2011 Highlights

Just a quick run through of this year's highs (not going to bother with lows, does no good to dwell on them):

• Meeting Sue. This girl is such a big part of my life and it sucks why we can't be together but hey I still have the pleasure of having her in my life.
• Mega Hike. 50 miles in 24 hours trekking across the Pennines hills. Managed 46 miles and had to drop out at the last checkpoint. At this point my feet were swollen and I was totally demoralised as it was dark (my head lamp was pathetic to say the least!), the group had gotten a little lost a few times, all my group bar me had dropped out miles and miles ago it was just me and a bunch of strangers left. Really annoyed at myself for giving up just before the end but also proud I managed so far. I know I can definitely do it if given another chance. This year I'm packing 10 pairs of socks (changing them at every checkpoint/water stop) and at least 3 pairs of shoes (1 being a pair of sandals to air my feet). Realised the key is to look after your feet. My fitness wasn't a problem but my swollen feet from the sweat was a major problem! Oh and because I've not been blogging you guys don't know that I lost 6 toenails because of the hike! Lost one on the actual day and the other 5 in the subsequent weeks.
• Going into the recording studio for the 2nd time (hmm not going into the last recording the other month) to do this. Was such an uplifting experience. Still love the guitar solo which I wrote in just a few takes. Inspirational stuff. :)
• Gourmet Burger Kitchen. This year was definitely the year of GBK for me. I discovered that they have opened a restaurant at the Trafford Centre and have been at least 3 times now (as well as a trip to one in Birmingham too). First had a GBK burger about 5 years ago at 'Party in the Park' in Manchester and still maintain to this day that it was the greatest burger I've ever had. Visiting GBK at the Trafford Centre confirmed this (they even have a wider selection on menu too. Squeeeeeee!!). Love, love, love GBK. Cannot recommend them enough to anyone.
• Deathly Hallows pt 2. The one and only time I swallowed my inhibitions and went to the cinema on my own. I've missed so many good films because I had no one to go with and didn't want to go on my own. Not this time!! I was due to see the film a week later with my best friend Chris (we did, it was awesome again and we even had a GBK with plenty of beer to wash it down with too!) but couldn't wait. Turns out he couldn't either as he saw it later the same night! Anyhoo it was absolutely brilliant (except for the Neville scenes which they ruined! Grrrrr!!!) though I think I just about prefer DH pt1.
• Speaking of losing inhibitions. I finally manned up and got a tattoo.
• Oh and I had a photo shoot done too! My mate Chris (a different Chris to the one above) at work is an amateur photographer and after chatting to him one night via Facebok I decided to go through with it. Now I've got some pretty decent photos and they even helped attract Sue (she still has copies of them saved to her laptop). Yay. :D
• 19. Need I say more? :P