Thursday, December 22, 2005

2005 Review

Well it’s the season to be jolly and hasn’t it crept up on us quick this year. As we all wait for Santa to spill his load all over the floor under your tree I thought it might be quite nice to look back at a few of the things that happened along the way. This is not a definitive list just a few of the things that I remember from my seat in front of the PC screen. Firstly let me just mention this blog, if my poor old memory serves me it was just after Christmas that I started to write this once weekly rant and I have to say that I enjoy it every week. It’s really nice to have a chance to let off steam on whatever subject I like and get it all out of my system. Thanks Neil and long may it continue.

The first thing that has struck me is just how fast the year has gone by. It seems only two mins ago that I was sitting in a Chinese restaurant with a few friends celebrating the arrival of my 40th year. They say time speeds up as the years pass but this is getting silly. I will be going from one Christmas day to the next with barely time to digest my dinner soon. Slap bang in the middle of the year we had Live 8 and the world seemed to talk about debt and Africa all the time. Can’t say I notice any lasting change. Apart from white bands appearing on the wrists of all the kids and Pink Floyd albums selling like hot cakes again. Did anything actually happen in the end, we were supposed to end the poverty back in eighty four and we missed the opportunity then dare say we have again this time. Why can’t the important people just sit down and do the right thing.

Then also in the middle of the year we were all surprised that London was awarded the 2012 games. I think that the investment and much needed kick up the arse for the East end of London is going to pay dividends for many decades to come. I think I am on a pretty safe wicket if I predict that by the time they actually start we will be fed up to the back teeth of them. I just hope that as the host nation we can have a half decent showing in the medals. Then just as quickly as the party started it stopped with the bombing of London. I find it quite hard to get my head around the mentality of anybody who A feels strongly enough to blow themselves up to make a point. And B thinks that a country like Britain is going to be changed be such actions. We have grown up with the IRA and are probably the best prepared country in the world to deal with this kind of terror. All that happens is it strengthens our resolve even more to not let it affect us.

On a slightly more cheery note it was a great year for TV. We were treated to Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross) in a very sexy red bra and Knickers in the excellent desperate housewives. It’s back in the New Year and if you missed the first series go get it for Christmas and catch up before the second season starts. Then later in the year we all got hooked on the latest car crash TV or should that be plane crash. Lost blasted on to our screens in what has turned out to be the most surreal and compelling program I have seen in years. Season Two is airing in the States as we speak so expect it towards the middle of the year. Home grown this time the BBC did the decent thing and bought back the doc with a northern accent and a leather jacket. It just goes to show that sometimes you can’t improve on an original idea. Just because something has been around for some time does not mean it’s past it. Lastly on the subject of TV Big brother happened again, I am only mentioning this because as I write I can’t for the life of me remember anything about this years show and I am a fan. Has it passed its prime? Should we kill it off before it turns into that old person in the corner, ignored irrelevant and slightly smelly?

2005 was not a bad year for music there were some good albums released along with the usual smattering of dross and they came back for a one off gig (A BBC radio 4 Archers joke). For me notable and worth a listen if you’re not familiar were “Anna Nalick and Wreck of the Day”, “KT Tunstal with Eye to the Telescope”, “Texas with Red Book” and the “Rolling Stone with A Bigger Bang”. The much anticipated Kate Bush album flew in from Kate’s own little world and coursed controversy with whoever listened. Lets just say that it’s a less commercial effort than some wanted. But if you’re a diehard fan you will still love this bit of Bush. At the Cinema the highlight of the year was a film about passion, two best friends fighting for the common good, the struggle of good over evil. And the star never says a word. Yep Wallace and Grommit the curse of the Were-rabbit was in my humble opinion the most enjoyable film of the year, and not a computer in sight. It was made by hand in the old fashioned way with Plastercine and a camera shooting on frame at a time. Full of double entendre and the sort of detail that Disney only dream of. Most of the jokes when over the head of any child in the audience, but as it worked on many levels that did not matter. And finally we all had to go through an election in which we saw New Labour come of age and the Tory Party slip even further into the shit (Yippee) well as usual I just start getting into my stride and I seem to be nearly out of space. What will net year bring and will I still be writing about it I hope so. So I hope you all have a great Christmas and next year gives me more inspiration.
Matt x

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fab blog Matt, enjoyed the read. Have to keep the comments short as I need to start wrapping presents ready to send off to Santa. Have a great Xmas and New Year! Gx

Anonymous said...

What a fab blog Matt I have to agree with you the year seems to have whizzed, and we have all shared laughs, dramas, highs and lows together in the last year and lets hope it does not change in the next - I could not ask for a nicer bunch of people to share it with. So lets start as we mean to go on and see you all in the `Wellie` Friday lunch time for that last pre Xmas Drink! Love to you all Lisa xx

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