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TWENTY TWENTY-FOUR, YOU ARE NO MORE...
A year in just a few paragraphs - 2024 as I saw it...
Another year, another dollar: I am emotionally exhausted to be honest at the dying embers of 2024; a year that George Orwell should have chosen if he was focusing on the 21st century. There will be no standing ovation, and no breaking the fourth wall and bowing as the curtain - and the sunset - falls for the last time. So, there goes yet another year, and for those people like myself who regards 2000 as the start of the century, it's sobering now to think that we are now a quarter of the way into it. Going backwards, it's a bit like looking towards the year 2000 from a 1975 perspective. My brand new 2025 A4 diary with the Week One pages open is now spread out on my desk, and the red leather front cover, almost making it look as it could be a prop for Eamonn Andrews to surprise someone almost famous with, is an indication that I am getting prepared for the 365 days which commence with the start of a brand new year.
Years go so quickly the more we get older, and even as a nine-year-old back in 1987, I thought that the year in question had gone quickly as I remarked back then. Days turn to weeks, which turn into months. Reaching the end of the incumbent year and letting it give way to its successor, it just feels like three or four months and not one year when we were at this time of year. At the end of 2023, I wrote down a list of ten famous people who were on, shall we say, the elderly side, to say the least, and predicted whether they would have survived 2024. Eight of them did, but two didn't, and it's fascinating that one had left us at the start of the year, and the other left us at the other end of it. The first one was actress Glynis Johns, of Mary Poppins fame, who passed away on 4th January, and the second (and hopefully final) one was former President of the United States Jimmy Carter who had passed away at the age of 100 on 29th December; he was in the White House on the day I was born. I was delighted that he made it to his century in October, but saddened that he didn't live the end of that year. I wanted Carter to live to see Kamala Harris become the first female President to enter the White House and thus make history, but that was mainly because I thought that Donald Trump returning would be a step backwards and I didn't want him to come back , especially after what has "happened" to him in various situations during the year. At least he will leave the White House in four years' time, but I watch the inauguration ceremnony on 20th January.
Personally I will be glad to see the back of 2024; good bloody riddance. The cost of living crisis had meant that whirlwind inflation and promised that I had a bit less money than usual, causing anxiety and depression, but after looking at my recent bank statement for December I was relieved to see that I had made a good recovery from earlier on in the year with more money in there than I realised. It just shows you to make changes to the things like utility providers and brands at the supermarket, and after waiting a few months, the rewards can be so appreciated. It was my annus horribilis, just like Prince William thought about his 2024 as well. It feels like a happy ending to the year, but the hard work needs to continue so that one doesn't go back there ever; be it finding extra work or raising funds via Gofundme. Getting the right support at the right time is very important. I have my fingers, legs and toes crossed for 2025, and even my bank says that any loose ends could tied by the end of February. When Bruce Forsyth used to say "did you see them cut the cards?" on Play Your Cards Right, shall we say that I hope to do the same with one of them which is in my wallet? Look forward and not back; it is more healthy for you.
As we leave 2024 behind, there are many things that the year will be remembered for; firstly, the Alan Bates and Post Office Scandal and "the truth will out" for all those who work at Post Offices around the country and will now have their say as to how they have been treated. Post Offices might be just a place where one gets books of stamps from, but to some, it is their livelihood. In my home city of Nottingham, Valdo Calocane admitted three counts of manslaughter and three more of attempted murder on Thursday 25th January when three good people lost their lives, including two university students. Also, as I am someone who respects the rights of transsexual people, I commended the judge for naming and shaming the young people who tortured and killed poor Brianna Ghey in February. There I was listening to Nicky Campbell on Radio 5 Live when at 10.39 am on Friday 2nd February, when those responsible were named and that Brianna's killers were not "cannot be named for legal reasons" people anymore.
I was saddened to hear that HM King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer and that his daighter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales had a similar illness as well, and also his wife's health problems too. It was lovely to watch the Royal Variety Performance which was the first to be attended by Charles as King, and the first to be attended by a reigning monarch since 2012. The Rochdale by-election was the first election to happen on 29th February since 1908 when a certain candidate and future Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin was elected unopposed in Bewdley and was elected for the first time. On Leap Year Day in 2024, George Galloway for the Workers' Party won the by-election from Labour, but his victory was short-lived as Labour claimed it back four months later.
