Um. H-hello?

The above image is a chronological montage of photos I took in 2020. The top row is January, the next is February and so on. There's a super-massive version on my Flickr.

This montage is, appropriately, the 13th one of these things that I've made (the others live under the #montage tag). Sorry if I've inadvertently caused, y'know, things to happen*.

So hi. Happy new year. Nice to see you. What's been happening? Hmm. I see...

2020, as you know, was bad. I'm glad it's over. I talked a little about how things were going for me in a post back in June but the year didn't let up for long. Everyone in my life is still safe and well and sensible, which is my main news. I'm still working and I'm trying to hit 2021 running. To date, 2021 is trying its best to trip me up.

As the above montage suggests, Beth has been the centre of our past year. She just turned 3 and is a full-blown kid now. She started talking early so Alex and I have had an entire year of conversation with her. Hot topics right now: fairies, princesses, fairy princesses. It's strange to say but, because we spent so much time together, we'll likely have lots of good memories from 2020.

What else? I've been a terrible, terrible friend. My social calendar was sparse pre-pandemic but, Christ, I've barely spoken to anyone outside my immediate family all year. Sorry pals. I still love you and I'm determined to try harder.

The one exception is my new gang of internet pals. We're sharing a collective mid-life crisis and we talk about rollerblading all day long on Slack. No, you shut up. Big love to the Naughty Boys. I said shut up.

2021, then. Let's do it. Follow me on Twitter, on Instagram, and watch me skate. If you like what I do, please help me keep doing it.

Always forwards, never backwards. Good luck x

* Direct quote from last year: "Presuming the world doesn't entirely fall apart (and it might), I'm optimistic about 2020." Urg.