the world, my partner Steve, and then my family and friends who make the whole thing (that would be life) make sense. Whatever you do, may your Christmas be an awesome cavalcade of carols, fruit mince pies and cheap liposuction, and may 2012 be writ large in colourful energy-efficient neon!