The best photograph I've taken this year, I think
The Best of 2009: Days 20-29 (Yeah, I suck)
Day 20: Best new person? This sounds ridiculous but I'm going to say myself. Compared to the person I was a year ago I'm completely different. For the first time in my life I believe in myself, I know what I want and where I'm going. I have my off days (who doesn't?) but, for the most part, this is the most drama free, happy and stable that my life's ever been.
Day 21: Best new project? I'm actually really enjoying doing my 365 project on Flickr. It's surprisingly difficult to try and take a different photo of yourself every day and I'm loving the challenge. I'm also doing The Big 50, my own list of 50 things that I'd like to achieve or experience before I turn 29. I haven't ticked too many off just yet but many things are planned for very soon.
Day 22: Best startup? Like Smidge I'm going to say Cocosa. I've bought some beautiful things from there this year, at ridiculously cheap prices (including my new snow boots which make me feel like one of the Wild Things). Plus, when I had a slight problem a while ago they emailed me and sorted it out in a very satisfactory manner. Hurrah.
Day 23: Best web tool? Twitter! I love it and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I've met some incredibly lovely people via the manner of tweet and it makes days in the office fly by!
Day 24: Best learning experience? Ooh there have been many learning experiences this year, it's been a year of finding out a lot about myself and others. But I think the best one has to be my Dad and prostate cancer. It taught me that you can never take anything for granted. You don't know what's around the corner so make the most of every single moment you have. Grab every opportunity you can. Learn to forgive as life's too short to bear grudges. Laugh as often as you can. Give more than you expect to receive. Most of all, love the ones in your life and make sure they know it.
Day 25: Best gift you gave yourself? The best gift I gave myself wasn't material, although I have bought many pretty things this year. No, the best gift I gave myself was that I stopped beating myself up over things. I've always been a bit of a one for putting myself down and allowing myself to take the blame for things that weren't my fault. No more. If I make a mistake, I learn from it and I don't dwell on it. I don't overthink things any more, I don't analyse everything that happens and I don't think of worst case scenarios any more. I was always a pessimist in the past because I thought that if I didn't expect anything then I wouldn't get disappointed. But now I'm of the opinion that you make your own luck, and if you're optimistic and open to best case scenarios then you're more likely to get them.
Day 26: Best insight or epiphany moment? I've had a fair few this year but the main one can be read about here.
Day 27: Best social web moment? Meeting two of my most favourite blogging ladies, Smidge and Lis. I've known Lis for almost ten years so it was a fairly surreal moment walking into a pub in Edinburgh and seeing her sitting there. Smidge put up with me for two weekends this year and muchos alcohol was drunk. Lovely ladies.
Day 28: Best stationery? The Simple Diary. But I've always been a bit of a stationery geek so stick a nice pen (rollerball please, yum) and a nice pad of paper in my hand and I'll be a happy little soldier.
Day 29: Best laugh? I try and laugh at least once a day, and I usually laugh a hell of a lot more than that. I am a huge fan of laughing. I really can't pick one best laugh and, to be honest, most of the things that I laugh about with my friends wouldn't mean anything to anyone else. We are the kings and queens of ridiculous injokes.