The General Election was to happen in July; a rather wet Rishi Sunak stood behind his lecturn in Downing Street and finally named the day. Then we waited for around six weeks during the campaign; so many sitting MPs decided to announce they were standing down. Theresa May was the only former Prime Minister to announce that she was, while Liz Truss was told "where to get off" by her local constituency voters, losing by over 600 vites, and thus, providing the "Portillo Moment" of 2024. Ed Davey decided to take a fascinating approach to his campaign, akin to someone at Alton Towers or somewhere similar; he was certainly expected to enjoy himself, and he did. Nigel Farage wooed the good folk of Clacton and was rewarded a seat in the House of Commons for the first time. The Telegraph endorsed Sunak and the Mirror supported Starmer (so what's new?) No Liberal Democrats stood down, and no Nottinghamshire MPs had stood down either, although Lee Anderson had joined Reform UK and was re-elected in Ashfield. Jeremy Corbyn stood as an Independent and was re-elected, defeating the Labour candidate. All the MPs first elected in the 1970s and prior to 1983 either stood down or were defeated, including the Father of the House, Sir Peter Bottomley.
Just like a lot of people, I wasn't surprised that Sunak gave way to Starmer in Downing Street (it would have amazed me had Rishi held on, and that goes for his candidacy in Richmond, North Yorkshire), but I was surprised at the July General Election as I thought that it would have been in the autumn - in fact, the Election was actually held on the birthday of the previous MP for my area, who was defeated by new MP. Starmer feels to me in many ways, "out of the frying pan". Great British Energy was optmistic, but Rome wasn't built in a day. His first full year awaits him; I signed the famous Government petition just before Christmas, wanting a General Election because of Labour's failure, and the petition received its 3 millionth signature a few seconds after 7.00 pm on 23rd December; the start of Christmas as far as I was concerned. Sunak was correct that the General Election would be in the second half of the year; the first Thursday in that second half - the very first Thursday in the calendar to come under that very part. I didn't even go to bed during the night and early hours of the 5th and 6th July, watching every bit of the BBC's "Election 24" coverage, and seeing so many seats as "Labour Gain". Cups of tea and whatever was in the fridge was there to keep me going. I did like the purple sub-Windows desktop design of the TV screen which displayed the election coverage on, and Clive Myrie holding his own throughout those magic hours. I stayed awake long enough for midday on Friday, Sunak announcing his resignation and handing the baton to his successor, just after I nipped out to the local paper shop for a Times and a Mail. I finally went to bed on Friday evening.
(Continued...)
A year in just a few paragraphs - 2024 as I saw it...
Another year, another dollar: I am emotionally exhausted to be honest at the dying embers of 2024; a year that George Orwell should have chosen if he was focusing on the 21st century. There will be no standing ovation, and no breaking the fourth wall and bowing as the curtain - and the sunset - falls for the last time. So, there goes yet another year, and for those people like myself who regards 2000 as the start of the century, it's sobering now to think that we are now a quarter of the way into it. Going backwards, it's a bit like looking towards the year 2000 from a 1975 perspective. My brand new 2025 A4 diary with the Week One pages open is now spread out on my desk, and the red leather front cover, almost making it look as it could be a prop for Eamonn Andrews to surprise someone almost famous with, is an indication that I am getting prepared for the 365 days which commence with the start of a brand new year.
Years go so quickly the more we get older, and even as a nine-year-old back in 1987, I thought that the year in question had gone quickly as I remarked back then. Days turn to weeks, which turn into months. Reaching the end of the incumbent year and letting it give way to its successor, it just feels like three or four months and not one year when we were at this time of year. At the end of 2023, I wrote down a list of ten famous people who were on, shall we say, the elderly side, to say the least, and predicted whether they would have survived 2024. Eight of them did, but two didn't, and it's fascinating that one had left us at the start of the year, and the other left us at the other end of it. The first one was actress Glynis Johns, of Mary Poppins fame, who passed away on 4th January, and the second (and hopefully final) one was former President of the United States Jimmy Carter who had passed away at the age of 100 on 29th December; he was in the White House on the day I was born. I was delighted that he made it to his century in October, but saddened that he didn't live the end of that year. I wanted Carter to live to see Kamala Harris become the first female President to enter the White House and thus make history, but that was mainly because I thought that Donald Trump returning would be a step backwards and I didn't want him to come back , especially after what has "happened" to him in various situations during the year. At least he will leave the White House in four years' time, but I watch the inauguration ceremnony on 20th January.
