2017.

2017, it's been a year! I've been MIA from my blog since my carpal tunnel surgery in November, but my hand is healing nicely now so I'm hoping to get back to some regular scheduled programming ASAP. Politically 2017 was a terrible year, and I'm aghast at the direction our planet seems to be going in, but this blog is going to be about my personal 2017 in an attempt to finish the year with some positivity and reflection.

2017 had it's highs and it's lows. Family members and friends were ill, thankfully these illnesses seem to be under control or on the mend now, and I am more grateful for the NHS than ever. Friendships changed, and I learnt a lot about being able to tell myself that it's OK to give up on people who let you down or hurt you. I had my first carpal tunnel surgery (full blog post on that coming soon), I'm still waiting on the other hand after that operation was cancelled last week. I scarred my face and managed to lose a good chunk of eyebrow in May, which very much affected how I felt about myself, and was a whole journey to accept the changes that I wasn't expecting. Note to self - the kitchen floor is extremely slippery when wet!

In the highs of the year, I had the absolute privilege of seeing three of my nearest and dearest get married this year. My little brother two days before Christmas, my darling cousin Hannah, and my best friend Fal. I was bridesmaid for Fal, and any long time reader will remember my being thrown out of the last wedding I was supposed to be a bridesmaid in, so it was a joy to finally be trusted to be a part of someone's day.

My husband and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary whilst away on a wonderful holiday with two of our best friends. We also went to a whole bunch of incredible gigs this year, we were lucky enough to see Metallica, Stone Sour, Inglorious, Wayward Sons and Bigfoot. We're hoping to make 2018 even more music focused and already have some gigs planned.

Blog wise, things all went to the wayside from November because of my surgery, but I still hit some personal targets and achieved some things I'm very proud of. I hit 200,000 views, something I had wanted to hit before the end of the year, and I hit yesterday, so I did it with a day to spare! I wrote 37 articles for She Might Be, 3 of which were some of the most successful pieces on the site for the entire year. I did my first ever photoshoot on the other side of the camera, with the truly amazing Shannon Swift, I cannot recommend her enough! If she can make an awkward turtle like me look so glam, she's got skills.

I was published as a blogger in a print magazine for the first time, in the brill Blogosphere Magazine. I can also now very proudly announce that I'm in the magic Bethany Rutter's book Plus+ that is due out 15th February! I've already pre-ordered it and cannot wait to get my mitts on it.

 

I'm hoping that 2018 can bring about more travel, more music, and more good times. I know my blog will have another hiatus when I have my other hand operation, but it's well worth it because hopefully my hands will be greatly improved and I might even be able to pick up my camera again.

Here's to hoping for a kick ass 2018!

Much love,

Kitty xxxx