I’ve lately begun to realise New Year’s is somewhat silly. Just because the Earth passed some arbitrary point relative to the sun everyone feels the need to reflect on the days that have passed since last time we were here, party through the night (which, let’s face it, hasn’t made sense since your early twenties), and then make a bunch of promises we don’t intend to keep on how the next circuit around old Sol is going to be different than the last one.

But hey, who am I to snub my nose at tradition?

So long, and thanks, 2016

As the end of the 2016 approached I saw many posts celebrating the end of a terrible year, some due to personal stuff that happened to people, but most because of the global upsets and disasters that took place. And yeah, those things did happen, and they are bad, but I also can’t do anything about them, so why should I let them define my year?

I’ve long ago decided that it doesn’t make sense to worry about global issues, or even national ones. One should be aware of them, sure, but worrying about something one cannot influence in the slightest only ages one before one’s time. And besides, in the end I’ll be held accountable for my actions only, and only I will be held accountable for them. So I try to focus on living my life as best I can, making the decisions I hope are right, and trying to make the little piece of the world immediately around me a better place.

And in my little corner of the world, 2016 has been a memorable year – I’m kinda sad to have to say goodbye to it. I became a dad. That trumps everything. I’m pretty sure nothing will be able to top 2016 for that simple reason. Until the year I become a granddad, of course 😉

I’ve discovered that not only do I really love doing customer support, I’m really, really good at it. I got to visit three different countries (five if you count the Dubai and Amsterdam airports). I had the most perfectly cooked bacon I’ve ever tasted. I’ve met wonderful new people and made new friends. I’ve read some excellent books.

And I became a dad. That trumps everything. I’m pretty sure nothing will be able to top 2016 for that simple reason.

So thanks, 2016. 2017 will need to work very hard to come close.

New Year’s Eve

Okay, so there I do snub tradition. I can’t remember the last time I’ve celebrated the new year by staying up until midnight. The wife and I were in bed by nine-thirty, woke briefly at midnight to silently swear at the idiots firing illegal fireworks in the holiday resort across the river, and slept on until Elizabeth woke us with loud screams demanding to be changed and fed.

Howdy, 2017

I’m quite looking forward to 2017. It’s going to be an interesting one. In a few months the wife and I plan to move our little family to a different part of the country where she’ll be starting her own business, meaning we’ll both be working from home. So 2017 marks a new beginning in our lives on an epic scale.

In the same vein (in case you haven’t noticed) if all else fails… also has a new home, in the form of a brand new .blog domain. I’ve neglected this blog terribly in 2016, and hope to remedy that a bit this year. I’ll have enough adventures to write about for sure.

I’m making no resolutions this year. I know when I’m beaten – last year’s resolution to read more non-fiction resulted in a grand total of one non-fiction book read (and don’t come with that 1 is a 100% improvement on none nonsense, though I did read more short stories, plays, classics, and explored some new authors.)

Instead of resolutions I’m just going to take this year as it comes, focusing on living my life as best I can, making the decisions I hope are right, and trying to make the little piece of the world immediately around me a better place. In the end, that’s the best I can do, and the most anyone can expect of me.

I guess there I snub tradition as well after all.

So, as inane as it is to wish people well for a trip which we don’t in any way control, around a star which, while on the small side in the grand scheme of things is still big enough to make each one of appear smaller than a speck on a speck by comparison, here’s all the best for you for 2017. Make the most of whatever it throws your way, and if it’s a rough one, remember there’s another round ahead which might just be better.

• Assorted Hammers