Twelve For '12, Thirteen for '13

A full year on Twitter; a good few months of blogging. This has been an eventful year for me in the cyber community and in real life. A few of my reflections and things I have learned and observed.

Twelve for '12

1. There are some quite wonderful, supportive, warm, thoughtful, sensitive, emotional, passionate talented and intelligent people from Leeds.

2. There are some equally wonderful and intelligent people in Manchester, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bolton, Portsmouth, Southend, Surrey,  North and South London, in various parts of the East and West Midlands, the North-East and in Scotland who listen to what others have to say and respond sensitively. Apologies if I have missed your geographical area!

3. This year it is great to wave our own flag! We can reclaim it from the Far Right. Whatever you think of the Royals, Queenie has been on top form! British sporting success too; Wiggo, Murray, Mo, Jess, the cricketers in India, and even our football team not being criticised for going out in the quarter finals of the Euros! Plus, we put on a great Olympics and Paralympics. Despite being awoken by shooting at the Royal Barracks and having to apply for permission to park outside my own house, what a great summer it was. Not only for TeamGB and ParalympicGB success, but for the way we welcomed the world. Sad to see stands and stadia gone, but we knew that in the first place. 

4. There has been a measure of justice at last for Stephen Lawrence and the Hillsborough families.

5. Tweachers! You are supportive and receptive of other people's difficulties.

6. I can write!

7. My writing can make people laugh, cry, get angry, and generate response.

8. My writing can get up some noses!

9. My writing has brought me an audience I never expected. My work on 50 Shades and DVA has brought me followers in the feminist community. Your support has been hugely valuable and is much appreciated. 

10. Our performance of Les Miserables was fantastic. The girl who sang 'I Dreamed a Dream' moved the whole audience to tears. 

11. Kids love gardening. Five 50p packets of salad leaves had children staring at a raised bed for a term, desperate to try rocket and other offerings.

12. I love my wife as much if not more than I did when we first met!

Thirteen for '13

1. I would like to meet some of, if not all of, my wonderful Twitter friends. Not virtual but real friends I hope.

2. Michael Gove will see sense, reverse his policy and join a Buddhist retreat. 

3. I will find more good value wine. Two euros for a bottle of Chianti in Italy. which wasn't rough or gave a hangover, was quite amazing. 

4. I want to read at least 20 books. Got close in 2012, but the Autumn was a tricky period. 

5. My writing will be discovered, beyond my amazing Twitter and blog audience, and hopefully by the BBC, to help them over the Savile scandal.

6. The mighty 'People's Club' will win some much deserved silverware after a long enough wait. 

7. Anyone who has lied about or stitched up anybody else will pay the price for their actions. 

8. I will cook a new recipe at least twice a month and share it with my Twitter friends. 

9. Greater financial sense! Daughters to learn that first!

10. My tomatoes and courgettes will not suffer the ravages of last summer. In past years they kept me going from June to November. 

11. Common sense will prevail in education. Heads and LEAs will stand up to the policies of the current Government and Stephen Twigg will wake up to what is happening and not Tweet about tea parties and the weather in his constituency.

12. There will be positive action in Parliament to DVA. And the sales of 50 Shades and copycat books will plummet. 

13. We will all be in a happier place by this time next year!