A byootaful Life

So here we are: January 1st, standing at the beginning of a new, exciting year filled with unlimited possibilities and adventures just waiting for us! I like to think that 2013 is going to be my year because 2012 ended on a low note. A very low note, actually. At the end of November, after eight years together, Phill and I ended our relationship. I’m not going to go into details, but it was obviously very sad and disappointing to go our separate ways after spending such a huge chunk of our adult lives together. I moved out and into my own little apartment which has been a whole new adventure for me, but I’m rising to the challenge and taking it as a great opportunity to spend some time concentrating on myself, figuring out who I am and what I want, while learning to enjoy this new chapter in my life.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve encountered so far has been cooking. I love to cook and I love to entertain. Unfortunately my new apartment isn’t quite as glamorous as my old one so while entertaining is not impossible, it is a little more difficult. I’m aware that I can’t fit 20 people in my apartment like I used to  and that I don’t have a BBQ or balcony on which to enjoy numerous beverages and flame-grilled meats, but hey, I’ll make it work. I had also fallen a little bit into the thought pattern of “Why bother cooking? It’s just for me, there’s no point doing anything fancy” but I quickly came to realise that that kind of thinking is depressing and unfair to myself. Am I not worth the effort of cooking a nice meal? Should I only want to cook something tasty if someone else is going to eat it too? So a couple days ago, I went out and bought myself an expensive steak and made a delicious dinner with a mushroom sauce, mashed potato and veggies and it. was. freaking. awesome! I know I’m allowed to be lazy every once in a while and have toast for dinner but if I do, it’ll be because I want that and not because I feel I don’t deserve anything better.

Oh, I almost forgot – meet my new roomie Sushi:

He was a housewarming gift from a couple friends and he has some crazy Halloween colours going on, which is why I picked him. Much more exciting than a plain orange goldfish, amiright? I was bored one night and started wondering if goldfish could learn tricks and was surprised to find that’s actually a thing. Kinda cute, kinda weird, but then again, we teach cats to poop in the toilet so why can’t a fish play soccer or swim through hoops? But, as intrigued as I am at fish olympics, I’m thinking I might let Sushi live a peaceful sports-free life because I found something else to keep me occupied – learning to play the guitar.

I should clarify – learning to play the guitar well. I’ve always been able to play basic chords and do basic strumming patterns but the guitar has been the one instrument that I couldn’t just pick up and play well, and, as a musician, that always frustrated me. While I’d played my guitar on and off, it mostly sat in the corner of the bedroom gathering a fine layer of dust. When I moved apartments, I decided I was going to accept the challenge and learn some tricky, cool guitar stuff and I’ve been working on it daily (sorry neighbours!). My left hand fingers still get cranky when I try to force them into some of the more crazy chord combinations I’ve come across but I’m determined to get it perfected and I seem to be getting a little better. Who knows, maybe this will lead to a successful guitar career? And if that fails, I’ll have a professional fish trainer career to fall back on haha.

Anyway, here’s to 2013! I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a good year!