2007 and all that…
Monday, December 31st, 2007I’m sitting here listening to the rain dripping down the windows as we reach the end of 2007…but all in all, this year has been a triumphant one…more than one of my “wants” for 2007 came true, and there’s the promise of things being just as good in 2008. so, without further ado…this is how 2007 was for me…
The Ups
1) Racheal. No list would be complete without her. She has made a difference to me this year with her ready wit, and her unnerving knack of knowing just exactly what to say and when to say it.
2) Pagham FC getting promotion into Sussex County Division 1 and doing it in fine style. We started the 2007/08 season in fair form, and although we’re not going to match the glory of last season, neither are we going to disgrace ourselves.
3)The x-box 360. Turned out to be a fine investment. I hated consoles up until I saw this and then knew I wanted one. Yes, the games are extortionately expensive, and yes, you need a decent TV to get the most from the visuals. However, it is immense fun, and allowed for the fact that my PC was left behind by new games in 2007. “Pro Gotham Racing 4″ is one of the only games I’ve ever played that has very much lived up to the hype.
4)Portsmouth FC heading for Europe. Yes, I’ll put my head on the block and say that I forecast Pompey will play in the 2008/09 Uefa cup. Remember where you read it first !
5)Rediscovering “Boards of Canada”. I’d not listened to their music for about 10 years, but now realise what I’d been missing. Recommended for those evenings when you just want to kick back and slow down for a few hours
6)Facebook. I despise the idea of “social networking” as a cover for those who can’t find real friends, but having said that I do enjoy the interweb rivalry as friends try to beat scores on various fun but throwaway games. (and if Lisa 2 is reading this…Scrabulous…competitive or what ?!)
7)Freeview plus. Can’t afford Sky, wouldn’t want it. The new breed of Freeview is good value, although I’d avoid “Top Up TV” like the plague. You never get what you want on the recordings they do for you. However, the PVR that is supplied for Top-Up TV is a decent enough peice of kit, and hasn’t let me down yet.
8 ) The 40th Birthday bash in the summer…thanks again to everyone who made it such a great occasion. We must find an excuse to do it all again in 2008 !
9) Audible.co.uk…At last I can get hold of those difficult to find radio series and then burn them onto CD for my own use.
And the downs…
1) The Godawful weather. Ruined many, many plans for this year. Global Warming my a**e ! (note…December 2007 has been very mild, even to the point where birds have been inspecting the nest boxes in the garden…)
2) The rising price of fuel. Amongst other things. 2008 promises to be a much more frugal year.
3) Steve McLaren’s escapades with the England Football team. Is it just me who hankers after the “Sven years” ? And now we have Capello. Undoubtedly a fine manager, but is anyone else looking forward to two years of meaningless friendlies and World Cup qualifiers that we may or may not win ?
4) Epic Movie. I really, really wanted to like this film, coming as it did from the same stable as the “Scary Movie” films. However, it was unmitigated tripe, not even “so bad it’s brilliant”. Goes in the same bin as the travesty that was the film version of “Hitchikers Guide”.
5) Tiscali screwing me over my ISP contract with them. Only Racheal knows the full story of how badly this went. Ironically it ended with me staying with them !
And that is that for 2007. Have a happy new year, and ale permitting I’ll be back with more thoughts tomorrow.
WATCHMEN:END IS NIGH DEMO
