2010
2010 happened. I didn’t really drive it much, I was either playing with waves I had made in previous years or waves that just happened.
Work
After a crazy March of four Rewired State events, I have had no involvement, and have effectively resigned all involvement. Emma has found replacements. I am still incredibly proud of what was achieved in 2009, and hope it continues. I have never really found words as to why I stopped - it’s something around the civil service and taste, sombreness to seriousness, fun to fulfilment and other things.
I continue to spend my day work with Unboxed Consulting, which has been a pleasure. A large proportion of the work has been technical, and therefore there is not much to talk about here. The biggest project was working with BERG on Mag+ - a stand out piece of work of the year as it was something that was not expected and the results were public and widely respected. It also sparked the many thoughts and plans that will hopefully shape my 2011.
2010 was by far the highest earning year I’ve had. I’m currently more wealthy than necessary, especially considering my age and circumstance. It’s been an adventure, and something I want to write about at some point.
Life
I moved to Shoreditch in January, which will probably be the longest lasting effect on my life of 2010. I have fallen in love with central London living, particularly around here.
I have also been single for nearly the entire year, and have been living alone in a studio flat. Something I have enjoyed less, although not something I regret. It has certainly not been unbearable and I am glad I have done it - I know I can survive as an individual - but I am pretty certain that I am better off with a flatmate and a love in my life.
I took 4 months off over the summer where I did no work of any sort. This was pretty indulgent, but as I went straight into full time work from school I regard it as accumulated student Summer holidays. Let’s say I wanted to vent all of my youth before I become a resentful old man. I spent time in as many fields as I could manage. A friend of mine fell in with a group of travelling stage and troublemakers, and in love with a founding member. With my spare time, I was more than happy to travel with them to Secret Garden Party, Bestival and their own Bimble Party, as well as going to the usual Bangface Weekender and Bloc Festival. Despite the huge amount of drink and cigarettes I put in myself, I don’t think I’ve been as happy and as healthy as the time I left the Bimble lot.
The sudden death of my godmother and close friend in the middle of my break brought the new highs to new lows, and I limped through to the end. I didn’t really do justice to my visits to Berlin and Amsterdam, and gave up on other travel plans I was conjuring. I perhaps also screwed up a relationship or two I wish I hadn’t. Sadness crept into everything I did, sometimes without me noticing until it was pointed out to me.
2011
I made two resolutions at midnight - eat more omelettes (I wasn’t kidding - nutritious and therapeutic) and be more like Phil Gyford (more specifically, write more and be excruciatingly reasonable in my arguments). I won’t be surprised if both last all year. I even started early on both, the latter rearing it’s head with my writing on TechHub.
The culmination of pretty much everything learnt from 2010 has resulted in me having put in an accepted offer to buy a 2 bedroom flat just off Columbia Road. I plan to stay in London and to share with another.
With regards to work, I plan to sacrifice a bit of my field time to be doing something serious but not somber. I haven’t decided what that is yet.
