As the Queen of England once said in a speech, "1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an Annus Horribilis." Yes, I too, have had an Annus Horribilis. 2009 has by far been the worst year of my life, in all my 25 years of living.
I have learned one very important trait about myself this past year. I discovered something that I never knew I had. And I am grateful for that discovery. This year has shown the amount of inner strength that I possess. It had been lying there dormant for many years and it finally reared it's head just when it was absolutely needed. Without this inner strength I fear what might have become of me.
Almost 12 months ago, the day before Christmas Eve in fact, I was in work and I was called into the managers office. I had been working on a maternity cover contract for the previous nine months and the lady who was on maternity leave decided not to come back to her job as the manager was making life way too difficult for her to be a mother and an employee. So I assumed I had the job for keeps. I was wrong. The meeting turned into a bit of an argument and before I went home that evening I cleaned out my desk and went out on sick certs for the remaining 3 weeks of my contract. I was better than that job. Best thing I ever did.
St. Stephens Day arrived and I got the most acute form of tonsillitis that ever existed. I was actually sick for about 6 weeks with it. Eugh. It really knocked me to the floor and zapped me of any energy or fight that I had left.
New Years Eve came. I usually hate New Years Eve. It's not a particular time of year that I enjoy. I couldn't care less if I was in bed asleep for midnight. I much prefer Christmas. Anyway, the phone rang about 10pm that night and it was news to say that my Great-Aunt had passed away at 93 years of age. I was particularly upset by this as she was very nice and very close to my mother and grand-mother.
Three weeks into January another phone call came. My grand-fathers last surviving sibling had died after a lengthy battle with cancer. Another funeral to go to.
After this, my grand-father himself started to deteriorate rapidly. A sufferer of Alzheimers for several years had taken it's toll on him. Meanwhile I was applying for every job I could find but to no avail. Money was tight. Social life had gone out the window. Everything seemed dark and dreary.
My grand-father eventually passed away the first week in May. A happy release we said. Still didn't make it any easier.
June came and my recently bereaved grand-mother called to say her dog had to be put down. You may say oh it's only a dog. It wasn't to her. He was company and a companion and an excuse to go out and talk to people. A little joy came in June with the birth of my cousins first baby.
I thought nothing else could go wrong. How much bad luck can one person have? My dad's job went in July. Ha. At this stage all you could do was laugh. It was either that or cry.
I got a brainwave in August. I decided that I couldn't take much more of this sitting around waiting for a job and more importantly I couldn't bare the thoughts of sitting in the house for the entire winter when it's cold and miserable. I needed to get out and do something.
I thought about doing voluntary work with a charity. But I'm not a very charitable person and then how would that benefit me in terms of gaining experience to get a job, eventually. And there it was. My brainwave. Why not approach companies and ask them to take me on, on a voluntary basis, in order to get some experience. I sent out one email to one place in particular. Went in for a meeting with the manager and I got 1.5 days a week work! Still not getting paid for it mind but I LOVE it.
When I look back now over the last 12 months, I wonder how on earth I kept going. The above events aren't all the bad things that happened throughout the year. There are loads more and I'd be here for the day if I were to list them all off.
Things are starting to look up about with the last month or two. Let's just hope that 2010 is a much better year for the entire population of Ireland. We can't have another one as bad as 2009 I reckon. One thing is for sure, things can't possibly get any worse. I hope.
For the first time in my life, I am looking forward to the New Year this year. I can't wait for it.
2009 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an Annus Horribilis!
I have learned one very important trait about myself this past year. I discovered something that I never knew I had. And I am grateful for that discovery. This year has shown the amount of inner strength that I possess. It had been lying there dormant for many years and it finally reared it's head just when it was absolutely needed. Without this inner strength I fear what might have become of me.
Almost 12 months ago, the day before Christmas Eve in fact, I was in work and I was called into the managers office. I had been working on a maternity cover contract for the previous nine months and the lady who was on maternity leave decided not to come back to her job as the manager was making life way too difficult for her to be a mother and an employee. So I assumed I had the job for keeps. I was wrong. The meeting turned into a bit of an argument and before I went home that evening I cleaned out my desk and went out on sick certs for the remaining 3 weeks of my contract. I was better than that job. Best thing I ever did.
St. Stephens Day arrived and I got the most acute form of tonsillitis that ever existed. I was actually sick for about 6 weeks with it. Eugh. It really knocked me to the floor and zapped me of any energy or fight that I had left.
New Years Eve came. I usually hate New Years Eve. It's not a particular time of year that I enjoy. I couldn't care less if I was in bed asleep for midnight. I much prefer Christmas. Anyway, the phone rang about 10pm that night and it was news to say that my Great-Aunt had passed away at 93 years of age. I was particularly upset by this as she was very nice and very close to my mother and grand-mother.
Three weeks into January another phone call came. My grand-fathers last surviving sibling had died after a lengthy battle with cancer. Another funeral to go to.
After this, my grand-father himself started to deteriorate rapidly. A sufferer of Alzheimers for several years had taken it's toll on him. Meanwhile I was applying for every job I could find but to no avail. Money was tight. Social life had gone out the window. Everything seemed dark and dreary.
My grand-father eventually passed away the first week in May. A happy release we said. Still didn't make it any easier.
June came and my recently bereaved grand-mother called to say her dog had to be put down. You may say oh it's only a dog. It wasn't to her. He was company and a companion and an excuse to go out and talk to people. A little joy came in June with the birth of my cousins first baby.
I thought nothing else could go wrong. How much bad luck can one person have? My dad's job went in July. Ha. At this stage all you could do was laugh. It was either that or cry.
I got a brainwave in August. I decided that I couldn't take much more of this sitting around waiting for a job and more importantly I couldn't bare the thoughts of sitting in the house for the entire winter when it's cold and miserable. I needed to get out and do something.
I thought about doing voluntary work with a charity. But I'm not a very charitable person and then how would that benefit me in terms of gaining experience to get a job, eventually. And there it was. My brainwave. Why not approach companies and ask them to take me on, on a voluntary basis, in order to get some experience. I sent out one email to one place in particular. Went in for a meeting with the manager and I got 1.5 days a week work! Still not getting paid for it mind but I LOVE it.
When I look back now over the last 12 months, I wonder how on earth I kept going. The above events aren't all the bad things that happened throughout the year. There are loads more and I'd be here for the day if I were to list them all off.
Things are starting to look up about with the last month or two. Let's just hope that 2010 is a much better year for the entire population of Ireland. We can't have another one as bad as 2009 I reckon. One thing is for sure, things can't possibly get any worse. I hope.
For the first time in my life, I am looking forward to the New Year this year. I can't wait for it.
2009 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an Annus Horribilis!
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