Saturday, December 22, 2007

In a blatant rip-off of what everyone else does at this time of year, it's time to reflect on the last 12 months.

Books

Charlie Brooker - Screenwipe (lent to me by Joe, who didn't want it back)
Joanna Blythman - Shopped
Stuart Maconie - Pies and Prejudice
Matthew Sweet - Shepperton Babylon
Carl Hiaasen - Tourist Season
Tim Moore - Nul Points
Andrew Collins - That's Me In The Corner
Andrew Loog-Oldham - Stoned Too
The Guinness Book of Hit Singles - Issue 19 (whilst the charts themselves have become meaningless it's still handy to have in my bottom drawer at work so I can correct local radio DJs who continue to show how little they know about music)

I know that most of those books didn't come out in 2007 but I'm slow to pick up on stuff.

Films

I didn't see a single film this year, not one. The local Odeon Multiplex is so poor.

TV programmes

Dexter (FX)
House (C4)
Not Going Out (BBC1) - what do The Metro know
Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares (C4)
Kath and Kim (Living) - although I found Matt Lucas' cameo dreadfully unfunny
Crimewatch (BBC1)
Saxondale (BBC2)

Gigs

The Orchids (Maggie May's/Cottier Bar, Glasgow) - I hadn't seen them since January 1994 and it was a welcome return for one of my favourite bands and a nice bunch of guys. Managed to see them twice, including my first ever through-the-night-across-country drive home.

Ray Davies (Usher Hall, Edinburgh)

The Wedding Present (Liquid Room, Edinburgh) - The George Best 25th anniversary tour gig and one that I'll especially remember for the number of faces from the past I saw outside the venue afterwards.

Personal Highs

Passing my driving test (at the second attempt)

Appearing on two game shows, "Take It Or Leave It" and "Brainbox Challenge"

The Jock'n'Roll website being all over the papers and getting interviewed on Radio Scotland and BBC Birmingham

Personal Lows

Losing out on £18,050 on Challenge TV's "Take It Or Leave It" on the last question

Failing my first driving test

Still being in the same job

Having to endure continuous battles with Stagecoach to get a decent local bus service

Competition Wins:

6 bottles of win (Dunfermline Press)
Dunfermline v Man Utd tickets (Dunfermline Press - and there's me thinking they hated me)
A bumper box of 6 DVDs, 4 books, a paperweight, a game and other bits and pieces from the History Channel
£15 book token and boxing tickets (Fife Free Press)
A signed LP400 white Stagg guitar from the Scottish Association for Mental Health

Downs

One of my neighbours. Horrible unruly children and no respect for other people's property (especially mine). Extended family and friends no better.
The decline in the postal service (they binned the second post after I thought it had already gone and now morning deliveries are set to disappear. Too late round here as we never get it before 2pm anyway)
Stagecoach (from top to bottom)
Life Property Management (robbing bastards)
Continued battle with depression
Destroying any chance of a job with Forth One after pointing out at least 6 mistakes in a variety of competitions and generally pissing off some of the presenters over the last few months - their loss
The Quizzing website (run by small-minded individuals who think nothing of looking at your PMs and passing dossiers on to the police a la News of the World. Quizzing.co.uk is why quizzers are now getting a bad name with some production companies. For a website trying to be the quizzers' moral guardian some of their behaviour is quite appalling).

Ups

My horrible neighbours selling their house

Hopes for 2008:

A new job
A bus shelter at my morning stop
Some paid writing
A hospital radio show
To learn to play my new guitar
Contentment
A decent win on a game show

I don't want much and I never get it so I shouldn't be disappointed but I am. Frequently.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Miseryguts! I discovered your blog via the Andrew Collins link and it's a lot of fun.

The Cat said...

I'm glad you enjoy it. I do it for myself as a "release" but if others enjoy it then that's just tickety-boo.

Do you have a Blog? I'll be glad to add a link to it?

I trust you have a good Christmas and New Year and that 2008 brings you health, wealth and happiness. Oh, and a Scottish Cup final defeat to Hibs!! ;)

Anonymous said...

Don't have a blog - spend too much time just reading *them*, but thanks for the offer. If Rangers just make it to a Scottish Cup final it will be an improvement. Are you not worried Hibs will fall apart with Collins leaving? It must be hard to make progress with all your best players being snapped up too. But I do think Scottish football is far more competitive than even a few years ago (remember when the Old Firm alternated winning the league by twenty points or so?).

The Cat said...

If we can't afford to bring in a player from Southend (to replace Murphy went he goes in January) then we've no chance of competing consistently with the Old Firm.

Money talks and whilst I can appreciate the temptation to earn big bucks in Glasgow many young players are not looking at the bigger picture. Riordan has set himself back years sitting in the stands at Parkhead (his attitude and entourage don't help) and what have Naismith (who will come good), Gow and Braodfoot achieved. By the way, I think Broadfoot is one of the worst defenders I've ever seen and I've seen Shaun Dennis play!

The league IS more competitive but only up to a point. I gave up my season ticket because I was getting bored with it. Mind you having to watch a team put out by Blobby Williamson didn't help!!!

Anonymous said...

I actually live in Lennoxtown, where Riordan has had all his famous run-ins. It's one of those places where the Streets have no name because no-one can read ;-).

Maybe Billy Davies will be your next manager? I certainly can't see him getting a Premiership Job. And i guess as a Hibs fan the circus at Hearts must be a source of great pleasure: had they done things differently they could have genuinely challenged for the league.