Part of the reason I’m not so active here right now is that I’ve gotten a little addicted to running. Just did my first 10k this Sunday (46mins, since you ask), and am booked on for the Bristol Half this September.

Here are some shots of my baldheaded bolting across the tarmac. I received two ’shouts’ from the the crowd – one ’sexy legs’ and one ‘Come on you northern whippet”!

Clearly, care in the community is a failed strategy . . .

My mother used to say “if you’ve got nothing nice to say, don’t say it”

I guess I’m in one of those phases where I’m living life from one day to the next without trying to process things too much.

Because sometimers, internal monologue and eternal examination of your own motives and drives actually stops you dead in your tracks.

I’m done with self-examination. Like Bill Johnson, I’ve never gone into myself and my own heart and been encouraged. I’ve always come out weak and sad.

The Psalmist prayed “search me O God”. God inspection, that’s what I’m up for – being open to hear His voice if there is an offensive way in me that needs dealing with. But never ending commenting and debating about worship – as if that has actually strengthened us? Lets focus on what he asked us to do. Heal the sick, cast out demons and cleanse lepers’ love the LORD with all your heart, mind and strength.

 

Taking my cue from my namesake, I’m using the arbitrary questions model to generate my review of the year. That, and a vague memory of an old WWF video I used to watch called’ 1992: the year in review; who did what to who’, though I can’t claim that this post will rhyme half as well.

 

 

Biggest regret: Take your pick from any one of three relationship false starts, but I’m going to go with not signing up for this

 

Biggest disappointment – Working on a campaign, knowing my stuff, travelling four hours to London’s Excel, standing in line at question point B at an oil company AGM, being next up, and being pipped at the post by my colleague at question point A. Or the Dale losing at Wembley.

 

Discovered new talent: Herding dairy cows.

 

Biggest spiritual high: Lots to choose from here, but I’ll go for dancing with my sister in front of the Garden tomb on Easter Sunday.

 

Biggest “ground swallow me up now” moment: Captaining the Woodies cricket team to a last over, 1 wicket defeat to a team of old blokes, and dropping a dolly of a catch after setting a perfect trap for the batsman.

 

Biggest spiritual low: realising that God said no to something, and I ignored him, thus putting all the blame for one of the relationship false starts firmly and completely in my court.

 

Wedding of the year: This might be controversial, but I’m going with the Nibbles. Because I was doing the music all day, and much as I made a bit of a whinge, I really like being the centre of attention.

 

Most interesting person discovered: Last year it was Fritjof, and although he bridged neatly into both years, 2008 was the year I read and partially understood lots of Herman Daly.

 

Best unexpected moment of bliss: Following an epic roast dinner at my boss’s holiday cottage in Devon, running down with the last of the daylight in late November to Westcome beach with Andy, Will, Sofia, Matilda and Sam, to be presented with a mind blowing sun setting over the Jurassic rock formation jutting out into the calm English channel.

 

Best song: God Moves in a Mysterious Way - Jeremy Riddle

 

Best Film: Easy – Waltz with Bashir.

 

Best Live music Moment: Mr wolfs, Friday night, two piece, Hammond, Rhodes and drums. Just crazy fun, although the name of the band escapes me. had the word black in it.  Or ‘rolex’ performed live by Hot Chip with Wiley at Glasto.

 

Best new instrument learned: Got to be the Glock. But my tin whistle is really coming along.

 

Best coffee bliss: I didn’t take well to Arabic coffee. Passing through the Mount of Temptation shopping mall, I espied an ‘Illy’ sign. The moment seized, a diversion from the tour party and a dark and rich espresso sluiced down the gullet with immaculate perfection. Glorious.

 

Most satisfying moment: Leaving the design and innovation exam having answered a question using my cold symptoms as a data set, sinking a well deserved Gem on the new Balcony at the Watershed. Life is a series of photoframed moments, and I’d like to frame this one.

And that’s your lot. Time to make another year’s worth of memories.

After rocking the Nibblet wedding with the customary aplomb (by that I mean making up for any degree of musical tightness with an array of silly christmas hats, vocoder solos and ironic Mariah Carey covers), I rolled home about 11.30pm after a moment of peace and stillness up on the Suspension Bridge.

Calm was replaced by tension as the feet dragged on a large envelope from the University of London. Heartrate was up as I fumbled with the seal. Your eyes always search for the ‘P’ word in these situations. There were two of them – whoop! So I dropped it and went to get a recepticle for a drop of single malt to celebrate. It was only afterwards I actually checked the marks, and found that in the hardest unit I studied, I’d actually got the best exam result I’ve ever had, ever.

Despite the loveliness of my friends and their birthday presents the next day, the honest answer to the question “what was your best present” was the one I gave myself!

Exam results

Seems a long time since this.

Blessings to all,

 

Matt