2008 then

This time last year I was sitting on the floor, just over there (points), writing this on my laptop. This year I'm sitting on the sofa, so it has clearly been a year of changes. So, what has happened?

Work has been what some would technically describe as "up and down". My schedule has been incredibly packed, but at the back end of 2008 as the credit crunch thing bit, we had redundancies. For a few weeks my job was at risk, but after several of my friends were made redundant I was told I was safe, which was good for me but not so good for them. Hopefully things will be ok now for all of us, but I guess time will tell.

Migraines ruled my life for quite a while, and I had a few exciting visits to doctors, neurologists, and also had a brain scan, which was incredibly noisy and a bit claustrophobic but still sent me to sleep as I was very comfortable. After getting the all clear I was put on beta blockers, and after a little experimentation with the dosages we eventually found one which worked for me, and since then - touching wood - they've been under control, and rather than getting around 30-40 per day I now get maybe one a week. Better, then.

Finally, after a bit of a worrying time I've got back in the groove with regard to writing. I hoped that a story I wrote earlier in the year ("Faceless") would have kick-started things, but it didn't, and then I'd thought writing my sort-of autobiography would have helped, but again it didn't. The catalyst for the turnaround seems to have been my "Alphabet Project", and already in the last couple of months I've written "Airport", "Bondage" and "Believe" - watch out for "Chest", "Clone", "Deep" and "Eternity" early in 2009, and more to come after that.

How did I do on my resolutions?
* Sort my pension out. Done!
* Lose some weight and get in shape. I don't think I did this, but I think I maintained it. We need to get back on the Wii Fit...
* Do better at work. Hopefully I've done this.
* Feel better. I don't think I lost my voice this year, although it did go growly quite a lot (feels a bit ropey at the moment actually) but at least I've been discharged from the hospital so they think all is well on that front. As for the migraines, they're under control at last.
* Pay the Visa card off. Pretty much done!

Resolutions for 2009?
* Stop biting my nails. I've stopped biting them in the car (on Lou's orders), so I'd like to stop biting them regardless of where I am. It is a bit gross.
* Get in shape, again.
* I'd really like to learn a musical instrument. No time to do it though, ho hum. I'd like to be able to draw too.
* Carry on improving as a trainer.
* Write loads.

But what of the concerts and stuff? Here's the rundown of 2008, from the worst to the best:
15 - The Smashing Pumpkins
Now I love the Pumpkins, but they were absolutely awful - completely terrible. They played for two and a half hours and were just dreadful. Utterly boring, and self indulgent beyond belief. Sorry to say that this is up there with Steps as one of the worst concerts I've ever seen.
14 - Simon Amstell
I love "Never Mind the Buzzcocks", but Simon's stand-up act was just painfully unfunny.
13 - Frankie Boyle
If you've seen Frankie on "Mock the Week" you've seen his act, in full. A bitter disappointment.
12 - Foo Fighters
We've seen the Foos before and they were excellent, but this time they played the City of Manchester Stadium and did exactly the same show they did at the MEN Arena last year, and it was frankly boring.
11 - Jim Jeffries (second time)
We saw Jim at the Comedy Store twice this year and he was great both times, but the second show was a "greatest hits" affair, which consisted of the show we saw earlier in the year plus some extra material culled from his past shows. We still enjoyed it a lot, but there was a certain over-familiarity.
10 - Here + Now
Cutting Crew! Johnny Hates Jazz! Curiosity Killed The Cat! ABC! Paul Young! Bananarama! Rick Astley! Well, ABC were spectacularly good, and Rick was great, but the others were a bit of a state.
9 - Dara O'Briain
The third time we've seen Dara, and the weakest show yet, but still streets ahead of most other acts.
8 - Jim Jeffries (first time)
Something to offend everyone, but spectacularly funny.
7 - Low (Leeds City Varieties)
Fantastic venue, and my seat was right in the middle, three or so rows from the front. As always, Low were astonishingly good, but they could be - and were - better elsewhere...
6 - Elbow (Manchester Academy 1)
I'd wanted to see Elbow for years, and as 2008 became their year I finally got my chance three times. This was the first time and was superb. Could they improve? Well, yes, it transpired.
5 - Elbow (Manchester Apollo)
Shortly after they won the Mercury, Elbow played this homecoming show. They were tremendous, but could they have been better?
4 - Tindersticks
One of my all-time favourite bands attempting a bit of a comeback after their slightly disappointing "The Hungry Saw" album. Thankfully they were absolutely awesome, even spellbinding. I left the gig with a huge smile on my face. I can't wait to see them again.
3 - Low (Club Academy)
My favourite band returned to Manchester in November to play what they billed as a Christmas show (well, they are best known for their peerless "Christmas" EP after all). Supported by a band called Ida they played all of the Christmas EP, plus a set of their "normal" songs, and it was jaw-droppingly good. Best of all, you can hear the entire show here.
2 - Morrissey
We travelled to Edinburgh for this. It was worth it. Enough said.
1 - Elbow (Delamere Forest)
I've never been to Delamere Forest before and it was a lovely place, and a gorgeous - if cold - night. Elbow were spectacularly good, and apart from the nutter to our right shouting "Faithless! Play some Scouse house! Can't hear ya!" over and over again between songs it was just perfect.

