2010 was some year for me. How would I describe it in one word? A Journey. Ok, technically that’s two words but it’s my blog and I can cheat a little.
Journey is certainly apt in the traditional sense – I have been lucky enough to have been able to see a number of new places in the world and even a familiar, well trodden (or run) route.
It has also been a journey for me professionally, having spent almost an entire year doing a role I never thought I’d ever end up doing. Ok, I’m not talking about something exotic such as a porn star or a motorcycle stunt driver, but a Project Manager seemed just as unlikely to me a year ago. (I imagine that it’s less fun than the other two, though). I took it to challenge me, to give me new skills, to provide a change, and it’s certainly done all those.
Finally, I shared a journey for virtually the whole of 2010 with a girl whom I was lucky enough to find when trying something new. It’s been exciting, fun and a trip that’s going to take us to pastures new this year, too, I’m sure.
So, what were my highlights and low points of 2010?
Well, football sucked. Being an England and Liverpool fan last year wasn’t exactly fun. More like…shit. Watching England play terrible in a World Cup they actually had a decent chance of winning was bad enough. Witnessing Germany take us apart was worse. Add to that the December decision which meant I may never see us host the World Cup in my lifetime (even if I live to 110) was enough to make me wish I was I’d been born in Barcelona. If I had been, of course, I would have probably celebrated a trophy or two recently; instead, I watched Liverpool fall to 7th last season and then the ignominy of watching us flirt with relegation. 2011 had better be an improved year on the pitch.
On the flip side, going to the World Cup in South Africa was a great experience. A second World Cup for me and another continent to tick off on my list. The footy was great, the country an eye-opener and the holiday with my friends a delight.
I also got to see Sacramento and the amazing Pompeii, Brussels and its Atomium, and revel in the blue tranquility of the Maldives.
Plenty of good nights out were had with the lads, including several Cambridge trips ending in a long taxi drive back or sleeping under a table in a Travelodge room of six people.
2010 was also a landmark for me – I made my debut as a published author! Two of my short stories I’d previously written got printed in two separate anthologies. Two books you can buy on Amazon have fiction in them that I came up with! You just can’t put a price on that feeling.
Overall, I really enjoyed 2010. Maybe it’s the getting older thing but I do feel what I experienced this year grew me as a person in different ways to my travelling of ’09. I’m also finishing the year as happy as I can remember being. In fact, I’ve just looked at last year’s entry and realised what a crap time that was. Amazing what a difference a year makes. Just don’t mention the footy…
So what now? 2011 will be hard work, but hopefully of the good kind. It’s the year I finally do up the house and drag it into this decade. Ok, ok… this century. I also need to get my writing back on track – 2010 was a barren year with barely a key hit in anger. I’ve decided to write something every day this year – even if just this blog, a few personal thoughts or a proper story. So far, so good.
I want to continue my running, get stronger and faster and have more achievements in it. Also, succeed at work, see more of my family and visit new places.
Well, I’ll check back to this list next year and see if I achieved all that or whether it ended up as the proverbial New Year’s resolution crap that nearly everyone does.
Have a good year folks – fight those challenges, complete those journeys and have a few laughs on the way.