As 2011 draws to a close, we can look back upon what was to be a, truly, really rather eventful year. As I watch Ms Spears gyrate on the screen with the sound off, and MrsA scrabbling for the remote to change the channel, I bring you this:
We've fair done loads of things, and not by halves, either. The major events of 2011 that got us talking the most were the riots in England, where, for a few balmy days in August, the place went fucking mental, and then went even more mental when other people turned up with brooms to clear that shit up. As this was an event way beyond what we expect in this country, we talked about it
loads. And then some. Even now, people are still trying to piece together just what happened, why and how it can not happen again.
The next thing that rocked our world sufficiently to garner mention was the death of the singer Amy Winehouse. She was found dead in her flat in London, and, once again, we
discussed it at length. But the riots were more popular.
Coming third in 'what matters to us' was the
eviction of the half the occupants of Dale Farm. The sorry end to a long and expensive saga. Which involved planning applications and stuff.
A resolute fourth, was the
uprisings across the middle East, the populace revolting against governments which really is quite a game changer. Unless, like us, you care about riots, Winehouse and planning law more.
Speaking of games, the ones that have got us most excited about in 2011 are
Skyrim (which I don't have yet. Still) and Deus Ex
Human revolution. Both are RPGs, which is kinda interesting, as we're either total nerds or some people like talking about RPGs more than they do about the
Forza 4 Motorsport CLub which isn't an RPG so much as a simulator of being really fucking interested in tyre pressures and rebound rates.
So, aside from chewing the fat over major world incidents, playing a night elf thief in search of the Horn of Goblingods, whist fighting robots and driving a Ford Escort around a track, what else have we been doing?
Well, to take me out of my comfort zone, I traveled to the North of England to Manchester. And sat in the Rain bar by myself for a while. Looking lonely. So much so, the barman began flirting with me. Then LewieP came in, so I bought him a drink. it totally didn't look like a gay internet date. Oh,
yes, it was. It was awesome fun, we had many nice drinks, and then went to some very fine restaurant where you make your own food pile and someone cooks it. Kalmar ate all the tofu, Pete got his ear bent about vampires/zombies and there was a space shuttle in a pub. Seriously good fun, and I'm looking forward to Malabar organising the next one.
The next big thing, to ensure that it was very quiet over the weekend was actually two big things. There was
Tinker's Rucksack in which I understand many people did have a stonking good time. I can't comment to much on this as I wasn't there. Even though I said I would go. Sorry.
Instead, I was attending the
BeexBQ. It was a fine summer's day, and there was lots of beer. The person who lived farthest away turned up first, and most awesome food was cooked. Craster's toolkit looked like a serial killer's favourite stocking filler, and the padlding pool was full of boozy juice. Many thanks, Grim.. for being a most kind and gracious host. We'll be back.
The main event, I suppose, of the BeeX Social Calendar was
BeeX Cottage II. This was days of wonder, mixed with alcohol, bowling, music, games and serious super fun times. Thank you, Curio, you are tremendous at sorting this out. It was well worth going, and if you have never been, GO! You'll never laugh so much, or have as much fun as you can there. Craster, once again, served us some awesome food.
Grim.. enjoyed it so much he's
reliving it.
The final event was the
Christmas Muic Quiz with DJ Al. The music quizzes I've attended have always been wonderful (the next day, not so much) and it's really good to have gone to them in the past. I'm sorry that I didn't get to go to this one.
Me? Well, after a slow start, I worked at a venture capital firm for ten times as long as I should have done, before moving well north. I quite like it up here, it isn't so bad. I might stay.
Thanks, once again, to you all for being mightily awesome people. I feel priviliged to hang around with you. And for your generosity, kindess and stuff like that.
It's been wonderful and I totes look forward to seeing your face and your mum in the New Year, as I'm going away for quite a while, so probably can't post. At least, not write one as lengthy as this.
I've been MaliA, you've been BeeX. This has been an unsolicited message.
Cheers. Have a lovely christmas and beautiful New Year.
Oh, and
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
MaliA 24/12/2010 wrote:
So let’s keep at it. 2010 was pretty pro. 2011 can be better. Cavey can quit and come back again, possibly 15 times next year;
I’ll resubscribe to EvE ;and at a major stretch of the imagination, maybe, just maybe with a sprinkling of fairy dust and a wish upon a star, Mr Chris will come to a
BeeXMeet.
Two out of three ain't bad.