Tuesday, April 03, 2007

One year blogged...

Well, that's more or less a full year blogged. I can't believe how quick it's flown by. Today is the mum-in-law's birthday so we're off over to see her in a little while, followed by lunch somewhere. I'm still off on holiday although I'm starting to get twitchy for work again - and I've only had one day off...

I've added a "Twitter" feed to the blog, which allows me to post what I'm up to or where I'm at. Friends and family can track this if I'm out and about or whatever. There's just a couple of test messages on there for now.

Anyway, that year in blog; can be more or less summed up as:

April 2006:

Started the blog.
Reported on Worms and Lemmings performing well in the PSP charts.
Got a Nintendo DS.
Switched my PC Laptop for a Mac iBook.
Guitar Hero launched.
Got back in touch with an old mate.
Diabetes under control.
First BBQ of the season.
Drink Mojitos with the dutch guys in Mojo, Leeds.
Discover “Curb Your Enthusiasm” TV-Show (Highly recommended)

May 2006:

Attend Jon Oldham’s leaving party in Manchester. Ouch.
Attend Championship play-off final in Cardiff (Leeds lose)
Attend E3 in Los Angeles and visit San Francisco.
Lose my Blackberry in San Francisco.
Buy a sensible family car (ended up with a 3ltr Jag S-Type)
Go on holiday to Mylor Bridge, Cornwall with the family.

June 2006:

Get stranded on a boat we hire for 5-6hrs with Simon the postie.
Spend a night in a tent for the first time with the kids.
Finally get a replacement Blackberry.
Celebrate my 10th Wedding anniversary.
Watch the World Cup but England fail to do well.
Get the registration plate “T17 PSP” for my car.
Visit Las Vegas for a games publishing meeting.
Almost crash when landing.
Rent and drive a Hummer H2.
Get delivered back to my room in a “Spadge Chariot”.

July 2006:

Spend a weekend in London with the family, visit Legoland.
At the Develop conference in Brighton for 4 days.
See Pink Floyd cover-band “Off The Wall” at Ripley Castle.
Someone tries to set fire to our fence at home, Fire Dept. put it out.
UK has a heat wave.
Have a day out in Yarm.
Have a day or two in London.

August 2006:

Harry starts his football training (Dad’s proud).
Football season starts again and Leeds win, but that form is short-lived.
Visit Prague and Leipzig.
See a huge praying Mantis in Prague.
Leeds’ form continues to slide and things look bleak for their manager.
We get ourselves a pet-dog, “Herbie” a West-Highland White Terrier.
Get a nice Mame home arcade cabinet.

September 2006:

Team17 hold a party at Tiger-Tiger, Leeds. I lose my wallet.
Night out in Leeds and then Newcastle.
Got the missis 3 tickets for Robbie Williams’ concert.
Kevin Blackwell sacked as Leeds Manager.
Visit Sweden/Malmo.
Took Jack to see the “One Man Star Wars Show”
Go to Dublin for a long-weekend.

October 2006:

Attend the London Careers Fair, Café Royal, London.
Infamous Food-Buckaroo incident with Bryan Reynolds.
Manage to dislodge Graham Boxhall’s hat at a TIGA function in London.
Suffer an atrocious trip to Copenhagen via Amsterdam (13hrs).
Dennis Wise gets the manager’s job at Leeds.
Discharged from hospital (i.e. Diabetes much better)
Lemmings PS2 launches.

November 2006:

Finish 3rd in an online poker tournament.
Had a night out in Yarm.
See “Hayseed Dixie” at Leeds Met.
Get Guitar Hero 2.
Lemmings PS3 launches, Team17’s first digital platform title.

December 2006:

Visit Lyon for Game Connection. Manage to lose my shoes on the first night.
Manage to secure a Wii for Christmas.
Our snotty next door neighbour leaves. Cue celebrations.
Team17 Christmas Party.
Wii dominates our family Christmas.

January 2007:

Visit CES in Las Vegas, for launch of Worm XBLA… only it doesn’t make it.
Purchase a Nikon D80 DSLR camera (essentially my 40th birthday present).
Miss keynote with Bill Gates. Get interviewed by Major Nelson.
Our neighbours and friends opposite depart for a new life in Scotland.
I enjoy my 40th birthday party by holding a party at home, which is great fun.
Give a presentation at Bradford University.

February 2007:

Visit Galway, Ireland, with 17 other lads to celebrate my 40th. It’s a heavy weekend.
Visit Amsterdam for the Casual Games event and present on behalf of Microsoft.
Night out in Newcastle with Sony – ended up riding a mechanical bull.
Played 5-a-side soccer for the first time in years. Sprained my ankle.

March 2007:

Watch a full lunar eclipse.
Leeds are still bottom of the league and looking like a relegated side.
Worms is released for Xbox-Live Arcade and is incredibly successful.
Visit San Francisco for a week (GDC).
Spend an afternoon with 7 shipmates, dressed as pirates in San Francisco.
Discover “Life on Mars” TV-Show (highly recommended).
Grabbed a Macro lens for my camera (adding to the 50mm, 18-200mm VR & 12-24 wide)
Get a PS3 on its launch.
Did a presentation at Preston University.
Enjoy a fine night out with some US publisher execs in Leeds
Enjoy a good night in Yarm with some developers.
Renovate my office and switch office PC for a Mac.
Leeds Utd go on an unbeaten run and get a glimmer of hope.

Phew!


No comments: