2.
The
Priest’s speech about love in Fleabag.
3.
Leslie
Manville and Peter Mullan in Mum.
4.
The
third series of Glow was seriously good.
5.
End
of the Fucking World ended brilliantly.
6.
Noticing
the Watford FC references in Rocketman.
7.
Spotting
symbolism in movies. (I know this is geeky but it’s the satisfying pursuit of
an English teacher.)
8.
I
don’t really get gifts as an English teacher. This Xmas though a Year 11 lad
waited behind to give me a box of chocolates. It was a really nice thing.
9.
We
have a buddy system at work where staff are matched up and put a gift in each
other’s pigeonholes from time to time. A few weeks ago, I was gifted the
Christmas Radio Times – it’s one of the best presents I could have got.
10. In the same way, a few months previous, I was given a
book about comedy writing. To get someone a gift that shows you really know them is a boon.
11. I’m managed by people I admire.
12. I work in a team of intelligent, funny, caring people.
13. I feel valued and respected at work.
14. I’ve had to do three big speeches this year: one for
my mum, one for my wife and one for a friend. Despite botching a few lines, I
was happy with how all of them went.
15. The time The Girl’s mates put into her Hen Do.
16. My brother organising the kind of Stag I wanted: original
fancy dress, crazy golf, pubs, brewery and Indie disco.
17. My brother’s best man speech. Just the right level of
roast: not under or overdone – cooked just right.
18. Clea singing ‘Your Song’ during the service.
19. Walking hand in hand down the aisle to ‘Boom
Bang-A-Bang’ and smiling so much it hurt.
20. I married into a good family. You won’t hear Les
Dawson mother-in-law jokes from me. Unless the mother-in-law joke’s set-up is, ‘My
mother-in-law does a fantastic buffet’ and there’s no punch-line.
21. My family playing football with her family in the pub
garden.
22. The time and expense our families gave to be at our
wedding.
23. Dec doing a great job with sound for the bridal entry
and the disco.
24. My playlist was a triumph - apart from my Madonna and
Elton choices. (In hindsight I chose the wrong singles.)
25. The mass circle of Liam Gallagher impersonators. ‘YOU’RE
MY WONDERWALL!’
26. The work the staff put into making our wedding day run
so seamlessly.
27. Our photos of the day that we’ll treasure.
28. My mum having a lovely 60th birthday.
29. My dad being recognised for his voluntary work.
30. My brother travelling the world working for FIFA.
31. All my mates that have had a baby.
32. Jonnie getting a job he wants.
33. Experiencing Business Class for the one and only time.
34. Those first few hours of the summer holiday where you
feel like you’ve retired and the alarm clock won't ever go off.
35. Drinking by the pool.
36. Seeing the hotel from Some Like It Hot.
37. Going to Warner Bros. Studios.
38. Seeing the Hollywood sign close up.
39. My brother’s kindness in calling an LA restaurant to
organise a bottle of fizz.
40. The octogenarian waiter who brought us a compimentary glass of
champers and said, ‘Welcome to paradise.’
41. Travelling on the AmTrak train and watching the landscape
unspool.
42. Cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge, even if my
ability on two wheels rendered the experience hairy.
43. Doing the walking tour of Alcatraz.
44. Our cabin in the woods.
45. Having a BBQ each night whilst staying in Wawona.
46. The awe and wonder of Yosemite.
47. The hospitality of the West Coast.
48. The seafood in Seattle.
49. My beer paddle in the brewery.
50. The theatre show of Pike Place Market.
51. Returning from a food shop to find two pregnancy kits
on the worktop with The Girl’s face an excitable O.
52. Having that first scan and feeling reassured that
things were ok.
53. My school debate team learning they can hold their own
with schools seen as ‘better’ and ‘more academic.’
54. Finding the perfect cereal.
55. I’ve enjoyed venturing into pork pie lunches.
56. A meal at Dishoom.
57. Any meal out to be honest.
58. Learning about classic Hollywood.
59. That bookshop in Paris was an Aladdin’s cave.
60. Grayson Perry on Richard Herring’s podcast.
61. Heavyweight is a great podcast
that few people talk about.
62. My brother’s book getting released.
63. Three Identical Strangers was
one of my films of the year. What a story!
64. It’s been a great year for sitcom: Home, Partridge,
Mum, Stath, This Way Up.
65. I still get so excited about things. The thought of
reading something, watching something, listening to something. As long as you’re
looking forward to something, then everything is alright.
66. Some of my really old blogs getting extra views. I don’t
know who is clicking on them, but it’s nice to know they’re being read.
67. Stewart Lee is the best out there: he can do silly as
well as cerebral.
68. I’ve organised a night where I’m going to read some
stories I wrote. February 17th. More details to follow.
69. The poster for the show. Serdar did a great job on it.
70. The Girl feeling better in her second trimester than
she did the first.
71. Glenda Jackson was phenomenal in Elizabeth is
Missing.
72. Listening to Kermode and Mayo in the car with the good
lady.
73. Running on a sunny winter’s day.
74. 77,000 at Wembley for women’s football.
75. That Deulofeu goal in the semi-final.
76. Troy Deeney slamming that ball in.
77. Seeing the yellow, black and red on cup final day.
78. Watford beating Man U at the weekend. In Pearson we trust.
79. Reading students answers and thinking, ‘Ooh, I never
thought of that.’
80. My Saturday afternoons where I sit there with a cup of
tea, football scores in the background, and write about something I liked that
week. Lovely stuff!
81. Despite winning, Boris Johnson has been found out. He
can’t hide behind that clown make-up any longer. People know he’s a buffoon; it’s
just he had a good slogan that resonated.
82. I like watching The Crown and learning about
different Prime Ministers.
83. The pub quiz in Berkhamsted was great. A picture
round, quick transitions, fish and chips at the interval and the collection
money going to charity. Sweets for the Top 3. A perfect format.
84. Stephen Graham on Desert Island Discs. A great
bloke!
85. The times in my classroom where I feel completely
myself.
86. Clapping in the cinema.
87. Standing ovations in the theatre.
88. I live with someone who regularly makes me laugh.
89. The occasions where I write a sentence and it feels balanced. Like the clauses are dancing.
90. Twitter has been good for me. A few times this year I’ve
had nice correspondence with some of my favourite writers.
91. The morale at work is good. People are fun, friendly
and supportive.
92. Although I’ve cut down on caffeine, I like the buzz it
gives me. Temporarily, it speeds up my mouth and brain. I feel more talkative
and creative. Like booze does when you’re in that sweet zone between sobriety
and smashed potato.
93. Running over The Downs when the weather is just right.
94. Dashing across the seafront to get to the pub to watch
Stokes save the series.
95. Super over!
96. Katarina Johnson-Thompson winning gold.
97. Going to Fopp.
98. Having a browse in a book shop.
99. I’m drinking for two.
100. A baby is coming.
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