Get yourself ready to indulge in a bit of stalking.
January is usually about seeing off people who came over for New Year's and having fun with them as well. So we saw the Misanthrope with Keira Knightley and liked it.
I started my film photography course at St. Martin's and took one of my favourite shots of the year.
That one opened the completely new world of developing and printing. However was not worth the massive price tag. You can learn the same things much cheaper in Zoom-In for example.
It was also the beginning of my newly discovered passion for movies. So I saw Avatar at the BFI IMAX, Nine at the Electric Cinema, Did you hear about the Morgans and may be a few others which I don't remember. On another more down to earth note I stuck with my swimming lessons and also realized it might be about time to move out from the crowded though extremely cheap house in Stepney Green.
February saw two classical concerts: the New York Philharmonic and Yo Yo Ma both at the Barbican and one in the tiny Almeida with the magical Stephen Warbeck (that is the composer from Shakespeare in Love and Captain Corelli's Mandolin). Also a weekly trip to Greenwich for the great Jazz dance classes at the fantastic Laban building. I kept going to the movies at least once a week: Precious, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Pirates of the Caribbean, Exit through the Gift Shop, A Bright Star.
Swimming lessons and 6 am yoga sessions were supposed to keep me in shape as well as the flat hunt which wasn't looking too good.
March was about the Vienna Philharmonic at the Barbican which was absolutely brilliantly exciting, as well as the charming Jack Lasky in Sweet Nohtings at the Young Vic. Apparently I didn't have much time about movies as I only saw Alice in Wonderland at the BFI IMAX and Green Zone. That's because the flat hunting was proving to extremely difficult with pushy agents (never, ever use Foxtons).
March in our family is the big celebration month: it is Baba Marta, 8th of March, my mum's, my cousin's and my sister's birthday. It is now also the birthday month of the newest addition to our family: my youngest cousin Lyudmil (named after his father).
We almost rented a place just to be told that the landlord pulled out (that's is bad karma for you, Sir!). Until luck finally worked and we found Charlie and the two bedroom with a fire place where we moved just before...
April and my Easter trip home. Any trip home in spring is like a new beginning a great way to recharge, stop for a while and enjoy spring in full swing. It is also about meeting old friends and having a great time. So that's what I was doing: went to Varna, had a blast from the past at our 10 anniversary from graduating from high-school and drinking rakia on Easter till 5 am.
I started settling in SW9 and my life changed to the better. Also thanks to the fact that I was finally given my new permanent contract! I bought my bike, started shopping most of my veg & fruit at the local Saturday market, signed up for a new swimming course and the only cultural activity that was possible to fit into this busy schedule was Lord of the Rings live with the London Phil at the Royal Albert Hall.
May was about Cesaria Evora concert at the Barbican and Roman Bath at the Arcola and also about swimming and starting to cycle to work. As well as a lot of goodness from the Oval Farmers' Market. Oh, yes, and of course Sex and the City 2!
June saw the coming of the World Cup and me miserably failing (just as miserably as the England team in fact) the office predictions. I also managed to sit through the almost 4 hours long Kurosawa Seven Samurai. Had yet another fun day at Sam's Day at the Globe. Managed to go to two Open House events which is an absolute success: the Swedish Embassy (and I also had a cake there! as well I was capable to almost screm during the King's Speech that I know where they have been filming!) and the Bank of England (where you are greeted by a man in a waist coat and top hat!). I also saw Robin Hood the best part of which was perhaps the half-naked Russell Crow and Whatever Works the best part of which was the end. June also saw the beginning of developing at home and with it the birth of 18% Grey which my place for sharing my misfortunes and success in shooting and developing b&w at home.
July saw some of the most dramatic World Cup moments and the rise of Paul the Octopus. It was also my last visit to Fentiman's Arms after getting completely smashed with By on a very hot Saturday, while By was very very quietly celebrating German's win. My documentary photography course at Zoom-In began and with it the adventure called the Di Lieto Bakery project. I saw The Tempest and As You Like It at the Old Vic as part of the Bridge Project and absolutely loved them. It was an intense theatre month as I also saw Teh Beauty Queen of Leenaan, probably the best play I have seen this season! I was also totally lucky to win a tour of the Olympic Park and was one of the first to enter the completed Velodrom! And I also managed to see Toy Story 3!
August was mainly about spending three weeks at home doing nothing and sleeping in a tent for the first time in my life. It is also the month when I took probably best 2010 portrait. Movies: Gainsbourg.
September: The absolute humiliation of the Bulgarian football team at Wembley and taking my dad to a football match may be for the first time in nearly 20 years. I went to the Clarence House Garden party which was alright. I wonder if next year Kate Middleton will be serving tea there... We also had fun during the Away Days with the office and I managed to spoil three rolls of film before I realized my developer has apparently expired.
October brought Behind the Image and Printing courses which were fun and a good opportunity to experiment after a while. Katya Bykova stayed over and OMG how much fun we had! Saw the Social Network and it is indeed one of the best movies this year. The Teresa Careno Youth Orchestra is just as much fin as the Simon Bolivar Orchestra and make sure you see them! On the professional development bit: I became a certified Prince2 professional (that a Project Manager). Personally it was a month of endless amounts of emails, lots of misunderstandings and also me swimming 1700 m of front crawl for the first time!
November was about a lot of realizations and aha moments. One of which made me appreciate myself again. I saw Cambridge finally, enjoyed the splendid Spira Mirabilis and Bonfire night on Blackheath. My mum came to visit and we also visited Nottingham with the oldest inn England. I saw London from the top of St. Paul's and enjoyed the Lord Mayor's show with its ever great fireworks. Finally got back to see a play and was great fun: The Real Thing at the Old Vic. One last trip for 2010 to the BFI IMAX for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows.
December saw Cebula's coming to town and meeting each other for the first time in two years. Some extremely great movies: Catfish, The King's Speech, Love & Other Drugs (I wonder if they wait on purpose till the end of the year to release the best movies.). Traditionally it is the month of my very own personal Christmas tradition: the Southbank singalong which was a bit disappointing this year, but still was there.
The best news of December is that Geri has finally moved to town and Alyssa is back again for our now traditional NY celebrations.
I think that altogether my life has changed to the much better in 2010. I am grateful for me and all my family and friends being healthy and I wish it to remain that way in 2011.
For 2011 I will do my best:
- to read more
- to continue seeing at least one movie every week
- to be able to swim 2500 m of front crawl
- to shoot more and take a more concious approach towards my photography
- to do more by hand
- to travel more
- to meet new people
With my best wishes for all your 2011 wishes to come true,
Ira
picture by Ivan
1 comments:
Good luck with realisation of your goals for 2011, Ira! :)
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