magnusopum

2009 has been, without doubt, the single greatest year of my existence. There is very little I can say to encompass the entire span of the last 365 days except that I feel I've lived more than I thought I possibly could. When I started 2009 unconsciously drunk, alone and in a flat that had a sofa and a bed as it's only furniture, I wondered whether I was right to have made the decisions I did in those previous few months. Nothing is clearer than in hindsight I guess. But, despite the pain and the longing for what I had before, I know that what I have now is so far removed from where I thought I'd be as I turn 25 next week, than I could have ever imagined when I hit 18. All those fears as a teenager, wondering what'll happen, who you'll meet, how you'll cope, where you'll end up. All totally unfounded as life proves that, as always, you have only a semblance of control.

Anyway, before I forget completely, I've decided to think hard and list everything I've done, achieved or failed at this year. In no particular order:

Learnt to snowboard on Mont Blanc
Solidified my being known as 'The Hedge' by dating the girl who saw the guy beneath the costume
Drove 1200 miles across France
Trained for 200 miles from January to July plus 3 times a week at the gym
Walked 62 miles across the South Downs to Brighton
Trekked 29 miles across Dartmoor only to fail the TenTors thanks to a duff knee
Passed my FSA Regulatory exam
Passed my explosives foundation exam
Had some amazing compliments
Joined SG
Dated a bi-sexual
Decorated the first room of the flat
Worked with Americans
Worked in Wales
Saw Justin Lee Collins in Bristol whilst not going to the Banksy exhibit
Made mistake after mistake in love
Drank sambuca with a panda
Danced to Razorlight and Temper Trap at XFM's WinterWonderland
Played Airsoft down the woods for the first time properly
Did the pyros for National Airsoft Girls photoshoot
Blew up stuff for the MartyrDoom airsoft event
Crashed my Alfa
Took a trip to the Normandy beaches
Photographed lightning
Cooked umpteen dinners for all of my friends and loved it every time (except the washing up after)
Spent a day in Soho wandering around sex shops and buying porn - Agent Provocatuer was amazing!
Got ridiculously drunk and spent all night laughing at the internet
Got a new job in client relations
Grew my own potatoes
Finally learnt how to put on weight and feel good when I look in the mirror
Bought a giant bed that's more comfortable than anything in the world
Got in touch with old friends
Made new friends - more than I thought I could!
Missed friends from the past
Read several books - all non fiction
Spent another day at Exchem (great lunch!)
Had two trips to Bisley
Played David Attenborough in a corporate sketch for work
Spent a weekend in Holland with the family enjoying the pre-christmas build up

I'm not sure what I've missed but as and when I think of more things I'll add them. I want to keep a record of this year and everything that's made it worth all the effort, general grief and expense that's gone into it.

BS