My short film It’s Natural To Be Afraid played nearly 30 festivals, winning 6 awards including one given by William H. Macy. I was lucky enough to be present to receive one in Kerry, Ireland.

I finished my second feature script, an original pulp feature titled A Sweet Little Bullet From A Pretty Blue Gun

I took The Great Brain Robbery to the Edinburgh Fringe and got good reviews and crowds, saw some amazing shows and shared a bill with Paul Foot. My personal highlights of the whole shebang were seeing Hannibal Buress and performing at Itsy Kabarett. Lowlight was the emotional toll it took, that I still haven’t recovered from if I am honest.

I met one of my favourite authors Andrey Kurkov at the Edinburgh Book Festival.

I read and adored Stewart Lee’s book.

I started a collaboration with the wonderful Katie McCullough that brought in the talented Laura Woods and Ben Woodall and will bear fruit in 2012.

I said goodbye to the greatest footballer I ever saw play, Paul Scholes, he who scores goals.

I said goodbye to the last of my Grandparents.

I left The Old Shop, saying goodbye to an era and a way of life.

I started a proper job teaching film at Bedford College and realised what I had hoped, that I do love writing lessons and assignments and teaching cinema.

I passed the first year of my doctorate and became a research student, officially.

I was asked to collaborate with two filmmakers and an illustrator whose work I love. More on that no doubt in 2012.

I realised I am stuck in Luton, at home with my folks for at least 2 years due to earning so little and not yet having 1 piece of paper. Dr. 

I went on an amazing family holiday with my wife and dog to Somerset, first time we had gone away, just us, for years.

I realised I can be, and need to be, a much better husband to my soul mate. 

I fell in love with my dog even more, and learned so much about myself in the process.

I didn’t contact my friends as much as I should have, and am now scared because if 2011 was busy, 2012 is a blizzard.

I was asked by my best friend to be his best man and became a Godparent for the third time.

I saw Jerusalem.

I started volunteering at a soup kitchen.

I got attacked and labelled a paedophile by a nasty man. An event that still shakes and visits me.

I learned I need to spend more time with my Bro.

I became even more proud of my bro when he received a commendation for bravery.

I went back to doing yoga.

I took the fam to Cornwall where we cemented friendships and we saw a glimpse of our eventual future.

I fell into bird watching and became obsessed by red kites. 

I got back into buying vinyl.

I finally saw White Denim live.

I discovered the smoked salmon and poached egg on toast and chocolate cake lunch at Luscious juice bar in Bedford. A lunch to rival anywhere in the world I have ever eaten.

I moved myself into a prime position to destroy 2012, all the while thinking my entire universe was falling apart and that I was sinking into an abyss of depression. 

Life is a custard pie fight in the war room.