Why 2018 Wasn't All Bad.
Big Ben has chimed, the fireworks have lit up the skies and 2019 is here!
For some, 2019 couldn't come quick enough. Brexit, Trump, hate crime (which is arguably attributed to the Brexit and Trump craziness), finances, wild fires; 2018 has pushed a lot of us to our limits and it's hard to go to into 2019 thinking things could improve. But 2018 actually gave us more than most media cared to focus on because maybe it wasn't sensational enough. But good things did happen, and will continue to happen.
Here's a list of 30 brilliant and hilarious things that happened in 2018:
1. India declared that gay sex was not a crime and it was legalised.
2. Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in front of a TV audience of 18 million in the UK alone.
3. Niger reported it has planted 200 million trees in the last 30 years which marks the biggest transformation in their environment.
4. Underage drinking has reduced over Europe (which had the largest underage drinking numbers) with Great Britain being the country with the biggest decline.
5. KFC ran out of Chicken!!
6. The Republic of Ireland voted to repeal part of its constitution that effectively outlawed abortion.
7. Scotland became the first nation in the world to guarantee free sanitary products to all students.
8.Canada legalised marijuana.
9. Germany announced plans to recycle 63% of its total waste within the next four years.
10. Laverne Cox graced the cover of Cosmopolitan, making her the first transgender woman to appear on the magazine's cover.
11. Women in Saudi Arabia were given the right to drive for the first time.
12. Black Panther!
13. We got to witness Rami Malek bring Freddie Mercury back to life in the fantastic Bohemian Rhapsody. The Live Aid scene alone was a highlight of the year!
14. Kendrick Lamar won a Pulitzer Prize.
15. Scotland became the first country in the world to include teaching of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex rights into its state school curriculum.
16. Mary Poppins came back to us after 54 years and we rejoiced in seeing Dick Van Dyke dance and sing again!
17. Stormzy funded two black students through Cambridge University and has pledged to the same in 2019.
18. Big hearted Brits donated an abundance of toys to 10 year old George Fawkes (no relation to Guy), when he lost his favourite kangaroo toy that regularly accompanied him to his hospital visits for a rare form of dwarfism.
19. When one bigot tweeted Mhairi Black MP that every time he saw her he thought 'lesbian', she brilliantly tweeted back "I'm willing to wager that when straight women see you they think nothing at all". Mic drop anyone?
20. Two nuns from California embezzled half a million dollars and went on a gambling and spending spree in Las Vegas! Whoopi Goldberg would be proud.
21. A dying man left his neighbours young daughter the next 14 years worth of Christmas presents, wrapped and ready to go.
22. We learned that Teresa May REALLY can't dance!
23. When Donald Trump visited the UK we welcomed him the only we knew how; by flying a 6 metres high inflatable Trump baby over London to show him exactly what we think of him.
24. The war on plastic took a positive turn when pubs, restaurant and most supermarkets stopped selling plastic straws in favour of paper ones.
25. 12 young Thai boys and their football coach were rescued from a flooding cave in one of the most dangerous and incredible rescue missions in history.
26. London student Hinay Lad found the world's largest Crunchy Nut Cornflake in his breakfast!
27. Bill Cosby was finally sentenced to 3-10 years in prison for sexual assault.
28. Alexandra Palace Theatre in North London was given a revamp and reopened its doors to the public after 80 years hidden from view.
29. We learned that the Leaning Tower of Pisa is reducing it's lean and starting to straighten up! In the last 20 years it has moved back 4cm upright!
30. And on a selfish note, I finally got to visit the real Twin Peaks in Washington State and produced the 9th Twin Peaks UK Festival!
So you see folks, for all the bad that dominates the headlines, there is also a lot of good!
Here's to 2019 and best wishes to you all in the year ahead!
Lins x
