Be Excellent To Each Other

So, 2008....

Was it 366 days of fun-frilled frolics for you, or about as good as an emo's trepanation experiment gone horrifically wrong?

30% was good for me

Not great as I have been incapacitated due to a work injury but I am in Hospital on the 9th of January for treatment that should solve my problems.

So things can only get better and I am looking forward to an action packed and productive 2009.

Thankfully we don't know what you were dreaming of...

Utterly horrible in every way. Two good things happened all year, both of them in the last three months, and both temporary. But hey ho, to a perceptive mind, there's no such thing as a waste of time.

Pretty shitty in many ways, especially for Mrs C. Being pregnant, giving birth and getting over giving birth are all very sucky, apparently. On the plus side it resulted in Second Born, who is entirely perfect in every way.

2009 should be better as the kids may actually be at a point where they can both be babysat, and so Mrs C and I can go back to actually doing stuff together like going out for dinner.

It had its ups and downs, then again that comes with living on a rollercoaster.

Mediocre year. First 3/4 of it more of the same, treading water, going through the motions. Then I was made redundant in October (job ended in November), but back working again by the middle of December, in a much more rewarding and satisfying job. It involves a move to a more expensive part of the country, but in the long term, I'll be better off in terms of quality of life, and stable (if a little poorer) financially.

2009 is going to be a bugger for everyone, but things will get better in 2010.

A solid 6/10 from me. Next year will probably be a 5/10, I reckon, with 2010 expected to be better.

I wrote a load of shite out, but I'm done with all the blogging nonsense - most of you here probably know that I've had a pretty stressful 2008!

So I'm glad to see the back of this year, but I'm very optimistic about the new one. I'm going to be a Dad in May and although the situation isn't exactly perfect I think things will work out just fine - and I'm actually really excited about it all, if a touch nervous. So whilst 2008 was probably one of the worst years of my life so far, I have a good feeling that 2009 may just well end up being one of the best.

I can't remember most of it. I remember bits of my holiday and going to Nottingham... that's about it.

Perhaps the worst of the decade. And just in time!

quite bad.

Even my only trip this year (to Vienna and Prague) ended up with me being ill, and i rarely get ill.

Besides that, i quit a shitty job to go to a shittier one.

Hmm, let's see. I decided this year that I was going to focus on art instead of photography so I was expecting it to be tough.

My first portrait I painted (first painting I've done in about 20 years) was rejected from every bloody exhibition I entered it for, not even making it past the prelim stages in any of them, which pissed me off a lot more than it should. I did pick up a commission from a friend in May who basically agreed the price and now doesn't have the money to pay for the picture.

I slipped a disc in August causing two months of awful back pain

Our mortgage came up for review in August - it took two fucking months to sort out getting it moved from Northern Rock (they effectively doubled our interest rate) and cost us a whisker shy of £7k

An erstwhile close friend got very drunk and was catastrophically rude to both me and my missus - scratch one friend.

Week before Christmas I mashed my left index finger with a mallet, breaking the tip and leading to much pain and a metric fuckton of antibiotics.

And all that is on top of the various problems that have afflicted a lot of the members of this group, some much worse than others. My thoughts are with all of you.

I will be inwardly cheering the rear of this year tonight.

Roll on 2009 I say. I sincerely hope it's more uplifting, rewarding and educational than this year has been for a lot of us.

Pretty good, I guess. I bought a motorcycle, got a new job, played lots of bezzie games, had an amazing holiday back home in Canada... could have been a lot worse! Now 2004, THAT was a shit year. And 2003 hadn't been much better.

Ok, I'm going to start with 50% and add or subtract percentage points depending on what happened this year:

• Jan - Ange slips and dislocates her knee, resulting in seven weeks off work:-25%
• Feb - I suffer from a number of stress-triggered anxiety attacks that result in paramedics being called out: -15%
• Mar - we buy our first house: +50%
• Apr - I get taken to Marwell Zoo for my birthday and GTA IV is released: +25%
• May - we go to the Bearded Theory festival with only summer clothes - it was freezing: -10%
• Jun - we don't go to Glastonbury as we're saving up for our wedding: -15%
• Jul - rain and cloud - where's summer?: -15%
• Aug - see July, but with added Bezzies and new job: +15%
• Sep - 1 year anniversary of the holy trinity: Xbox 360 ownership; BezzieMatesGaming^TM indoctrination; and being engaged: +50%
• Oct - Parents came to stay - quiet rest of month for me: +10%
• Nov - Shunt and wedding of dear friends: +35%
• Dec - Naff all apart from Christmas and reaching 15,000 gamerpoints: +10%

165%. Um, that didn't really work, did it?

We only got +15% for coming up to Nottingham? Asshole.

Blame the weather for bringing it down 15%. A hot August would've made it 30%.

Harrumph.

Tsk. Gaywood's a devil on the sauce, I hear.

