This post serves a couple of purposes. Firstly, it’s a bit of a record for me, to get something else on paper about a few things. Secondly, it’s a bit of a thank you to some of the people who’ve helped me this year. They’re exceedingly important to me and this will undoubtedly end up sounding a little (or a lot) gushy.
The upshot of this is that, for the first time in quite a while, I’ve felt like writing. In 2012, I’d like to do a lot more writing (words and music), so it’s one of my goals to make this a bit of a habit.
The Big Things:
- I got a law degree.
- I went traveling on my own in a country where I don’t speak the language.
- I lost 15kg.
- I decided I want to be a barrister.
- I met a whole lot of very excellent, absurdly helpful people.
Travel:
In France I think two particular things stick out. Skiing in the Swiss alps and visiting the Louvre. In the case of the former, I’m positively terrible at skiing but the atmosphere was just phenomenal. One of the people I was there with was also a pilot, so he chartered a small plane and we got to fly around for a while. The visit to the Louvre was special because on some level it reminds me that truly great art is something I should always aspire to.
France also taught me that I actually like shopping. Apparently I just dislike sales staff. In this regard, my (essentially non-existent) French skills were a huge advantage. I suspect they are so bad, that the shop assistants left me to my own devices in most places. I was quite happy with this arrangement.
In England, I don’t really know what to pick as a favourite, but arriving at Heathrow after not sleeping for about 30 hours, thinking “I just flew across the planet in a metal box, I have no idea where I am, nor where I have to be and my phone is not working…” was certainly terrifying memorable. The London tube was also oddly special for me, due in no small part to an excellent book recommendation by my sister, who loaned me a copy of Neverwhere, to read while I was there. I completed this on the train trip back from Stonehenge.
I also got to visit the British Museum and see the Rosetta Stone. Something i’ve wanted to see since at least when I started school, if not before then. The departure from Heathrow (the soundtrack for which was the Sex Pistol’s “God Save the Queen” in case you’re wondering) was similarly memorable to the arrival.
University:
I’ve now completed (and graduated from) my 2nd degree. College of Law is still to be done, but it all feels almost within reach! As a brief note on other professional stuff, I’ve been lucky enough to play a part in moots for commercial arbitration and in the High Court that were both an awful lot of fun and I’ve helped write parts of submissions for different legislative bodies and research organisations. I mention those two moots, because they’ve been instrumental i my decision that I’d like to be a barrister some years from now.
I remember walking out of my last exam for the first degree. I walked across the road from Sydney uni, had Oporto and thought “this doesn’t feel like I’ve achieved anything”. Which isn’t true. The psychology degree was important to me and I had some brilliant lecturers who had a real impact on how I think (I can’t offer much higher praise than this) there, but I couldn’t see it letting me help people or behave professionally in the fashion I thought it would have at commencement.
I remember walking out of the last exam for the second degree and being excited for the future and to join a profession full of people I admire and have great respect for.
Odds and ends:
I’ve never felt like an athletic person, but this year I’ve managed to lose about 15kg and I’m happy about this. Which is kind of remarkable for me, mostly for the “happy” bit itself. 2011 has been the first year where I don’t think i’ve had a problem with depression, at least since I started high school.
2010 was better than quite a number before it, but 2011 was genuinely fantastic.
With particular thanks:
- My family – all of whom I love dearly for reasons I can’t ever hope to give a number to.
- Chris, Sarah, Eric, Andrew, Angus, Marianna, Nic, Trez, Robin, Coral, Dominic, Brad, James, Kim, Kate, Bec, Brenda, Wen, Jo, JY, Michael, Leanne, Neil, Alice, Beck, Greg, Kristin – who have all (whether they’re aware of it or not) played important roles in making sure I got through my degree. Whether it’s been by way of a variety of lawyery stuff, giving me somewhere to stay, putting up with my shop talk and my general insanity over the last year or just helping me lower my odds of making an ass of myself. No small feat. Thank you all.
- All my other friends not listed above – because they’re all wonderful people and I’m sure won’t at all be offended that they’ve been left out of the above point, because their omission is the fault of my faulty brain, rather than some sleight against their fantastic friendship. But if you’re not listed and it does bother you, feel free to confront me in a public place and i’ll gladly apologise and tell you why you’re important to me.
- All my coworkers – who probably have to deal with me (and do so semi-voluntarily) as frequently as do my family. I’ve still got no idea why.
- Everyone who taught me something in 2011 – there are too many of you to list.
I’ve only listed first names above. That way anyone up there who happens across this has some plausible deniability, should they want to avoid ever being associated with someone like me.