Early Christmas presents from uncle Nous.

   After only a week and a day of blog-neglection I already feel bad. To say that is somewhat reactionary though, as the last of those eight days, at time of typing, has only been for thirty three minutes. The point of this publication however is that for thirty three minutes now, it has been Christmas Eve'.

   My good friend Toby, of Not Tonight Dear, whom I met over a fortnight in departement de Vendée, Pays-de-la-Loire, la France recently posted his first blog in over a month and included a selection of goodies which he has discovered over the last twelve, citing the season of giving as a bloody good reason to do so. Taking into account this and my guilt I have decided to break my fast of blogging with an late night Christmas-themed publishing of a similar manner, I can also use it as an opportunity to look back over the year's events.

   Things I have discovered this year then? Well, to keep in theme with the afore mentioned; blogging. I have started blogging and I'm bloody glad I did. I've always been frustrated by my lack of ability to use conventional social media to portray my beliefs, views and whimsical musings to a wider audience yet already armed with the excuse "the revolution will not be televised but somebody will bootleg it onto Youtube" to do so. Not only have I become consumed by my typing frenzy but I've also engaged two new friends in the art too; Hamandpeasepudding (a Northern joke, you wouldn't understand) and Jenni, two fellow English students have been updating, though, admittedly not regularly, and I thought plugging them here would both gift to them and to you.

   Similarly, my good friend Rude Rabbit has recently returned to Blighty from four years of living in dawdlingly-interneted Indonesia (only to end up in Swanage, Dorset) and my intense blogging has also spurred him to update more -ahem- regularly, his blog The Blog With A Memorable Name is, when freshly plackered, a hilarious read, knowing his voice personally, it is clear that his writing tone mimics his speech and I highly recommend not only his blog, but all the others mentioned.

"Worryingly, he's not far off with his analysis of bureaucracy" (click to enlarge)

   To skip back for a moment, I'd also like to introduce you to my new favourite cultures; firstly, France. France is brilliant, I love France, I would go as far to say that j'adore la France. France has never appealed to me before but is the most appealing country in Europe now. I speak a basic level of French, its not too far away and things aren't too expensive. The countryside is beautiful, the bierre-Picon is tasty and intoxicating and, as is the general rule in any country, if you've tried to learn some of the language, people are more than hospitable; be that giving you and your drunk mates a lift back to the camp-site twice, saying only "if he iz seeck on my car my 'oosband weel keel 'im" in English whilst playing loud Spanish music or letting you know that "c'est bon" and you needed bother apologising for "le sud d'Angleterre" because they already know northerners are brilliant.
   While in France we literally stumbled across a the band Vaguement La Jungle (literally meaning "maybe the jungle?") both at a gig in St-Gilles-croix-de-vie and in the pub on the way back in le Fenouiller. On the subject of le Fenouiller, who fancies sending a barman, Fafa, from Algeria, a shit load of post? I have his address.

   I've also become increasingly nerdy with Arabic culture and language, hoping to study for a degree in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Leeds. This comes down to Soren learning a bit of arabi' on the side in PDR Lewisham and my increasing involvement in bits and pieces to do with Palestinian solidarity but mainly that the cultures of the Middle and Near East are f'kin' beautiful. Wide in range and vast in their differences, for thousands of years from the Med' to the sub-continent nations and empires have been exchanging scientific developments and religious traditions and have formed some of the greatest and most wondrous societies on the planet. At least give it a Google.

   I'd also like the gift you Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Aylesbury and Lewisham as places to add to your list of places to visit and/or get drunk in before you die.

   Something I've learned this year is that despite continuously underestimating the greed and cruelty of the human race, there are some bloody fantastic people about whose generosity and kindness I could not live without. Not least that of my many Aylesbury mums.

   Karen has always been happy to put me up (or should that be put up with me?) around the house so long as whenever I rouse from the mattress in the spare room, I put the kettle on and help with the dishes. I have been only under-crackered in her daughter's bedroom with other men she hasn't met and she's simply turned a blind eye and said good-morning, the charity she holds in unbelievable and I suppose I'd like to extend my thanks not only to her but also to Jane who's constant offers of a place to stay and a hot meal were comforting at times of hardship at home. Jane is also single-handedly responsible for my korma addiction.

   This year saw an end called on my musical expeditions with The Electro-Possums, a band I saw grow up, a band I joined and a band I left having spent many great years with all the members past and present. In the New Year I hope to continue performing and spread joy and happiness with my new-found knack for writing songs about drunk nights out. Tonight's pint-fuelled in-joke is tomorrow's download-fuelled platinum album, or some shit.

   The internet is a lovely place full of things that do your job for you, if you've been finding keeping an eye on important news somewhat strenuous, you've been looking for new ingenious spam topics and if you've been trying to find a blog about nerdy stuff that doesn't appear too nerdy but still is quite nerdy, I suggest checking out Super Punch on recommendation of Connor James. 

   In TV, not much this year has really grabbed my eye, the last series of The Inbetweeners of course and watching boxsets of The X-Files and 24 with Ed and Shaunagh but the BBC has just started showing a new drama of Douglas Adams's Dirk Gently which I enthusiastically encourage you to watch on the iPlayer.

   The Aylesbury Brewery Co.'s second and probably last attempt at successfully brewing cider in a bedroom is currently in Max's and hasn't been touched for a good seven weeks. Last New Year's Eve's christening of ThwackMooThud saw one vomiting into a bath and one pass out so let's hope that 2010's a good year and ThudSplashFlap goes down just as well, like it's namesake, the sound two pigeons make in a well when you throw a bit of castle at them. Food poisoning; the gift that keeps on giving. 

   Lastly, moving hasn't really taught me anything, I know I can make friends just as well as I make enemies and that geography has never been a big issue for me in any sense. I just hope I keep in touch with the many I've loved over the last seven years and indeed those who I love in the next seven.

   So here's to 2011, a year of hopes of happiness and dreams of drink. Enjoy it.

   I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas, I'll probably be taking a few weeks off this to concentrate on my sociology exam in January so take care and I'll speak to you all later.

   Seasons greetings,

- Nous.