Lest we forget!

No this is not a list of people who have died, but more a personal entry in order not to lose sight of what happened to me and what I achieved in 2013.

While in truth the world did not change at midnight on 31st December 2013, we all seem to indulge in a lemming like rush into a "new" year and leave the previous year behind. I do know and recognise that for many of my friends 2013 was not a great year - I have had years like that before - but it seems to be the human condition to focus on the negatives and forget the positives. So I have decided to capture here, on my blog,  a summary of some of the key events and achievements that impacted me in 2013. They are not all monumental, but I would like to look back on them in future.

I am not going to try and give these a priority or scale, though I will try and group them roughly.

Here goes -

• This was the first year for a few years that I was able to generate income for the full year. Apart from public and chosen holidays I invoiced for every day last year. That certainly aided the family coffers, made life easier and has built a buffer against future uncertainties
• Having skipped a holiday in 2012, we had a family holiday to Santorini and a cold and snowy weekend in New York with Ellen, my daughter. With her being 18 now, there may not be many of these family vacations left!
• Having seen Meatloaf at the O2 I became embroiled in some bizarre email exchanges with both Meat Load himself and the Outlaw Motor Cycle Club!!!
• I also saw Jethro Tull in concert with Mark Almond as guest vocalist - who would have guessed that one.
• Ellen left school with good A-Levels and having chosen not to go to University won a place on a National Youth Theatre summer course and has subsequently had a small but significant number of extra and supporting roles. Not exactly a career yet, but a good start.
• I made a 10 minute montage video for Ellen's birthday, comprising old photos and video clips. It took a long while, but I was pleased with the result. I think Ellen was too.
• At home I got round to getting the roof and garage door fixed. Two long outstanding jobs that I had just not tackled.
• We decorated my (home) office and the spare bedroom and arranged to have our hall, stairs and landings redecorated. The latter was too big a job for me taking a professional two and half weeks and using almost 30 rolls of paper!
• We also (fortunately in retrospect) got permission and had our large trees cut back in September. Not only did I then avoid the annual drudge of leaf collection, but we have had no risk during the storms that have passed over in the last couple of months.
• I lectured at Henley Management College (organisational design and role profiles) to the HR team of a major Chinese aviation company. I also spoke at a Derivatives conference and am booked for a second.
• I performed a stand up routine in Camden!! This seems to be most people's nightmare scenario, but it went OK. It is on YouTube and I still hear some laughs as I go through my material.
• I learnt more about gin and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). The former has certainly improved my enjoyment of the variety of gins and tonics, while the latter was an entertaining weekend that did not convert me.
• I supported Movember by growing a goatee that has attracted nice comments (including from my wife) and it will now stay at least until next summer.
• I have not played as much golf as I might like, but have enjoyed what I did.
• I have been connected with some new and interesting people through MAGnet and the KNOWlist.
• My Linkedin network finished the year just shy of 15 million - up 25% on the year!!!

All in all 2013 has not been a bad year for me and I am sure there is a load more stuff that should be added above (I may do so as and when I remember it!). I am a strong believer in head up and looking forward rather than dwelling in the past - good or bad - but I think it does pay to keep some records and keep a proper perspective.

I have some plans and plenty of hopes for 2014. I do not know how it will all fall out, but I intend to enjoy the ride and support my family and friends in theirs.

The RAF motto says "Per ardua as astra" or "Through adversity to the stars". While I like that I still like the one I commissioned for Kellian which is "Mutatione Vigemus" or "In change we thrive". Take your pick, I think either will guide us through the next 12 months.