Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’

Well, another year is almost over. And as everyone in the history of ever has pointed out at the end of every year, this one went rather fast. The year certainly did seem to fly by, with the months quickly bleeding into each other and the hours becoming seconds.

But this year has been a big one for me, both emotionally and physically draining, with some of my biggest challenges and achievements yet. This year I completed two dissertations, and therefore my degree, and I graduated from education, and left to my own devices with what is essentially a glorified and very expensive piece of paper. (Pretty scary stuff, I gotta say).
I also moved from my student home into the city of Manchester, and became a business owner. Again, pretty scary stuff.
Although this year has contained some great highlights, it’s had a lot of darkness. And I think that has reflected in my neglecting of this blog.

I looked through my posts from this year and noticed I only wrote 7 blog posts since the beginning of the year (excluding this one), while in 2013 I wrote 17. That, I think, shows the difference between the two years for me. This year has been a real struggle, despite the highlights. It’s been emotional and yet also emotionless, with the year passing in such a blur that now it almost feels as if it never happened.

What I’m hoping for, is that next year will be better. That my mental health will improve, and by extension my physical and emotional health. I want to achieve more and aim higher, and most of all I want to be happier.
2014, for all its triumphs, also had crippling lows; days where I struggled to even find the strength to get out of bed, and sometimes I couldn’t even find that. Overall, I don’t see 2014 as a good year, though I was lucky enough to have met some amazing people, who are now friends for life and made some wonderful memories with them.

2015 is a new start. I’m looking forward to what’s next. And to getting back to posting blog posts more regularly, as well as uploading my photographs more regularly to my Flickr, rather than letting them build up in queues waiting to be published.
Next year should kick-start a new chapter of my life, and I’m hoping for a positive one.

I hope everyone out there had a very Merry Christmas and will have a very Happy New Year, and to those of you who didn’t, or for those who find the festive season difficult, then I hope you stay strong and that you can find some happiness and peace during the coming days and weeks.
Hold in there, you’re not alone, and it will get better. I promise. ❤

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ImageThis is the last photo I published to my blog in 2012.
A lot has happened in the months since then, and many moments were captured.

So… here’s my recap of 2013 in pictures…

January

ImageI took my first 50 Week Photo, named “Steaming Mug Of Ice”.

ImageGrant came to visit and we frolicked in the snow…

ImageAnd I used a 5×4 camera for the first time.

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February

ImageWe celebrated our 1 year anniversary…

ImageAnd Dom got me some lovely presents…

Image… and the sun shone for the first time in months.

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March

ImageWe played chess…

ImagePulled stupid faces…

ImageAnd spent time with my little girl.

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April

ImageGrant and I went to see and met Derren Brown.

ImageAnd sipped free champagne for his 21st!

ImageOh… and I turned myself into a puppet.

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May

ImageI dyed my hair orange…

ImageSweep wore a coat…

ImageWe laughed… ❤

ImageSpent time with friends…

ImageAnd I watched a lot of Dexter… 🙂

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June

ImageI started rereading all of Harry Potter… (In the bath… ahem)

ImageSummertime started peaking out of hibernation…

ImageI went to Download Festival for the first time…

ImageFinally saw Slipknot live…

ImagePlus Rammstein! (Among others)

ImageAnd turned myself into an Elf!

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July

ImageWe went to Oxford for my 21st!

ImageCelebrated with Misty…

ImageTried Jason’s amazing cocktails…

ImageDrank yet more free champagne with these rascals!

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Jason, Tav and Grant. 🙂

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We saw Cirque Du Soleil: Alegria in London…

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I made my first piece of pottery!

ImageAnd we sunbathed the month away!

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August

ImageI dyed my hair back to its natural colour for the first time in 5 years!

ImageDom and I went on our first holiday, and my first one in 7 years!

IMG_2064We went to Venice!

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DSC_0135

DSC_0021And we had an amazing time!

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September

IMG_2172We went to Yorkshire and spent time with my “little” brother…

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IMG_2173Plus Vladimir the Impaler!

IMG_2204My sister came to stay…

IMG_2227My laptop died right before term restarted…

IMG_2239So I got my first Mac!

IMG_2225Some friends came to Manchester…

IMG_2105And my precious little baby girl sadly lost her fight with cancer…

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October

IMG_0104I got my new winter coat.

IMG_0030Found the first conkers of the season…

IMG_0038Developed a little obsession with them…

IMG_0206 copyGot dressed up for the Manchester Zombie Walk…

IMG_0072And made brookies!

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November

IMG_0421 copyI got a surprise present from Dom!

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IMG_0441 copyShot my photographs for the exhibition…

IMG_0425 copyGot the seal of approval for my images from my tutor…

IMG_0261Went to bonfire night at the Alma…

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IMG_0333 copyVisited Alton Towers with friends and saw the fireworks!

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December

IMG_0548I got my business cards…

IMG_0491Spent most of my time getting the exhibition together…

IMG_0581Put up my first Christmas tree in my own home…

IMG_0591Watched Elf with my friends…

IMG_0533Opened my first exhibition of my work…

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IMG_0564Went drinking after the exhibition with my fellow photographers…

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IMG_0698We had our first Christmas spent together!

