For those that know me well, you will be aware I work 4 days on, 4 days off. So, while most of British civilisation was winding down for the New Year Festivities, I was hard at work, doing my bit to keep that part of the U.K railway industry for which my employers have given me responsibility, up and running.This arrangement strangely suited me, as, during the festive season, I am much more of a Christmas person than I am a New Year person. More of a Christmas person, possibly because of my Christian faith and also due to a couple of family birthdays that immediately follow on from the big day itself.
I find the New Year strange. By that, I mean the expectations society puts on itself strange. Surely, as night follows day, 1st January follows 31st December. Life goes on. Even back at the start of the so called Millenium, life went on. Perhaps no greater dissapointed than was the great Peter Snow on that night in that the only failure seemed to be some Japanese nuclear reactor fire alarm that failed safely. It went off, seemingly due to the millenium bug, as much as because of the lack of a fire.
Do I make New Year resolutions ? No, I certainly don't. I have no issue with those that wish to. Giving up smoking, less booze, dieting, being nicer to their neighbours, etc, are all good aims and intentions. However, I feel that we shouldn't need the start of a New Year to encourage us to do tese things. I heard a comment on Radio 5 this week that, in fact, the reason that most New Year resolutions fail is due to January can be such a depressing month after the build up to Christmas and the New Year, that people fail. Perhaps society should encourage Mid Year resolutions ?
Does that mean I have no aims or goals ? Indeed, no, it does not. I have plenty of aims, both in my work and personal life.
I am sometimes teased at work that, whenever we are supplied with new technical documentation, an engineers manual, technical newsletter, etc, that I always read it cover to cover, like I would read a novel. I always aim to know as much as I can about the equipment I have to maintain and repair whilst doing my day job.
Away from work, I have just this week had a conversation with a good friend of mine who is going to teach me how to play Chess. I may, depending on how this goes, move on t learning Backgammon later on this year.
BUT - I don't need to make New Year Resolutions to do this. NYR's almost dictate that you need to implement these decisions immediately. If that doesn't happen, then have I failed ? Indeed, not ! If it is February or March before I lay my hands on a Chess board then so be it.
As I worked over the New Year weekend, I pondered that, as Christmas day had now been and gone, people had stopped wishing each other a merry christmas and were now asking how christmas had been before wishing each other a happy new year. Discussions abound as to when christmas decorations were to be taken down. My better half had taken all ours down by New Years Eve. I sometimes think they should be kept up until the 2nd January as by this date, Christmas day is in the past, New Years day is in the past, and we are, by the 3rd, back to work. Back to normality, whatever that may be. Some will leave the decorations up til the 5th January, the 12th day of Christmas. Does that mean we can still wish people a merry christmas till then ? Hmmmm........ Christmas did seem to last a lot longer when I was a child, but that seems so long ago now.
Now, as I write this blog, I am now starting my 4 days off work just as most are heading back to the grindstone.
2011 has had it's ups and downs for me. Far too many downs, nowhere near enough ups. Too many visits to hospitals. Had more blood samples taken than I ever thought I had. Getting results on Wednesday from last blood sample taken for my first annual diabetic checkup. Started the year off at 14, back in May was 9.6, July down to 9.3. The experts were then looking for about a 6. So we shall see what happens tomorrow.
Having had my last company car written off by a Lorryist, I am now enjoying a new company car in the shape of a white VW Golf 1.6 Turbo Diesel with blue motion. Great car, with the proven ability to achieve 60mpg. Collected end of October with just 88 delivery miles on the clock but already, at the tome of writing, has passed the 9000 miles mark. The beauty of the life of a service engineer covering the north of England......
Well, all that remains is for me to wish you all a happy New Year, and I suppose as we have not yet reached the 12th day of Christmas, may I also wish you a very merry Christmas.
I suppose if I were to make a New Year Resolution, it would be to finish everything I......
