In summary
Appointment time.
A counselling curtain call.
I'm a lone actor in this theatre of therapy
With an audience of one.
The Year Briefly
1.What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Bought a house.
2.Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
It's best not to make them...
I'm determined to be the best father a small boy ever had.
3.Did anyone close to you give birth
Not yet :)
4.Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, heartbreaking to lose someone I held dear and even more heartbreaking to see the effect it had on those who loved him.
5.What countries did you visit?
I stayed firmly upon these shores.
6.What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
Less DIY, more time with S, lots of time with the .
7.What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June, when I finally had all that I ever wanted.
8.What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finally doing what I should have done years ago and getting out of Dock House.
9.What was your biggest failure?
I'll not list them here.
10.Did you suffer illness or injury?
No. I am the picture of health, all be it with a slightly runny snout.
11.What was the best thing you bought?
Our house, at least it will be when it's finished... I got very excited buying red and black stripey tops and Gnasher soft toys for the impending boy.
12.Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Sharon and Daddy.
13.Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Mine as usual and yours probably.
14.Where did most of your money go?
On paint and plaster.
15.What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
Scans.
16.What song will always remind you of 2005?
"Neighbourhood" by The Arcade Fire.
17.Compared to this time last year, are you:
Thinner or fatter? Very much the same
Richer or poorer? Poorer
Happier or sadder? Happier.
18.What do you wish you'd done more of?
DIY. See 32.
19.What do you wish you'd done less of?
DIY and worrying.
20.How will you be spending Christmas?
Undecided at the moment.
21.Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
My mum.
22.Did you fall in love in 2005?
More and more and ever deeper.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Most Haunted. It will be shite without Derek though.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
The previous occupants of our home. I loathe them all for their cack handed attempts at home improvements, their wilful neglect of important things, their eye slaughteringly dreadful taste in colours and their total inability to settle any debt. The fuckers.
26. What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince. It's the only book I can remember reading this year.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
The Arcade Fire.
28. What did you want and get?
New job, new house, impending baby. I am a very lucky liquid indeed.
29. What did you want and not get?
A cure for someone dear.
30. What were your favorite films of this year?
Revenge of the Sith, obviously. I don't get up at 6 in the morning to go to the cinema for any old twaddle.
31.What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 29 for the fifth time. I spent a whole day in the pub, with all my favoutite people.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having to spend hours doing odd jobs and being able to spend more time with Sharon and enjoying the pregnancy.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Tweed, less make up, lacking nail polish. One has to look kind of respectable these days.
34. What kept you sane?
I shall continue to refute any accusation of sanity.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most/least?
Celebrities, yuk!
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
It's more political on a personal level, but the way sex workers are treated by society in general has really got under my skin. I am now doing constructive things in my own very small way, to help to improve their lives. My conscience is clear anyway.
37. Whom did you miss?
Clare and my Mum and Dad who I now see a lot less of since they moved.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I haven't met him properly yet, but I have seen him, I have heard him and he's booted me a good few times.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
I learned how to plaster walls. I don't know how I got through life without such knowledge previously.
I realsied that it really doesn't matter how compliant somone is when they're in a counselling session with you; most of the change takes place when they're actually not with you. Very vain and arrogant of myself and others to think otherwise really, but or the most part we do.
A counselling curtain call.
I'm a lone actor in this theatre of therapy
With an audience of one.
The Year Briefly
1.What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Bought a house.
2.Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
It's best not to make them...
I'm determined to be the best father a small boy ever had.
3.Did anyone close to you give birth
Not yet :)
4.Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, heartbreaking to lose someone I held dear and even more heartbreaking to see the effect it had on those who loved him.
5.What countries did you visit?
I stayed firmly upon these shores.
6.What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
Less DIY, more time with S, lots of time with the .
7.What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June, when I finally had all that I ever wanted.
8.What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finally doing what I should have done years ago and getting out of Dock House.
9.What was your biggest failure?
I'll not list them here.
10.Did you suffer illness or injury?
No. I am the picture of health, all be it with a slightly runny snout.
11.What was the best thing you bought?
Our house, at least it will be when it's finished... I got very excited buying red and black stripey tops and Gnasher soft toys for the impending boy.
12.Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Sharon and Daddy.
13.Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Mine as usual and yours probably.
14.Where did most of your money go?
On paint and plaster.
15.What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
Scans.
16.What song will always remind you of 2005?
"Neighbourhood" by The Arcade Fire.
17.Compared to this time last year, are you:
Thinner or fatter? Very much the same
Richer or poorer? Poorer
Happier or sadder? Happier.
18.What do you wish you'd done more of?
DIY. See 32.
19.What do you wish you'd done less of?
DIY and worrying.
20.How will you be spending Christmas?
Undecided at the moment.
21.Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
My mum.
22.Did you fall in love in 2005?
More and more and ever deeper.
23. How many one-night stands?
None.
24. What was your favourite TV program?
Most Haunted. It will be shite without Derek though.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
The previous occupants of our home. I loathe them all for their cack handed attempts at home improvements, their wilful neglect of important things, their eye slaughteringly dreadful taste in colours and their total inability to settle any debt. The fuckers.
26. What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince. It's the only book I can remember reading this year.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
The Arcade Fire.
28. What did you want and get?
New job, new house, impending baby. I am a very lucky liquid indeed.
29. What did you want and not get?
A cure for someone dear.
30. What were your favorite films of this year?
Revenge of the Sith, obviously. I don't get up at 6 in the morning to go to the cinema for any old twaddle.
31.What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 29 for the fifth time. I spent a whole day in the pub, with all my favoutite people.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having to spend hours doing odd jobs and being able to spend more time with Sharon and enjoying the pregnancy.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
Tweed, less make up, lacking nail polish. One has to look kind of respectable these days.
34. What kept you sane?
I shall continue to refute any accusation of sanity.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most/least?
Celebrities, yuk!
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
It's more political on a personal level, but the way sex workers are treated by society in general has really got under my skin. I am now doing constructive things in my own very small way, to help to improve their lives. My conscience is clear anyway.
37. Whom did you miss?
Clare and my Mum and Dad who I now see a lot less of since they moved.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
I haven't met him properly yet, but I have seen him, I have heard him and he's booted me a good few times.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
I learned how to plaster walls. I don't know how I got through life without such knowledge previously.
I realsied that it really doesn't matter how compliant somone is when they're in a counselling session with you; most of the change takes place when they're actually not with you. Very vain and arrogant of myself and others to think otherwise really, but or the most part we do.