Happy New Year

I’m sitting here at work, watching the livestream of the morning news from Australia. It’s always fascinating watching the end of year recaps. Sometimes you forget how much has happened in one year. At first I was thinking I had had a very quiet year, certainly much more peaceful that 2010, when I actually made some of those end of year lists, but actually, I had a really good year.

On the 1st, I’ll have been at my job for two years. I really like my job, with the exception of being so far from home. But at least now I’m in a closer post, and I go home almost every weekend now, so it’s much better than my first location. We’ve got a great team right now, and we all get along.

I got to do quite a bit of travel this year. In March I went back to Australia to spend a week at Heal For Life. I used my airline points, and tried out business class on QANTAS on the way over. I had never gone on a long haul flight in first or business before, and it was real hard to go back to economy on the flight home. (Especially when gastro hit about 3 hours into the flight) Heal For Life was amazing, and it really changed my outlook for the rest of the year.

In September I again used some of my FF points and went to visit Giulia in Italy. Giulia was our exchange student in Texas in 1994, and I went to stay with her family for a week. I had an awesome time, but Matt didn’t go with me, and I missed him terribly. I won’t make the mistake of going somewhere romantic again without him….

Last month Matt was in LA for a few days on business, so I flew out for a couple days and got to have lunch with one of my personal heroes, Paul Peterson. He runs A Minor Consideration, which is a  group that helps current and former child stars. I’m really looking forward to doing more with the group next year. It was awesome meeting some of the other formers at lunch as well, and was made to feel super welcome by the group, even though I’m from another country. I can’t explain what it’s like to finally meet other people who share a life experience. I guess that’s what other people who have shared experiences bond over. I’ve never had that before, since there wasn’t really any other kids on TV in Australia when I was there. It’s so nice to have found a group that has first hand experience of all the ups and downs of growing up on TV. They are aware of what’s going on in Oz, and I’m super grateful to have them for support next year.

So we come to 2014. According to all the astrologers, it’s not supposed to be just any New Year. I know my first part of the year is going to be a big one.

After first speaking up four years ago, hopefully this will all come to an end this year, after court starts in February. So I’ll be making another long flight home sometime in the first quarter. I’ve got mixed emotions on it. I’m really not looking forward to the whole process, but I will be happy once it’s all over, and I can move on and put it all behind me. I hope the other girls also find some peace next year.

I’ll turn 37 this year. I’m looking forward to that too. I’ve always had this morbid feeling I’d die at 36, like my dad, so I’ll be happy when I get to 37. I’m going to make an effort this year to take better care of myself, both physically and emotionally. I need to shed a few pounds, and I’d like to start eating healthier and be able to run around the block without feeling like I’m going to have a heart attack.

I’d like to do some more travel in 2014. After my trip to Australia, I’d like to take some time out for some R&R. Maybe do some relaxing on a beach, go diving again. I definitely see more spa visits in my future!

So that’s my year. I hope everyone else had a good 2013, and here’s wishing you an auspicious 2014.