It's a wrap!
Chapter 12 of 12, done and dusted!
Not only is it the end of December, but also the end of 2019, AND the end of a decade!
As I look back on the month and year I am filled with such gratitude. It was a year of many firsts for me and I became more willing to step out of my comfort zone. Â
I am extremely excited for 2020 and what it may hold. I want to rephrase that last bit ‘what it may hold’…. because I’m largely ‘making my life happen’ and not letting life just happen to me.  I want to continue doing that and step it up a big notch this coming year.
But first, let’s look at this past month.
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The clean out.
I’m not a hoarder. I’m not very sentimental either. I don’t often keep things unless I am using it.
If it is past its due date, it is most definitely thrown out. If it is just sitting pretty, I rather give it to someone who has value for it.
Come the end of the year, I do like to take stock and clean out anyway. Any earrings I no longer wear or if a butterfly is missing, it is remade into something new, or goes in the out box. Clothes, shoes, make-up, nail colours – oh my god don’t let me start on the cutex!
Then I move on to the kitchen cupboards, medicine drawer, files, data, storage.
With every item going in the box or bin, I feel lighter and lighter.
I don’t know why this makes me feel so good. It’s strange to feel good getting rid of things, isn’t it? Then again, I dated a guy once who felt good doing dishes. That’s strange!
Watched.
Series
A sci-fi month of V Wars. Â
A Netflix Original series starring Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Dairies.
When I saw that Ian was one of the main actors I was immediately hesitant to watch. Â
Firstly I was worried that he would be carrying over the same characteristics from his role in The Vampire Diaries. Like when Johnny Depp moved from Pirates of the Caribbean to a new movie, I saw Jack Sparrow in all of his new characters.
Secondly, the Vampire genre has become a bit … sucked dry. Â
I decided to check it out anyway, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that Ian was not yet again a vampire. Nope. Instead he was a doctor in search of a cure. Also his acting was nothing like the character Damon Salvatore which was refreshing enough to continue watching.  He was surprisingly … human.  Or shall I say, acted the role of a human well. Lol.
The show however wasn’t great. It had just enough appeal to make me wonder what will happen next. The next was never satisfying. I would go as far to say that Vamperism is dead. And yet I have a need now to see the second season.  Â
Watch the trailer...
Movies
A dark fantasy thriller, dubbed ‘the sequal to The Shining‘ , Doctor Sleep.
In this next chapter, 'Doctor Sleep' catches up with the terrorised child from 'The Shining', Danny Torrance.
Ewan McGregor plays Dan a now grown man, who has silenced his ghosts with alcohol. Â
He later finds sobriety in a small town where he meets a young girl who shares his abilities.
The girl, Abra, is hunted down by The Knot, a cult of sorts.  They feed on the energy of psychic-abled kids.
Dan and Abra take on the The Knot in order to ensure their own survival.
Ok so there is a lot of violence in this movie. The sadistic kind, toward children… So it is probably not going to be well liked by parents.
It’s not going to keep you up at night. In fact you might fall asleep.  It is a bit underwhelming and drawn out. Â
I’ve never been a big fan of sequals and I think this story might have been better as a standalone.  The connection to The Shining for me was lost. Â
Still there is enough in it to enjoy your popcorn and walk away feeling that 150 minutes wasn’t entirely wasted.
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Watch the trailer...
Online.
Human population through time.  It took 200,000 years for our population to reach 1 billion.  And only 200 years to reach 7 billion.
Sometimes a Cigar is just a Cigar  quite simply.
‘Here we go, the chaos is starting.’Â An oral history of Y2K.Â
~Once upon a time, we all thought the world was going to end on January 1, 2000. Two decades after the panic of the century, itâs time to finally hear from the people who spent yearsâand billionsâ making sure it didnât.
Ate | Drank.
Due to my unexpected visit to the hospital, I didn’t get to over indulge this festive season. Antibiotics kept me away from any bubbly, any wine, I didn’t even have mocktails! Â
But I never seem to lack an appetite.  Even the hospital food was not bad. Â
I did have one of my favorite ‘treats’ though.  Yorkshire Puds! Find the recipe here.
Products.
As the years go on I’ve come to appreciate eye creams more and more. Â
I’ve added the Bionike Defence Tolerance Soothing Eye Contour Treatment to my daily routine.  The only other cream I swear by for my eyes is the Dermactin-TS Dark Circle Cream…
The skin around my eyes are definitely showing my age, even with the cream, but these are the only ones that have made a remarkable difference for me. Â
Playlist.
I know I had Harry Styles ‘s Watermelon Sugar in last month’ playlist, but it’s just got the kinda vibe I want to walk into twenty-twenty with. So here it is again.
For all the memories, hear hear ~ Maroon 5
And I have to give Dua Lipa a nostalgic listen.Â
Goodbye old year, hello new year
The first rule of 2020:
never talk about 2019.
Haha. That is obviously just me joking, because if you know me, … there are no rules.
But seriously, when the clock strikes midnight and you raise your glass in cheer, I hope you remember that joyous feeling for the rest of the year!
Whatever makes my soul feel good in twenty-twenty, that’s where I’ll be. See you there!
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