All I Want for 2012 is.... Guest Blogger "The Doctor"

Hello all, I’m The Doctor. Thanks to the lovely Ruby for asking me to write this! I don’t blog, but I do tweet a lot as @Eovaai.

I made a list of things that I wanted from 2012 on the last day of 2011. 2011 was a good year for me.  Lots of basking in achievements and relaxing, which I can definitely deal with.  It was the culmination of a lot of work, a lot of sacrifice and was a welcome change from the truly spectacularly shitty 2011.  2012 will be the year of change for me. I have to get back to work, but hopefully I will start to see some big changes and opportunities open up for me.

So aside from hoping to spend the bulk of 2012 here...

...all I want from 2012 is...

1. Get a grant/full-time academic gig

One of the achievements of 2011 was graduating with my PhD (hence, ‘The Doctor’). Finally! But this year all I want is to turn that PhD into a full-time academic job. That means lots of grant-writing, which is very new to me. Academia is a really hard gig, but I think I have a reasonable shot at it. Cross your fingers for me, guys.

2. Travel

After not having the time or opportunity to travel for many years, due to the aforementioned PhD taking up all my time, this is going to be the year of travel. I see myself lying on a beach in Sicily for many, many weeks.  I’m hoping to take a few months off work and travel around Italy properly.  I want to see new things, and meet new people.  I can’t wait.

3. Brush up on my Italian

Like any good child-of-migrants, I had to attend Italian lessons as a child, which I failed to take seriously.   Of course, I now regret this. I understand Italian (after a lifetime of replying to my father speaking Italian at me in English) but my spoken Italian is crap.  I want to be able to actually reply to my father in Italian, and I think it would mean a lot to him.

4. Learn French

One of my research interests is the French Revolution. I should learn how to speak the language, surely? Besides, it sounds so pretty. And I want to swan around Paris speaking French and wearing fabulous clothing one day.

5. Wear fabulous clothes all the time

I am often accused of many things: 1) having a shopping addiction (which may be true); and 2) being shallow. However, I truly feel that fashion is more important than many people admit. Firstly, how we present ourselves to the world says something about who we are.   Part of my research is fashion history, and how fashion is represented in literature .What we wear is important! Secondly, fashion has an impact on mood.  I feel awesome if I’m wearing something pretty. I feel slightly off when I’m not happy with my outfit. Ergo, as a mood-booster, I am committing to wearing my best clothes all the time, rather than saving them for a “special occasion” which never happens. I’ll look pretty and feel awesome. No bad there.

6. Be brave

This is a bit of a vague one, isn’t it? I feel like much of my life is governed by fear. What if this whole academic thing doesn’t work? What if I fail? What if I fall over? What if I make a fool of myself? This year I want to focus on being brave. Standing up and taking on challenges, instead of hiding.  Not being afraid of change, even if it’s scary at first. I listed this last, but it’s really the most important and challenging thing that I want from 2012.

Although if I can also get that grant, that’d be nice.

RUBY'S NOTE: Alongside being 'The Doctor', a published author, wearer of fabulous dresses and fellow Sydney FC fan "The Doctor" is also committing herself to 101 in 1001. You can follow her progress here. Oh and don't ya'll think she should blog? I mean it's not like she isn't already UBER busy. ;)