A year in the life of a Carouseller
Taking time to write a Beautiful Ending to 2024
A few years ago I coined the term ‘intuitive tech’. It refers to those times when our phone doesn’t work, we forget our charger, an email mysteriously doesn’t send… and we ask ourselves - is this maybe a good thing? Am I supposed to be offline right now? Was I supposed to not send that message?
Suffice to say, I accidentally left my laptop in Brighton when I went back home for Christmas. I had great plans to clear my inbox, catch up on accounts, and write some profound (!) end of year Carousel during the nearly 5 hour train journey. When I got on the train and realised I’d left it behind, I decided it was an example of intuitive tech, and I was supposed to switch off.
I turned off my phone for 5 whole days (I can’t remember the last time I did that). I read 3 books (unheard of) and slept in without an alarm. It was really needed.
Now, back online I have contemplated whether an end of year email was necessary.
I asked myself, who is it for?
I decided that for three reasons I wanted to send a final Carousel of 2024.
I believe that taking stock of ones life in transition moments (eg. a year end) is really important. It helps us integrate, savour and celebrate.
I know that when I was trying to create a less conventional life, seeing examples of alternative ways to work and live was a game-changer.
I’m turning 40 next year and I’m scared! I haven’t done all the classic 30s things society would expect, and perhaps I had expected of myself. So I want to also want to see what I have prioritised, and take some pride in that too.
Weiler’s 2024
January - I swim through Winter
2024 started off with a bang! A new comedy song had been brewing for a few months; a parody about the winter sea swimming culture in Brighton.
One gloomy January morning I decided I needed to stop talking about it and JFDI. Within 3 weeks we’d filmed and edited the ‘‘Wearing my Dry Robe’’ video and within one week it had reach 100k views on instagram.
interviewed me about it here.
February - Auntie Saz Dog
This year has been characterised by the arrival of a wonderful human in my life, my niece. She’s hilarious, and is completely mesmerised by leaves and music.
I also did the Brighton Half Marathon and at the end told myself never to sign up for another one (!) I love running, but 21k? #thisisntfun
March - Let The Sunshine In
For the last few years I’ve tried to get myself to Spain every March. It’s such an important re-set for me to sit in a cafe in that primavera sunshine, drinking a café con leche in a bar and hearing the sounds of people chatting away Spanish. This time I visited Valencia for the first time and loved it!
I also DJed at the first ever Junior Musical Theatre Rave in London. It was for 13-17 year olds and was SO beautiful. A room full of MT misfits who bonded during the night over their love of musicals. This was the final song ‘Thank You for The Music’ where they spontaneously came together in a circle and belted their hearts out.
April - YAYpril
One of my dreams for The Creative Residence-sea (my co-living experiment in Brighton) was to offer the house for people who needed a space for a month or two. In April a childhood friend came to stay for a month and pumped so much energy into the house. One of my favourite moments was all hanging out in the shared space with me DJing, others painting and crafting things was clay - all in our own worlds but also together. Gorgeous.
May - Party time!
I arrived in Brighton in October, so May was the first time I’d seen my city really alive. It was Brighton Fringe, and we also hosted an epic house party over the bank holiday. One of my favourite things about that party was that every single DJ was female and also playing out for the first time.
I also played ‘Sandra’ in an improvised show called Man Band (directed by the incredible Katy Schutte), about a 90s Boy Band who reunite 20 years on. (I am the pianist).
June - ‘Hello Glasto!’
Only one possible contender for June. Playing piano and leading a singalong with 3000 people on the opening night of Glasto. A total dream come true! I’ve now set up our insta so you can check out footage here @90spianosingalong.
July - JOY-ly
Two stand out moments from this month were:
Performing at Love Trails Festival with Mags and Teenie. (We’d performed in 2023 and it had become so popular that this time we arrived to people queueing up waiting for us to come on stage!)
DJing at the launch of the Exeter Musical Theatre Raves. This was particularly sweet because it was in the venue why I’d performed musicals when I was younger. My favourite moment was the security guard getting up on stage for the finale (he’d been singing along to ALL the lyrics during the evening and so I got him up!)
August - Proud
I once again took a month off during August (out of office on, mostly a digital detox). Here’s a Carousel I wrote in 2023 about taking a month off as a freelancer.
Some stand out moments of August were:
My first Brighton Pride
Take 10 days off to hike solo in Galicia, Spain
Being a bridesmaid at my friend’s incredibly colourful festival wedding
A birthday on the beach surrounded by friends
September - Viva La Vida
I started my third academic year with Coaching for Teachers. It’s so incredible to be building long term relationships with schools and teachers, and doing work that feels purposeful, and also flow state.
This year has been full of Day of Musical Joys - a community singing meet up I run at my house. Every time the community vote for an artist and then my friend Sophie and I create a medley of their songs. In 2023 we’ve had Coldplay, Robbie, Destiny’s Child and ABBA. Here’s some highlights from September.
We also had our first ‘house retreat’ to think about the values and intentions of how we want to live together. I wrote about it here.
October - Power of EUke
In October I took my Power of Uke Fasillytators on our first international trip - to run a workshop with the Central Austrian Bank in Vienna.
I also joined the Haunted House Band and did a gig for Halloween in Brighton. Absolutely epic! Here’s a moment when we did a mash up of Phantom of the Opera and Backstreet Boys.
November - Get Busy
November was busy, I ran my annual Leadership workshops at one of the big 4; we hosted a Day of the Dead griefiesta and I started a pre-40 challenge around love and dating (more to come in 2025…)
December - Shedding Skins
The last month has been an emotional rollercoaster, but a big highlight was seeing Jacob Collier at the O2. I also ran a Knowing When to Quit workshop with the Stewarding Loss community (you can re-watch here - passcode - n#%3gNyy) and released an episode of my pod with
.
Tabs and I at JC after running a Christmas workshop with What3Words.
I’m nearing the end of my word limit and also my time limit, as I’m about to rehearse for my final gig of 2024 - a 90s singalong at Cabarave in Brighton. We’re singing over midnight so have chosen songs to take us into the new year. Can’t wait!
Thanks for reading and wishing you a wonderful start to 2025.
Sarah x
Love this Sarah, so good to reflect and what a year you have had! ❤️❤️
Beautiful reflections - what a year!