This year has brought a fundamental transformation in the way I view myself and my future. Before the CD and After the CD are really two different worlds. At 45 years old I went from doubting myself as a musician and waiting for the first person to be honest and tell me that I'm not very good, to honestly believing that I have talent and skill that rivals professional musicians. I'm grateful to everyone who helped me get through the recording project in one piece, most especially my cherished companion in life, Doug Barr.
Then, as if that weren't enough, another huge boatload of great things happened this year. If I go into detail about all of them this post won't be done until First Footing, so I'll be brief:
- 11th Anniversary trip to New York - Manhattan is my idea of heaven. Being with Doug is my idea of heaven. I had a double-heaven week.
- Played Folklife for the first time in a very long time as myself!
- Féis Seattle 2012 - a respectable success by any measure
- The Ohio Scottish Arts School - It was even better than 2011 and has gifted me with lasting friendships.
- Team Member of the Year Award from NOAA's National Ocean Service
- First trip to Hawai'i - I wasn't expecting to fall so deeply in love with the place
- Last minute opportunity to be a presenter at Dusty Strings Harp Symposium
- A full year of funding for work at NOAA
- My favourite presidential candidate was re-elected
- Marriage equality won at the ballot box for the very first time in my country
- Lots of opportunities to sew and grow my tailoring skills
- Lots of opportunities to perform, and more yet to come this year