So far for 2009 we have gigs lined up by Keane, Elbow, Morrissey, Lionel Richie, Take That (twice), and Depeche Mode. Hopefully there will be a lot more.

Significant good thing in 2008: I discovered that I like pasta!

Best albums of 2008:
10 - "Midnight Boom" - The Kills
I bought this after hearing - and loving - their "Last Day Of Magic" single, and the album is just great.
9 - "Ghosts I-IV" - Nine Inch Nails
NIN were on fire in 2008, publishing their own albums at last, and they were better than they had been for years.
8 - "Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!" - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Great stuff, as always.
7 - "The Circus" - Take That
I'm not afraid to admit that this was a great album.
6 - "The Hawk Is Howling" - Mogwai
My first Mogwai album. Some of the tracks - such as this one - are just incredible.
5 - "The Slip" - Nine Inch Nails
Available for free from their website, and incredibly it is quite possibly their best album to date.
4 - "Dear Science" - TV On The Radio
I bought this on a whim, and it is absolutely superb.
3 - "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust" - Sigur Ros
Their best yet? "Festival" is dizzying, "Ára bátur" makes me cry, and the pause in "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" is possibly my favourite moment in music EVER.
2 - "The Seldom Seen Kid" - Elbow
Not their best ("Leaders Of The Free World" is still my favourite) but still amazing, and at last people know their name.
1 - "Neptune City" - Nicole Atkins
The second best album I've ever heard? (This is the best, by the way). Possibly. The best thing I've heard all year? Absolutely. Click here to hear an example - she's gorgeous too.

Music I'm looking forward to in 2009? Hard to say, but Prince has a new album ready, Depeche Mode are finishing their new one, and I'm really looking forward to hearing more from V V Brown, whose stuff sounds excellent so far. And the new Morrissey album is coming out in February too - he played a lot of it in Edinburgh and it sounded superb.

It hasn't been a fantastic year for books, but a few notable good ones have been...
* "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" by Haruki Murakmai, which was wonderful.
* "The Steep Approach to Garbadale" by Iain Banks, which was my introduction to his work and is still my favourite.
* "Northline" by Willy Vlautin, which I didn't want to end.
* "Miracles of Life" by JG Ballard, which made me cry.

In 2009 I'm looking forward to at least two new Christopher Fowler books, a new Glen Duncan, and possibly a new Dan Rhodes.

The only new film I saw in 2008 was "Cloverfield" which I thought was absolutely brilliant.

Oh, and the award for outstanding buffoonery goes to Orange, for being a bit rubbish. Hopefully my war with them will be ending on 2nd January.

So that was 2008. Thanks to all those who were involved, and fingers crossed that 2009 will be good.