Ring out the old, ring in the new..

It's early New Year's Day and I'm drinking a final cup of tea before I head off to bed.  I probably should be washing up the stuff from tonight's supper but I can't face it without sleep so instead, I'm burning the midnight oil.  I'm usually quite emotional on New Year's Eve but I saw 2011 out dry-eyed. I'm not sad to see it go, although it's not been a bad year - far from it - but given my propensity to dwell on the things that haven't been glowing, I suppose I was only thinking of the less pleasant changes it has heralded.  This doesn't really do 2011 full justice, so I decided to give some awards for 'bests'.  This is what I came up with:

BEST BOOK READ:   The Seville Communion by Arturo Perez-Reverte - fabulous to the very last line.
BEST FILM:  The King's Speech - especially Helena Bonham Carter's performance.
BEST SONG: The night will always win by Elbow - just as moving live.
BEST THEATRE MOMENT: the final night of Love Never Dies in London - all the stops pulled out and then some!
BEST BALLET MOMENT: Camina Burana in Birmingham in June - electric!
BEST TV MOMENT: that punch in Downton Abbey on Christmas Day! - about time too!
BEST SILLY MOMENT: being part of the crowd outside the Adelphi Theatre stage door on the last night of LND who blocked the road in Maiden Lane and forced a taxi to turn back!! Surreal!
MOST EMOTIONAL MOMENT:standing across the river from the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre and feeling I'd come home again and had begun to reconnect with the person I used to be.
BEST PURCHASE: My Kindle! No competition...
BEST CAKE: from Totnes - yum!
BEST NIGHT'S SLEEP: Jury's Inn, Birmingham - every time!
BEST PLACE(S) VISITED: tie between Greenway and Coleton Fishacre in Devon - and Devon itself.
BEST CONCERT(S): tie between Adam Ant - only 30 years late and Cleo Laine - inspirational.
BEST DECISION: Applying for the MA course (might need reminding of that during this year!)
BEST DISCOVERY: Brindley Place and the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham - unique!
BEST MOMENT: Interviewing Robert Parker of BRB for the Friends group at Durham - absolutely priceless!

Not a bad old year, really!  And Neil Gaiman has set me right for 2012 already.  I love his New Year message so much, it is going to be my mantra for the year. http://journal.neilgaiman.com/ He's a genius!

Happy New Year!