I've never seen Gaywood drunk and he would never be rude I don't think
as he knows I would marmalise him if he was

Not bad for me - the below are all at least positive on balance, some more than that

- still living with close friends - it'll be three years in February, and I only came for a few months. It's still as much of a giggle as ever and I consider myself privileged
- got injured, lost form, fitness and motivation but am now back on all three and looking forward to some good running over the next few months. Plus I have some muscles I've never had before
- job going nowhere, should perhaps do something about that, but it is safe and pays pretty well
- lost some money in the squeeze, but am better placed than most, thanks to being a renter with money in the bank (sorry, not bragging, some luck involved in that) so will be waiting and seeing
- love life ticking over, but I think I'm not suited to the whole thing so am quite happy with that
- got to meet many of you good people

Not a vintage year for me, but definitely better than average. I've had a good time, mostly because I've been more willing to try new things this year such as going to concerts by bands I've never heard of and getting involved in historical re-enactment (which is something I used to claim that I would never do). This time last year I don't think I would have ended 2008 holding a shotgun and powder form and having start to learn to fire. I'm also glad I managed to get over to the US for my holiday. Oh, and some damn web forum has taken up most of my time too.

The only downer is not having sorted out the whole scary career thing. Heigh-ho.

You... you... you nerd.

[Strokes 55'' musket, whips out bayonet]

There's a guy in my work who puts on chainmail and helmets and goes around hitting similarly dressed re-enactors with a blunt sword, every Friday.

A standard year of ownage for me. A few trials, none of which did more than cause momentary annoyance. Ran a marathon, had a brain scan, bought a car, merged ickle businesses and standardised my accounts. Not too much to complain about really. I should probably stop eating christmas cake and playing sonic chronicles and get my fat arse down to the gym, but that's what the new year is for!

Got a well paid new job in January (which is still well paid but unfortunately boring as all hell), attended loads of weddings of very close friends. Visited Vegas and organised my wedding for next year. Lost my final grandparent but gained a niece, keeping our family levels from falling too low.

Not much other than that. Pretty much treading water until we get married next year. I did finally get round to doing some writing, which was well received by peers and friends, but have yet to send it out to any publishers or agents. I really should do that.

So, yeah, I've had worse years.

ummmmm my year was alright, but didn't progress in very much really, really need to sort myself out!

got an xbox 360 though soooo can't be all bad...

It was pretty good.

Two thirds bad, one third good sums it up pretty neatly, I think.

I'll be pretty glad to see the back of it to be honest.

Didn't we live together from June 2003 to June 2004?

That can't be true. Can it?

For the outside world it was a right shitstorm of a year, nationally and internationally (certainly the most 'eventful' year of the decade so far) but it was completely uneventful for me personally. I mean uneventful in a relatively nice way, mind. Like a lazy Sunday. Yeah, that's a good analogy.

2008 = huge pile of shitty diseased balls. Horrible in just about every way imaginable.



Quite. I've seen you once, and I'm sure you were drunk enough for two.

I've had better years but it's all been my own doing so I can't complain too much. 2009 will be a better year I'm sure.

2008:

MrsA moved in, 2 rooms redecorated. Stopped being a scientist and became a full time student and getting used to being perma skint.

To be honest it mostly sucked.

With a nice bright spark at the end!

I'm hoping 2009 is better

Malc

In short this has been whats happened:

(Ratings-i.e:)
1/5- The world has ended! Let me die in a bath full of chocolate
5/5- The best freaking time of my life!

December 12th (last)- Split with my partner of 4 years after he beat me for the last time and threatened to burn my apartment down, with me IN it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

January-Had my 22nd birthday and went out to Ironbridge drinking with a friend. Had short fling with an ex co-worker who I fancied for 2 years. He then went and slept with one of my supposed good friends. Ends up he was after somewhere to stay, they got engaged in March after only knowing each other 2 months-he cheated on her, they split. She is now pregnant by someone else and they have left her as she is a huge slag.
My sister also came up and we argued the whole time (1/5)

February-Got taken out by a friend on valentines day for a meal and a few drinks. My mum, bless her, sent me a valentines day card so I wouldn't feel down, although I don't really celebrate it as it's far too commercialised for my liking now. I started going on dates with a few people to get myself 'out there.' My nans sister died. (3/5)

March-Friends birthday, St.Patricks day-met up with a gent I know and we started dating briefly, that didn't go well and we ended it being friends instead-I still see him a lot. (3/5)

April & May- Missed my hospital appointment to see if I have bowel disease as was too worried to go-received a letter from a friend to tell me her dad had died of a heart attack. Nans brother-in-law died, 2 months (ish) after his wife did-they said he pined terribly for her and gave up on life after she died. (1/5)

June/July-Gaz of Chap sent me a PM via facebook after finding me through his brother. My company printed the MS society garments his brother wore for his sponsored unicycle down the Wrekin and he used that to pretend he knew me from somewhere-I thought he was interesting. (3/5)

