Ozlilly's musings...

It’s the end of the old, the beginning of the new. I’m grateful to finally review the year and get an annual report together. I’m hereby sending you my best wishes for the New Year. There is more in my blog and in a 20 minute video. It touches on my wealth of experiences of the last twelve months.

It is a token effort to reflect on all I have to be grateful for. The theme for the year was family, as has been our focus the last 30 years together.
*If I have mentioned you by name or used your picture and you object, please do let me know. I have determined to become a public authentic person.
**If I have not mentioned you by name nor used your image and you have no objections, please also let me know. I believe that we can make a BIG difference in 2020.
In January Josef and I attended the Australia Day celebrations with the Australian Ambassador together with another couple whose son has now become Australian.
Toastmasters dominated a large part of my activities the first half of the year while I was still Area Director. I conducted the club officer training for Areas 1 & 2 together with my talented colleague Aine Neuhaus. The Division Executive Committee Meeting took place in Vienna in February providing wonderful opportunity to network with amazing active Toastmaster leaders from all over Europe. In March our VIC club president, Sunil Gupta left the VIC Toastmasters club for greener pastures in Australia. In May I went to Genoa to the District Meeting and met the world champion of public speaking. Then in June when I retired from the IAEA it was the Toastmasters Club at the Vienna International Centre (VIC) that hosted my farewell where my five sons  sang for us all and my WFWP NGO Colleagues served all my well-wishers.

In March, Nathan had a concert with the Chorus Vienensis at the Augustiner Kirche. I began singing with the Vienna Peace Choir, leaving the other group due to a scheduling conflict. My friend Claire Edwards has overcome her resistance to publicity and become a champion combating 5G in space. On 31 March we recorded singing Urie in Stadt Park by the Mozart statue for an international reunification of Korea project.
Andi and Francesca had their legal wedding in April, the same month that Josef and I, as well as her parents, had our legal weddings in 1988, after our Blessing ceremony in Madison Square Garden in 1982. It poured with rain yet they were so beautiful and happy and it was a moving occasion to get to know the extended family.
In early May I attended a Women’s Federation for World Peace Conference in Prague and participated in a European Bridge of Peace. Mid May we held our Marriage Course followup meeting in our home.
Just before retiring from the IAEA in June I was asked to provide communication training for Women in Nuclear (WiN). I recognize my strength in this area and look forward to developing further activities especially for young and old women! Christoph returned from his trip to Australia in time to celebrate my birthday and retirement from the UN. Josef and I attended the RPP conference on Sex and Crime where even the cardinal of Austria, Archbishop Christoph Schoenborn expressed his commitment to his patchwork family.
Since July I no longer work at the IAEA and now I wonder how I ever managed a full-time job! My health cure in beautiful Salzburg country-side was just the start of a new phase of self-care. Josef joined me the last week and explored the beauty of the landscape.
The six months since retirement I have been working with Johannes Stampf to prepare his translated work, Life and Eternity for publication.
In August we enjoyed the summer in Vienna and went for a swim in the New Danube with our landlady followed by dinner in her garden house.
Then in September (6-10) I was on a bus trip through former Yugoslavia with 38 others travelling through B/H, Serbia, Slovenia on a peace mission. We visited the place that the First World War began in Sarajevo. Then we were off on our own family holiday to the Island of Krk in Croatia. Nathan completed his next diving certificate and Andi and Christoph also went diving. The rest of us went snorkling in the beautiful clear waters. Godwin began working full-time for the government in the Hofburg in January.
In October Josef and I flew to Albania for the World Peace Summit in Tirana.
In November Josef and I went to Germany driving with another couple and sharing accommodations. The mission was ancestor liberation. The environment was medieval Germany. Timi and Nathan continue their studies at the Technical University, supporting themselves by working for a personnel company.
December Nathan warmed our hearts with his Advent concert with Chorus Vienensus.

Well, I’m the former data assistant and I still love working with all my videos and photos. I never did have enough time to process all my material. At least this year I’m posting my review on New Year’s Eve. So it’s a good start for 2020.
On my agenda,
1. Taking care of my degenerated knees,
2. Decluttering in mind, body, spirit, household and office.
3. Investing in relationships
4. Learning to tell my story

So, once again, I wish you a Happy New Year 2020.