Yep. This is one of those reflective blogs. And what a year it was! I did ‘predict’ 2013 was going to be an amazing year and I was right. Note that I don’t actually believe in predictions; in my experience working hard, taking chances and thinking positively will make amazing things happen, but other than that I just believe in beautiful coincidences. But my 2013 was amazing (for 79* reasons at least) and I wish everyone reading this will have a 2014 just like it.
Happy New Year! 2014!
* I did this for 2012, 2011 and 2010. In those years I ended up with 49 memories, but this year I really couldn’t narrow it down. 
1. Feeling very free on the first day of the new year and spending time solely listening to music.
2. Laughing at my cat (hiding Christmas decorations like it’s Easter).
3. Being on stage in Helen Keen’s Spacetacular! in London.
4. Presenting (!) Pecha Kucha in Royal Theatres in Heerlen.
5. Being interviewed on stage at Kenniscafé De Balie in Amsterdam.
6. All the interviews I did this year for printed stuff: Volkskrant, Limburgs Dagblad, Trouw,
Cómo Ves and Reader’s Digest.
7. The photo-shoot for Limburgs Dagblad.
8. And the book Biohacking.
9. Interviews for audio recordings: the Abstract and Radio 5.
10. The TV interviews: Hart van Nederland (again), VPRO Tegenlicht and the Belgian show.
11. The responses to these appearances!
12. Going for walks in Epen (and that chestnut soup).
13. The fruity cocktails at Marlou’s party.
14. Practicing The Kissing Me Song with Marcello.
15. Meeting friends at Astrofest, London (obviously).
16. Singing at that Italian restaurant again.
17. Jon’s poem about Patrick at Astrofest.
18. Brian (king of hairstyles) telling me he liked my hair.
19. The tribute to Patrick in Selsey.
20. Stargazing at Farthings with Brian, Jon, Paul, Phil, Sally, Iain and a few other lovely people.
21. That Patrick still had that Galaxy Zoo cube.
22. Selsey beach, the next day.
23. Attending the reopening of the Sterrenwacht Limburg.
24. And taking dad there, with our binoculars too.
25. Receiving my propaedeutic degree in biology!
26. Meeting up with my good friend Geoff in Maastricht (and visiting the caves).
27. Organising and playing at CULTAVERDE 2013.
28. Celebrating spring with my little cousin Valesca.
29. And having my face painted.
30. Looking for comet Pan-STARRS (with dad too).
31. Lecturing in Tilburg and in Heerlen (in Auberge de Rouche).
32. Seeing the WWRY arena tour in Amsterdam and meeting Pablo.
33. Showing bugs to random people with Edwin.
34. The teambuilding day at work and that time management course.
35. The school trip to amusement park Efteling.
36. Attending a conference in Kerkrade and networking in Maastricht, just because.
37. Going to the hairdressers for the very first time.
38. My 30th birthday party!
39. Talking at Sterrenwacht Limburg and meeting Steven (a.k.a. The Boyfriend).
40. That long conversation with Dirk over Skype.
41. Passing my first English exams.
42. Staying over for the ASTRON barbecue.
43. Taking Steven to Mike’s garden party.
44. Seeing Brian and Kerry in Northampton (and the warm welcome backstage).
45. ZooFest in Oxford (and Chris saying I am always right).
46. The summer holiday with Steven: picnics, walks, swims, games and DVDs.
47. And that camping trip.
48. The three countries point.
49. The weeks in England: at Rona’s, Geoff’s and Annie’s.
50. Waving at Saturn.
51. The Irish BBQ.
52. Beachcombing along the Thames.
53. The annual RAS picnic.
54. Seeing Katie as Killer Queen in We Will Rock You.
55. The weekend in Zeeland!
56. Watching the Perseids, lying in a field.
57. The APOTY Awards.
58. Playing Dish of the Day in the Hitchhiker’s Live show in Northampton!
59. The Natural History Museum in London.
60. (Being in England for the sixth time this year).
61. Paying a visit to Angie and Rianne.
62. Visiting the ‘bare feet forest’ and Gaia Zoo.
63. Hunting for fossils (and finding them).
64. Seeing another football game with Richard (yes).
65. The film Gravity.
66. Saint Nicholas (celebrating it thrice).
67. The Jurassic Park Marathon.
68. Walking in the forest with my colleagues (and singing Christmas carols).
69. Christmas.
70. Talking at the conference in Noordwijkerhout.
71. The beach in Noordwijkerhout.
72. Learning the Cup Song from one of my students.
73. Surprising my friend Anja at the airport.
74. Reading the book ‘Toen ik je zag’.
75. Travelling.
76. All the gorgeous views (that Sun dog).
77. Thunderstorms.
78. Dad giving me his dad’s harmonica.
79. Listening to the Top 2000 in their studio/café!
They asked for #selfies (with that being word of the year or something).
Yep, I took a picture of my boob.
We’re heeeere! Hahaha.
Having lunch in the beautiful building (@BeeldenGeluid).
3 Comments
I’m getting old! You remember all those things?
I have a diary, dad.
Can’t deny I was reading forward to my name! What a great way to recap a year, and glad to have been part of about half of it.
Xx