2011

What a year it was, memorable to say the least.

Personally I found 2011 full of huge highs and deep lows, I for one hope that 2012 doesn’t contain so many instances of change, I much prefer the Status Quo.

January saw me finally getting an interview after nearly two years out of work, what was even better I got the job! I cannot stress how demoralising that period of my life was, the constant rejections, most of the time not even getting a letter of acknowledgement from thirty or forty applications each month. Plus the demeaning trip to the Job Centre to be treated like a naughty child who wasn’t doing enough to get his gold star for his homework, then being sent home feeling even more battered with the measly handout that is deemed enough to live on.  I’d like to see Cameron try to live on £60 a week.

But that is now behind me, I found gainful employment, not a fantastic paying job, but it does allow me to start paying off my debts and not rely on 10p noodles as my main source of nourishment. 

I was exceptionally lucky and thankful to my friends Lorna and Rob, they generously donated a car to my cause, making my trip to work much easier, a now paltry ten minutes instead of an hour for a six mile journey, the joys of public transport, but also easing up those little things that you never think of until you don’t have access to your own transport. The weekly food shop, laundry or simply being able to get somewhere quickly. It also gave me a little breathing space and time to save for a car more suited to my needs instead of having to buy a banger. For this I will forever be grateful and in their debt.

The Summer bought some terrible news, my father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Within about two months of complaining of a pain in his back he sadly passed away. A blessing it was so quick, but I would never wish upon someone to die in such a fashion, nor for anyone to have to watch helplessly as the inevitable happened. I will forever remember the long train journey to Wales, looking out across the sea, knowing full well why I was traveling that day. 

On a lighter note, I managed to avoid the bailiffs, I’ve even managed to scrimp and save to buy a few things for myself, the main one being ‘The Monster’, a Volvo C70. A really posh car for me, but it was cheap and I could just about afford to run it. Its managed to take me back to Wales and back a few times, so I reckon it was a good buy.

I also managed to save enough to buy myself an iPad, I cannot stress how much I love this gadget. I barely use my laptop now, my portal to the web is the iPad. I urge you all to buy one, you won’t regret it.  In hindsight it was probably a foolish buy at the time as it was uncertain if I would keep my job, I was simply covering maternity leave so I was expecting to be job-searching all over again. But I must have impressed someone out there, or maybe all my bad luck over the last couple of years meant that I was due some good karma, but I was kept on, much to my delight.

So life was looking pretty peachy heading towards Christmas, them mum took a tumble and broke her leg, due to her age this frightened the shit out of the whole family, but this seemed to have been a blessing in disguise because they replaced her hip whilst repairing her femur, otherwise she would have had to wait another year for such an operation. Mind you, if she didn’t have to wait so long she wouldn’t have fallen, go figure! She was home within a fortnight but hobbling on crutches, so I ended up having to cook Christmas dinner. I think it went down alright, nobody died of food poisoning anyway.

So, onwards to 2012, the year we all die in a fiery cataclysm if the Mayans are correct, or maybe not, so there is no excuse not to live your life to its fullest. I for one wish for a less eventful year but one full of promise. Let’s see how it turns out.