Is this thing on? Hello? It's Christmas...time to revisit my Blog.

1. What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?

I started my job at Karratha Senior High School. It has been a rollercoaster ride full of laughter, tears, tantrums, teaching moments, learning moments, favourite students, students who told me they loved me and those who openly told me they hated me. Best of all, however, was that I found a work place where I felt happy within my community of colleagues. Karratha is the happiest I have ever been.

2. Did you achieve your goals for the year, and will you make more for next year?

I achieved my reading goals, my cooking goals and my ‘personal space’ goals. It was a successful year, goal-wise.

I will make goals for next year and they're bound to revolve around my desire to be a better teacher.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No, not really. The SF community was awash with new babies, but no one that I know personally. Oh, wait, there was this one couple that I know personally, but I'm not giving away information about other people's births in such a public forum.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

In the Trumpocalypse, we’re all dying a little more than we should each day. This is a terrible part of history and I hope we can recover from it.

5. What countries did you visit?

Not so much countries as country towns. Dampier, Point Samson, Wickham, Roeburne, Broome. That’ll do, Donkey.

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?

Real money that can support my family on one wage. My wage is nowhere near Lee’s former wage and I feel like I’m letting the team down.

7. What dates from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 

15 December 2018 (yesterday). A student gave Lee and me tickets to see “Bohemian Rhapsody” because he felt that I’d been important in his year. I will never, ever forget that. The movie was wonderful, as was the gesture.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Finishing my first year as a teacher. I discovered that I am actually good at this. No, I wasn’t perfect, but I haven’t met a perfect teacher yet. We’re all doing our best in a most-trying circumstance.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not being there to help my daughter during her darkest moment. I should have been in Perth. I wasn’t. I don’t know what to with that.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? 

It’s been three years since my ankle injury, but I still suffer from it. Thanks to conflicting opinions within the medical profession I have never regained any real control over my left leg. I still need my walking stick from time to time (like the past 2 days) and it pisses me off, mightily. Recently I found out that the tears are constantly shredding and that it’s only going to get worse. Right this moment I am doped up on Panadol Forte and am wearing my strong brace. I want to go to the gym tomorrow, but this is most unlikely.

In positive news, at this rate I might soon qualify for a disability space at school.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Duromine. 8kg lost. Curcumin. It really helps my ankle.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

My entire family because they have made the most of this year in one way or another. Some lost direction, but I do believe that they will pick themselves up.

My boss, Ben, for hiring me. He’s cool.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

A family member who made some stupid decisions and then had to suffer the consequences. However, we all make mistakes, and everything is a learning experience. Onwards and upwards.

14. Where did most of your money go?

School supplies. Teachers are the only people who steal supplies from home to take to work.

 

It's amazing how much this little girl looks like my granddaughter.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Work. I love my job. It’s freaking hard and not always rewarding, but it does MATTER.

Also, having my boss believe in me enough to give me the ATAR Year 11 Lit students. It’s a brand new course and I’m excited to be part of it.

16. What song will always remind you of 2018?

“Baby It’s Cold Outside.” For some reason, this song raised a lot of anger in the #metoo era, but for me, it was an opportunity to have a real teaching moment with my transition ATAR Lit 11s. The class debated back and forth about the lyrics and what they meant, both historically and today. It was brilliant and the moment when I knew I had them.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? ii. thinner or fatter? iii. richer or poorer?

Happier, slimmer, poorer. Way happier. 

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Writing. I miss it. A lot. These holidays will mostly be about reading for my ATAR Lit course, so I don’t anticipate things changing in 2019.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Hiding from the problems going on in Perth. I couldn’t do anything concrete, so I applied myself more fully to Karratha stuff. And then things got really bad for my children.

20. How will you spend Christmas?

No religious expectations. Yay! Presents, food, drinks. And with my Battkids for the first time in years.

21. Who did you meet for the first time?

The entire English department at KSHS. They’re awesome and they are my friends.

22. Did you fall in love in 2018?

Okay, Lee and I have always been close. We just fit and our dynamic works. Lately, though, something has changed and we’re even better than ever. We’re passionate about each other, we can’t get enough of each other. I am still crazy in love with my husband and I will organise for everyone to get their diabetes shots after reading this answer.

23. What was your favourite TV program?

The Good Place by a long shot. There is no better show on TV.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Every year I say, “I don’t hate anyone, I’m just not built that way.” This year I definitely hate three people with a passion, one of whom is my daughter’s ex. What a complete dickhead. I can’t talk about the others.

25. What was the best book you read?

The Marriage Lottery series by Stasia Black. Yep, it goes the full smut, but the post-Apocalyptic world building makes it a fantastic read that I find hard to put down. I often consider moving past the sex stuff in order to read the main plot. I would, but that would be disrespect to SB’s work, so I don’t 😊

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I have no idea. I have a musical playlist which I listen to when I’m alone in my study, working.

Laid	Love is a Stranger
Afternoon Delight	I Love it When He Calls me Names
Lay Down	Tainted Love
Total Eclipse of the Heart	How Soon is Now?
Angel of the Morning	Bad Things
Kiss Me	Moonlight Shadow
Sweet Dreams	Love Will Tear Us Apart
Never Tear us Apart	We Belong
Throw Your Arms Around Me	Wicked Game
Stay	I Know Him So Well
Drive	Deep
Don’t Stand So Close to the Window	Strokin’

27. What was your favourite film of this year?

It’s such a toss up between Bohemian Rhapsody, which was wonderful, and The Room which was delightfully terrible.

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was 49. My Triffkids and grandkids arrived from Perth to spend it with me. It was wonderful.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Nothing. It was a great year and I have loved everything about it.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

School Marm, 1950s style.

31. What kept you sane?

Having a cry in the staff toilets when it all got too much.

32. What political issue stirred you the most?

The murder of women by violent men in their lives. This form of domestic terrorism really needs addressing, and soon.

33. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018.

The sins of the mothers visit themselves upon the children. My daughter faced a situation that my mother, my grandmother, my Aunty and myself all faced. We all lost. She won. I’m so grateful that she broke our curse and kept her children.

34. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

“Okay, guys. You’ve done well. I’ll play music for the rest of the lesson.”

“Miss, miss. Can we listen to…Africa?

Every single time. And guess what, these lyrics work in with my year, too.

It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had.

Africa – Toto.