Monday 31 December 2012

Reflecting on 2012

My 2012

I rather hate retrospectives on the year - it's just an excuse for rubbish TV tarted up as The "Best" of. Quite frankly, at a time when so many people are off work, there should be some good telly on to avoid having to talk to your in laws (not my lovely in laws, obviously). If you are reading this - the NY's Day City Centre Ski racing from Munich might be worth a go!

It's been an odd year. I was made redundant in mid summer and had some months of leisure to look forward and some challenges to meet before the hard work of finding another job started. The irony was that the leisure time was difficult and getting a job turned out to be straight forward.

In terms of of life possibilities, having some time off always looks like a good thing. It's odd though, having worked full time for 30 years (I did a science degree, so no slacking at uni) you forget how difficult it can be to move from an ordered day to one with infinite possibilities. I would suggest not getting injured just as your leisure time gets going as that can put a damper on things. Still the approach of July, summer and the open road/beach was what beckoned. A ride from Coast to Coast, becoming an expert surfer and getting all those household chores done all seemed possible.

Of course, as you know if you've been reading this nonsense, I spent July on the sofa watching the Tour de France with a rib injury and failed to cycle anywhere until August as my knee finally gave up after all those years of abuse playing cricket. As for surfing, someone turned off the supply of waves and I managed only a couple of trips before meeting up with the family in Wales to try and show I could still stand on water!

So what do I take from all this? Well, in many ways, I did discover fortitude........eventually. Frustration gives way to pissed-off'ed-ness and finally a realisation that you can do quite a lot of DIY especially if you can't go for a ride. Also, I realised quite quickly that having time to volunteer or help others is of limited use when you know, fairly soon, you'l have to go back to work.

One of the things you get to know, marooned on the sofa, is the demographics of TV advertising....... Apparently, watching when I did meant that I needed:
  • incontinence products
  • a stair lift
  • a pay day loan, or two,
  • an opportunity to play online bingo/bet on my smart phone, play the postcode lottery, and
  • an end of life insurance plan "for those last expenses"

The best bit of 2012 was of course getting married. In a year when rain was the default setting (well post April), getting a red hot weekend in May to get married was great luck. The photos look like we were in Barbados or at least a summer's day in England only existing in distant memory. We were rather greedy and did it twice in two days - probably a good thing as Bath Registry Office really only held about 12 people. Bath University did a brilliant job the next day and I hope everyone enjoyed - what for us was - a relaxed fun day.

I would sum up 2012 as being like an interesting cycle ride........one when you occasionally get lost!

2013

So what does 2013 hold in store? Well, I will become a Council Officer and will be trying to help Bristol City Council sort its finances out and do what the new Mayor wants to happen in my adopted City. If I can get off my butt and do it, I have an opportunity to get rather fit as public transport into Bristol is difficult, driving a no no, and cycling a natural fit for my journey to work. Having failed to get fit out of work it would be ironic to get fit in work. But with work eating into leisure time, it would be foolish to waste the opportunity.

The Alps beckon, at least once and I hope the current conditions are still in place in a couple of week's time. There really is nothing like that first morning on the slopes, the quiet, the whiteness, the sparkly snow and the knowledge you really have earned that rather large dinner you are tucking into. No one puts on weight on a ski holiday.

Apart form that, 2013 will look a little like 2012 except I rather doubt I'll be getting married this year or hopefully not be made redundant.

Cycling wise, I haven't any targets other than to get out more. I may consider doing the Coast to Coast as a holiday, even if the logistics are rather nasty and will rely upon the goodwill of relations to provide a pick up form the east Coast

Happy New Year and why not try to cycle more this year!


2 comments:

  1. I found that turning fifty made me introspective as well

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    1. Its true, but I have thought it best not to dwell on it too much. As my Dad said, if you think you are fifty, you'll act like you are, if you think you're still 26, then you'll probably only embarrass yourself!

      Happy New Year

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