December 2019, Goodbye 2019

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I wanted to share my final monthly roundup of 2019 and - call me cliché - I also wanted to bid a final farewell to the year that's been. I'm pleased that I have these monthly roundups to look back on, particularly because I didn't blog a lot this year and these blog posts every month act like a diary entry of some best bits which can be so easy to forget when things aren't going so great. December already feels like a lifetime away, with Christmas and ringing in the New Year taking centre stage, but these are some of my standout moments from December.

My Birthday Celebrations

This feels like so long ago now but it was my birthday at the start of the month and I spent it in a cute countryside cottage with some of my best friends. I had such a lovely time and already can't wait to do it again! I'm so pleased I planned this with my friends as it was exactly what I needed, a countryside escape is always a good idea and I absolutely loved being away with my friends.
I've got a blog post up with photos from our trip, as well as sharing the gorgeous cottage we stayed in, read my blog post: My 25th Birthday and not forgetting, I vlogged the weekend too! Watch my vlog here:

Books

I finally got back in the swing of things this month after a hiatus from reading. Finally finishing The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan which I did enjoy in the end, it just took me a while to get stuck in. I read Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata which was ok, not my favourite read but very short so I got through it quickly. Lastly, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson which I just LOVED. It's been a while since I've read a book that I quite simply couldn't put down but this was one of them. I finished off the 448 pages in a mere 3 days over the Christmas break.

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Watchlist

This month I watched A LOT. Films, series, general TV - I watched it all! Some stand out films for me this month were:

• Klaus (an animated Christmas movie which both my boyfriend and I really enjoyed watching)
• The Hate U Give
• Searching

Oh and a year later than everybody else, I finally watched The Bodyguard which was as great as everybody said it would be!


Christmas

This year we spent Christmas in London (we usually alternate between spending it at home in London or going to Portugal to spend it with my family who live there) Both Christmas and the New Year were really lovely. Rekindling friendships, playing countless games as well as indulging in all of the good food and drink! London is a truly magical place throughout the festive season and I'm always so happy to get to spend it in this incredible city with my family and friends.

Some Final Thoughts on 2019

To end my last monthly recap, I wanted to roundup the year. I have to be honest, there are no major moments that stand out to me from 2019 and that always leaves me with a feeling of underachievement. Yes, there were some great moments but there were also a lot of low moments (which never really get documented) so I leave the year behind with not much to say about it.

There were a couple of goals I set myself work-wise which I didn't achieve and honestly, I think this takes a huge toll on me. This industry is ruthless and this job is just such a whirlwind. I get to do some incredible things (that I doubt I would have the opportunity to do if this wasn't my job) but equally, there have been countless moments this year when I've really questioned this job and what I'm doing.

I think 2020 will be a year of change so let's see what this year will bring. Please be good!