Once again, prompted by Chris Guillebeau of The Art of Non-Conformity, I look back on the past year to recall what went well and what didn’t go so well.

What went well:

• My days that I spend with my granddaughter are filled with exploration, discovery and fun. We walk, read, swim, play, tumble, ‘cook’, sing, draw, and play the piano.
• Our new granddaughter arrived in November and the calm I feel when I just sit and hold a baby is so full of love and peace.
• A warm holiday in the sun at Noosa with my husband, where we caught up with family.
• The 2Cellos concert in Melbourne.
• MOMA exhibition at the NGV with my daughter.
• Returned to Portland for the launch of their refurbished library. Caught up with colleagues and friends. Remembered how far it is to drive there!
• Netflix
• • Secret City
• • The 100
• • The Bodyguard
• • The Killing
• • Line of Duty
• • Animal Kingdom
• • Lots of others
• Books read
• • 40 books for 2018 Goodreads Challenge
• Podcast favourites
• • Rich Roll
• • Rob Bell
• • Jonathan Fields
• Author Talks that I organized as part of my work at Frankston – the highlights:
• • Paul Kennedy
• • Garry Disher
• • Alec Patric
• Completed the Branching Out Certificate with the State Library Victoria.
• Local champion for the Libraries Change Lives campaign and attended the launch at North Fitzroy Library in September.
• Finished my personal Family History Scrapbook.
• Continue to enjoy retreating to my house, surrounded by native birds, I feel like I live in a bird aviary. The sea breezes carry the sounds of the sea to blend with the birdsong.
• Playing my piano.
• The team of people I work with are supportive and dedicated.
• The recruiting process for new staff is an experience I enjoy, especially when the results are beyond expectation.

What didn’t go so well:

• Work continues to be unstable, changeable, and challenging. This is partly due to the changing nature of public libraries and how people consume media. Also state and local government priorities change in response to community needs.
• I have little free time due to work commitments and the daily commute.
• I have not exercised enough.
• Road cycling is not something I do much of now.
• I had several Basal Cell Carcinomas removed from my neck.
• A winter cold resulted in a persistent cough that has been hard to shake.
• I have not done enough yoga, meditation, or walking.