Goodbye 2006

Well, 2006 was a strange year. When I think of it I kind of tag the last few months of 2005 on to it - that's when we moved to Cambridge, Rich went back to full time education and I changed my job, quite a few times.....

So, you are the honoured readers of one of my few instances of going against the prescribed way of doing things, as my look back at last year is really a look at sept 05 - sept 06.

Job positions I have had:
1) Teaching Assistant at 3 different special needs schools working with children from age 5-18 with a whole range of special needs.
2) Notetaker at Cambridge University taking notes in palaeography lectures.
3) Nursery helper.
4) Interpreter for deaf actor David Sands (winner of best actor at the Remark Film and TV awards) at rehearsels for a play in London.
5) Receptionist for a company called Aveva.
6) Teaching Assistant using sign language for a 6 year old deaf boy.
7) Teaching Assistant for a 10 year old girl with cerebral palsy.
8) Production assistant for the Active hands company.
9) Job focus tutor for Power to work - helping people with mental health problems and learning difficulties to write their CV's and learn basic skills.

New experiences:
1) Going on strike!
2) Being made redundant (not related to going to strike thankfully).
3) Travelling to the other side of the world and seeing the beautiful sights of Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, as well as the very smelly Hong Kong. Holiday blog
4) Paragliding, parasailing, snorkelling with sharks and turtles, scuba diving (well almost), full-day hike on a glacier.
5) Cycling as my main mode of transport.
6) Driving - finally took my test in March.

Worst bits:
1) Mum being diagnosed with bone cancer and everything involved in that.
2) Leaving so many close freinds in Leamington, who I still really miss.
3) Accepting that a job in sign langauge wasn't going to happen at this time of my life.

Best bits:
1) Making new friends and getting to know people in Cambridge.
2) A great few days post Christmas with my Mum, Dad, Brother, Rich and Jo.
3) The barn weekend in Wales.
4) A couple of comedy punting trips - particularly one after a few pints.

Best films - some older some newer:
1) Crash.
2) Serenity.
3) Love Actually.
4) Metropolis.

Best gigs:
1) Beth Orton at the Corn Exchange.
2) The Infidels at Soul Tree.
3) Jem at the Junction.
4) The Delays at the Junction.

Favourite foods/drinks of the last year:
1) Bread (nothing new there).
2) Sherry!
3) Duck pancakes.
4) Mango chutney.