August- Started dating Gaz properly (I think it was? I may be wrong!) Uncle went in for a triple heart bypass thing.(4/5)

September-Gaz goes off on his holidays and I get a letter from my landlord saying they are refurbing the places. Gazs birthday (3/5)

October-time (think)- got notice of fucklords-sorry-LANDlords wanting all the flats back to revamp them and rent them for nearly 100.00 more!! (they have NOT revamped them at all I've been told)
Gaz had me move in with him as I had nowhere else to go. (1/5)

November-Having problems with work. Uncle has been diagnosed with cancer and other Uncle has a small heart attack (1/5)

December-Out of job. Mum is rushed to hospital and is diagnosed as having COPD. Christmas was a bit shit (2/5)

So a bit of a shit year really.

And yet you're really cheerful with it!

2008 was pretty horrible for me, with the first half of it dominated by crippling sleep problems and the second desperately trying to minimise the damage they did to my life. Other years have had absolutely shit moments, but the fact I can't even remember large chunks of last year means it has to be the worst for me.

so much better than 2007...

Yes you did. In 2006.

This year's been quite up and down.

January - Slipped over and dislocated my knee at the start of the month and was off work for 7 weeks, was pretty much housebound and generally miserable.

February - Went back to work and really struggled to get back into the swing of things.

March - Moved into our house. Very stressful affair but was worth it and I'm never moving again. Went to London to celebrate Curiosity & Mogwai's birthdays.

April - Had friends to stay for Myp's birthday and watched Myp play football in a charity match at Notts County's ground. I nearly burst with pride.

May - Went to Bearded Theory festival and nearly died of coldness. Went to see Armin Van Buuren at the end of the month. Awesome doesn't even begin to describe it

June - Slipped over on a wet floor and fucked my knee up again, worse than in January. Only had two weeks off work and struggled into work on crutches, against my Doctor's advice, as I felt guilty about having any more time off work.

July - Went to London for Ben and Jerry's Festival. It was the hottest day of the year and really put me in the festival mood.

August - Went to Big Chill festival. I wasn't impressed with the music or my behaviour, but I made some new friends and built up existing friendships. Oh and saw no bands/DJs/comedians all weekend. Oh and we had some strange people from the internet come and stay at our house.

September - Went on the most windy, miserable camping holiday to Weymouth to celebrate my birthday. We were camped a stones throw away from Chesil Beach and our tent had to be rescued by the campsite staff one day while we were out. It's funny to look back on now but at the time I actually thought we were going to die and all of our stuff be ruined. Still, we had fun

October - Quite a quiet month, with only a visit from the inlaws of any note.

November - My guinea pig Amy died The wedding of two of our best friends in London and meeting more of you lot at Shunt. Also went to see Mighty Boosh and bought a new guinea pig.

December - Various Christmas parties and a Christmas holiday split between Nottingham and Southampton.

Overall I'd give the year 6/10. I've made some new friends, improved existing friendships and got rid of some of the deadwood.

2009 should be good, with my hen party in May, our wedding in July and honeymoon in October.

Lets see...

Bad Things

Last ever gig ruined by a drunk arsehole
Money worries throughout the summer, only really coming out of it
Wifes work nosediving
Drunk, anti-social cunts of neighbours makng life a livng hell, culminating in being found guilty of threatening to rape my wife, kill me and burn down our house.

Good things

Mawwiage. The most wonderful day. We got the video last week (final, final cut) and bits of it still make us well up.
Amazing honeymoon with the achievement of several lifelong dreams.
Work going well and from strength to strength. Worried about the future, but proud of what I have achieved
Neighbours moved out.
Meet some wonderful people.
Beex has given me more laughs and support than the denizens probably realise.

So as Tori Amos once sang "Pretty Good Year".

A bit of an odd year....

Got married in April, what was cool, infact is was a very cold April in Shrewsbury...
Found out my wife was pregnant in July...

Worrying about my job as the company I work forhas been bought out by HP, and redundancies have been announced.

Meh.

Och, I know! I am just so full of happiness

FeeX.

Bit of a shit year, really, the only plus points being my two holidays, finding a girl I like and absolutely woo-ing her, and getting a 360 — despite still not actually joining in on some Bezzie fun.

Shit points include: shattering my elbow, leading to 4 months off work, dire finances and almost constant annoyance and pain; yet more friends moving away; and I'm sure there are more things to moan about, and I certainly feel massive hatred towards 2008, but I think I'm either being melodramatic or I've repressed several rubbish happenings.

Hopefully 2009 will get off to a good start as of tomorrow when I find out whether or not Mr. Tractor's insurance company accepts liability or not; it'll be a long, dragged-out couple of years if they don't. Arse.

2008 can fuck off, I can't bring myself to post about it in the detail others have, I'm too angry about too much. On the upside, there was this: