2013 in retrospect

I've been really bad with this whole keeping my blog up to date, but things have been a tad hectic. Anyways, with the year that was 2013 coming to a close, I can't ignore a little trip down memory lane and reflect on what has been with no doubt, the best year ever!

View from the Roman Forum

I started the new year in Rome of all places. The bf and I were there for a short trip (after spending Christmas in Sweden with his family - my first ever white Christmas!) just for New Years, and while I spent the majority of the time there sick, it was still a lot of fun, especially for the history nerd in me. I mean, come on, ancient Rome!

A not-so-snowy Sweden

We then got back to Sweden for a few days more with the bf's family, then, it was off to London for a day, and a bit before I went back home.

 We spent only one whole day in London, spending our time at the Tower of London with some super awesome friends of ours.

Despite our greatest efforts, the ravens did not actually say "Snow" or "corn". How disappointing.

I just loved London, especially the Tower. I had a super history nerd moment when I realised I was in the exact same room that Anne Boleyn's bones were. Wow.
Then 'twas back to Sydney, and as much as that sucked to finish my time overseas with my bf, I did at least have a concert the day after I got back to occupy my time with. Second time seeing Nightwish, and they had the support of Sabaton (who at the time, I didn't know too well, despite my bf being obsessed with them) and it was Sabaton's first ever Australian show. And did they put on a show or what. After their incredible energy, it was pretty hard to top, and Nightwish tried, and I will always love them, but you just can't follow such an electric Sabaton show and Live To Tell The Tale (hahahaha so lame, if you're a Nightwish fan, you'll see why). Anyways, after that, I did the whole wait around the back of the venue, and I got my ticket signed by Marco (of Nightwish) and Joakim (of Sabaton).

Woooooowwwww signed stuff!

2013 has been the best year for live music for me. Starting off with Nightwish and Sabaton, not long after, I not only saw Opeth play for the 3rd time, but I also got to meet them! That was so super duper awesome. I had some really nice chats with some of them (Mikael and Mendez were pretty much surrounded the whole time) and of course, they put on an amazing show, especially since they played Demon of the Fall. That was just incredible.
Then a few months after that, I FINALLY got to see Eluveitie. They have been one of my favourite bands for about 5 years, and I never thought I'd see them. Well, see them I did. Had a blast I did, got to meet them too. (Seriously, VIP tickets are so worth it).
THEN not long after seeing Eluveitie, it was back on a plan for me, and I headed back to Sweden in June, to spend some more quality time with the bf and his super awesome family. In the Swedish summer too, for a change. It was just beautiful.

See? Beautiful.

A big part of that trip was to go to Finland (ZOMG FINLAND YAY!!) for a music festival to see, for the second time this year, Nightwish, Sabaton AND Opeth. 3 of my favourite bands ALL IN ONE FESTIVAL! Before we went to Finland though, we had a little trip to Stockholm. Something I've wanted to do for a very long time And I just love that city. It is so beautiful. Like the Swedish version of Sydney. We had perfect weather. 

We went to the palace, the Vasa museum and saw the massive ship.

Palace!

Pansies!

Massive ship!

And, then, the most important thing. We saw an otter.

NAWWW LITTLE PRECIOUS

Then it was off to Finland. Our flight from Helsinki to Tampere (where the festival was) was a very eventful flight. Not eventful like plane problems, but more like, I was freaking out big time cause Nightwish's singer, Floor, AND Opeth's bassist, Mendez, were both on our flight. OMG OMG OMG. Yeah, I got a little bit too super duper excited and OMG over that.

The festival was super awesome happy times. AND we met (most of) Nightwish in our hotel's lobby bar after they played on the Saturday. That was awesome. Like a dream come true. I was disappointed in the Finnish crowd, but other than that, I had a blast. 

Sabaton!

Opeth!

Marco & Troy of Nightwish!

Tampere!

After I got back home, had a pretty quiet few months, until November when I went to RADelaide (or Adelaide for those who don't get the whole RADelaide thing...it's pretty obvious though. Adelaide is rad...RADelaide) with a couple friends, just for a weekend of being super nerds and going to the Supanova Pop Culter expo. Now, I had to do this because the one and only George RR freaking Martin was gonna be there (with some of the cast of Game of Thrones). GRRM is like, the next best thing to meeting JK Rowling for me. GRRM is seriously just so amazing. If you haven't read A Song of Ice and Fire (the series which the Game of Thrones TV show is based off) you must read it. I went in costume. I got a Gold Dragon. From GRRM. If you've read the books or whatever, then you must realise the immense awesomeness that is this event. Being given a Gold Dragon coin from GRRM.

Now when I go to Westeros, I'll be quite rich!

We had a really great weekend. It was just so much fun, and Adelaide is a really nice city.

So, that is my year 2013 in review. I met not only all of my favourite bands, but one of my favourite authors. I had so many great opportunities, spent time with some amazing people, and I don't think it will be possible to ever top what was 2013 for me.

So, Happy New Year everyone, and I hope you all have a year that was as good as mine was this year! :)

50 things about me

I thought I'd start off this blog with one of those "50 things you might not know about me". But of course, some people might know these things, some people might know none of them. So, here goes!

1) I really am a huge mix of things. A lot of my likes and loves really contrast.
2) I love heavy metal music. Going to a metal gig is pure indescribable joy.
3) As much as I love metal, I completely adore celtic folk music. I can't describe the feeling I get when I listen to it, with all the wonderful traditional instruments like Uilleann pipes. I just love it.
4) Music is really important for me when it comes to my fiction writing. It can change my story mood really easily.
5) I have a heap of different story ideas going on at once. I am determined to finish them (well, the ones I'm really dedicated to), but when my mood changes, I can't write anything else than that one story I'm in the mood for.
6) One of my stories is over 60 000 words, but it has been going on for quite a few years.
7) Writing is one of the most important things to me. I would give anything for it to be my main source of income. And to call myself a professional author would be a dream come true.
8) I love sewing, I've made one quilt which I gave away, and I have a bunch of other quilt designs lined up, I just need some time!
9) I'm desperate to learn knitting, crochet and embroidery. I have so many ideas and things I want to do!
10) I love orange flavoured things.
11) Blueberries are my favourite berry.
12) I love flowers.
13) I love forests.
14) I love everything fantasy.
15) I absolutely love mythology, especially Celtic and Greek mythology. But all mythology is awesome.
16) I just love history, but not so much modern history.
17) I have always been fascinated by English history, especially English royal Tudor history.
18) When I visited the Tower of London, I had a semi freak-out when I realised I was in the same room where Anne Boleyn was buried. That was major history nerd freak-out time for me!
19) I love ancient history too. And medieval history. Just all the history. Don't make me pick!
20) I'm really lucky I've been able to get to do a bit of travel in Europe. Nothing too long, I've spent most of the time in Sweden, but I have been to Rome, London and Tampere in Finland.
21) Going to Finland was like a dream come true, something I've wanted to do for about 6 years.
22) I love Stockholm. I've wanted to go there since before I landed myself a Swedish bf. When I finally visited Stockholm, it was in the summer, and just perfect and wonderful. I would recommend anyone goes there.
23) As much as I love Stockholm, I couldn't live there, I wouldn't want living there to ruin my love for that city.
24) Sweden is like a second home to me.
25) I'm so lucky to have an amazing in-law family over in Sweden, including the second cutest dog in the world, after my dog, of course! :) I miss them all so much though.
26) I have a black miniature poodle. Poodles are just the best dogs. They don't really smell, but the top of their head smells really nice, since their fur is more like wool than fir.
27) I love all animals, but I've never really been a cat person until more recently. Now I really want a cat. But I will always be a dog person.
28) Otters are the most amazing animal in the world. I love them so much I could die.
29) I want a pet fox.
30) I love salmon. Salmon done any way, especially raw salmon sashimi, and cold smoked salmon. I could eat so much smoked salmon.
31) I love Japanese food.
32) I love lemon-y stuff. The lemon-ier the better.
33) English me so very good at.
34) I can't decide if I would rather be a Jedi or go to Hogwarts. I wouldn't want to live in Westeros, I would probably die an awful awful death.
35) I have come to the realisation that to me, George R.R. Martin is the best writer I've ever come across, simply for the fact that some of the chapters in A Dance with Dragons actually makes me feel sick to my stomach. (It's the "Reek" chapters, FYI, and if you've read them, I'm sure you understand me!)
36) Meeting George R.R. Martin was one of the most amazing things ever. Especially since he gave me a gold dragon (coin, aka, currency of Westeros - can't believe he has actual coins!) and he called me "princess" thanks to my super awesome Targaryen cosplay costume.
37) I've not met almost every single band member of my 4 favourite bands. Just missing Jukka and Emppu from Nightwish. I guess since Meri isn't with Eluveitie anymore, I don't include her in the list now...
38) I was so super excited when I met and talked  to Troy Donockley was one of the coolest things ever. He plays Uilleann pipes for crying out loud! That is an easy ticket to the road of awesome in my books!
39) My favourite movie of all time is Almost Famous. I have seen it sooooo many times, I basically know all the words. The soundtrack is amazing. Its just perfect.
40) Midnight in Paris is another favourite movie, I totally want to go to Paris now. I just wish I could be at that place at midnight and go hang out in Paris in the 20s.
41) I love French 20s/30s jazz, Ahhhhh so awesome.
42) Sweet Paul magazine is like, the best magazine in the history of everything. He has managed to create something that gives me such warm fuzzy feelings.
43) When Sirius Black died in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, that was the toughest HP death to handle for me. Followed closely by Dobby.
44) I laughed way too hard at the "Harry Potter must find his Weezey" line that Dobby says in Goblet of Fire.
45) I haven't read Lord of the Rings, or The Hobbit. I love the movies, but I tried reading Fellowship of the Ring and snorefest. Can't handle the ridiculously long descriptions. I might try again at some other time.
46) I haven't read many "classics" but I really want to...when I have the time of course.
47) This is harder than I thought.
48) The more intense the tomato is in a pasta sauce, the better.
49) I love vegetables, especially zucchini.
50) Now you know 50 random things about me, yay!