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IMG_0729And I got Christmas bow ties for all the animals!

IMG_0758I finally got Starbucks to call me “Gandalf”…

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IMG_0764And we saw in the New Year in Reading with my lovely sister and her boyfriend.

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2013 was an absolute whirlwind. Some incredible memories created, new friends made, and sadly some goodbyes too.

I want to wish all my beautiful followers a Happy New Year, and I sincerely hope you all have a great 2014.

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Well, that’s Christmas day over for another year! Still got New Year’s Eve coming up, which I will be spending with my boyfriend at my sister’s new house. So we’ve still got some celebrations to be had!

This year I spent Christmas with my boyfriend for the first time- we’ve been together for almost two years now and have been living together for over a year, so it was awesome to spend Christmas day with him and his family. 

Exposure13 was a massive success- we had our opening night on the 12th December and we had such a good turn out, and many of the artists got a lot of attention and interest in their work- maybe even some print sales!

I’m relieved that the exhibition is now done, but there’s still a lot to get done before I graduate- only a few months left now. I will be working next year primarily on a magazine I am launching for the university, along with two dissertations. Next year will be a little crazy! I also need to start preparing for leaving uni- getting job applications out, CVs written and where I’m gonna live sorted. 

I will do a more comprehensive post before the New Year I think. I felt like I just needed to write a little something on here as I’ve been neglecting pretty much everything other than the exhibition for the last few months- which means my blog has gotten a little dusty, along with my Flickr page and my personal photography… which I need to sort out and pick back up as soon as I can. I want to finish my 52 week project but I feel it’s hardly worth it now that I’ve gone so long without posting… but hey I can just consider it a …. very long holiday? 😛

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and have something awesome planned for the New Year!

xoxo

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There are so many wonderful things in my life beginning with the word “P” that I am spoiled for choice! I’ll just stick to the main ones to keep this post under a century long.

The first and most obvious one is Preeti, my best friend of all my friends. She is otherwise known as Preet, Tav, or bitch. I love her so much. The little freak.
We’ve been best friends for about four years now and not once had a fall out. She’s DABESTK?!
Besides being my best friend, she’s also like my sister. We have been through some pretty rough shit together and always been there to pick the other up. She’s amazing.

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Another very obvious “P” is of course, photography. It’s what I’m studying at Uni and it’s what I’m hoping will become my career!
Speaking of photography, I’ve just created a new Flickr page. My old one felt a little outdated and I wanted to start a more “professional” page, to start a few new projects on and start building up a real name for myself in the industry.
It looks a little bare at the moment but I have several new projects in mind for the new year, so watch this space!!
If you could take a look and leave feedback, even keep an eye on it for my soon-to-be regular updates, I’d be really appreciative!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bryonyharwood/

I’m heading down to Oxford for a week tomorrow afternoon, so I will be having time to catch up with friends and family down there before Christmas.

If I don’t blog before, then I hope all of you lovely people have a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year!! ❤

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It’s come to my attention that I have now not written a blog for well over a month. Whoops.

The main reason for this is the amount of work I’ve had on with my degree. I’m studying a joint honours BA in Photography and Creative Writing. This semester, I’ve had two photography modules and one poetry module.
For one of my photography modules I was expected to create an entire book of 18 individual concepts within a time frame of approximately nine weeks. Pretty tall order, as I had another two modules to find time for too.
However, I’ve done it! I’ve sent my book to be bound now, and I’ve finished shooting for my other module too! So now, I can finally focus on my journal works and essays. Those, for me, are easier to do as they are less time consuming.
I sent my book to be bound last night, and I breathed a massive sigh of relief. However, it won’t be delivered until the 18th… which kind of sucks as I need to hand it in before then. I’m hoping I won’t be down-marked for that though; my tutor said that as long as we all have receipts to show we ordered it before the deadline then it is fine.
The theme I chose was to transform each poem I have written into a photo. It actually worked out pretty well to be honest. My photos translated really well.

I have about two weeks left of this semester now before we break up for Christmas; that means two weeks of trying to find the money to pay for presents and travel and all sorts of things- that’s another thing that makes university a pain in the ass; the amount you have to spend! I’m paying almost 4,000 a year for my degree, another 50 a week in rent, plus bills etc… all without a job or any kind of government help. Plus as a photography student I have a lot of supplies needing to be bought- the book alone cost me 30 and my other final piece will cost another 20 minimum. Then there’s 40 each time my printer runs out of ink- which is does very often as I have to print out every single thing I shoot… Sigh.
Next semester I will be working though. I wanted to work two jobs but my boyfriend has more of less forbidden me to do that as he thinks I will run myself into the ground with the stress of it. To be honest he may be right- a joint honour degree means I have twice the work load most have anyway, and I get the least financial help.

Next semester should be easier- the work load won’t be as intense, and having a job will help with financial problems.
2012 has been a really hard year for various reasons; it’s also been an awesome year, thanks to spending it with Dom.

Here’s hoping 2013 has some cool shit to offer me too. 😉

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