Personally I will be glad to see the back of 2024; good bloody riddance. The cost of living crisis had meant that whirlwind inflation and promised that I had a bit less money than usual, causing anxiety and depression, but after looking at my recent bank statement for December I was relieved to see that I had made a good recovery from earlier on in the year with more money in there than I realised. It just shows you to make changes to the things like utility providers and brands at the supermarket, and after waiting a few months, the rewards can be so appreciated. It was my annus horribilis, just like Prince William thought about his 2024 as well. It feels like a happy ending to the year, but the hard work needs to continue so that one doesn't go back there ever; be it finding extra work or raising funds via Gofundme. Getting the right support at the right time is very important. I have my fingers, legs and toes crossed for 2025, and even my bank says that any loose ends could tied by the end of February. When Bruce Forsyth used to say "did you see them cut the cards?" on Play Your Cards Right, shall we say that I hope to do the same with one of them which is in my wallet? Look forward and not back; it is more healthy for you.
As we leave 2024 behind, there are many things that the year will be remembered for; firstly, the Alan Bates and Post Office Scandal and "the truth will out" for all those who work at Post Offices around the country and will now have their say as to how they have been treated. Post Offices might be just a place where one gets books of stamps from, but to some, it is their livelihood. In my home city of Nottingham, Valdo Calocane admitted three counts of manslaughter and three more of attempted murder on Thursday 25th January when three good people lost their lives, including two university students. Also, as I am someone who respects the rights of transsexual people, I commended the judge for naming and shaming the young people who tortured and killed poor Brianna Ghey in February. There I was listening to Nicky Campbell on Radio 5 Live when at 10.39 am on Friday 2nd February, when those responsible were named and that Brianna's killers were not "cannot be named for legal reasons" people anymore.
I was saddened to hear that HM King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer and that his daighter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales had a similar illness as well, and also his wife's health problems too. It was lovely to watch the Royal Variety Performance which was the first to be attended by Charles as King, and the first to be attended by a reigning monarch since 2012. The Rochdale by-election was the first election to happen on 29th February since 1908 when a certain candidate and future Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin was elected unopposed in Bewdley and was elected for the first time. On Leap Year Day in 2024, George Galloway for the Workers' Party won the by-election from Labour, but his victory was short-lived as Labour claimed it back four months later.
The General Election was to happen in July; a rather wet Rishi Sunak stood behind his lecturn in Downing Street and finally named the day. Then we waited for around six weeks during the campaign; so many sitting MPs decided to announce they were standing down. Theresa May was the only former Prime Minister to announce that she was, while Liz Truss was told "where to get off" by her local constituency voters, losing by over 600 vites, and thus, providing the "Portillo Moment" of 2024. Ed Davey decided to take a fascinating approach to his campaign, akin to someone at Alton Towers or somewhere similar; he was certainly expected to enjoy himself, and he did. Nigel Farage wooed the good folk of Clacton and was rewarded a seat in the House of Commons for the first time. The Telegraph endorsed Sunak and the Mirror supported Starmer (so what's new?) No Liberal Democrats stood down, and no Nottinghamshire MPs had stood down either, although Lee Anderson had joined Reform UK and was re-elected in Ashfield. Jeremy Corbyn stood as an Independent and was re-elected, defeating the Labour candidate. All the MPs first elected in the 1970s and prior to 1983 either stood down or were defeated, including the Father of the House, Sir Peter Bottomley.
Just like a lot of people, I wasn't surprised that Sunak gave way to Starmer in Downing Street (it would have amazed me had Rishi held on, and that goes for his candidacy in Richmond, North Yorkshire), but I was surprised at the July General Election as I thought that it would have been in the autumn - in fact, the Election was actually held on the birthday of the previous MP for my area, who was defeated by new MP. Starmer feels to me in many ways, "out of the frying pan". Great British Energy was optmistic, but Rome wasn't built in a day. His first full year awaits him; I signed the famous Government petition just before Christmas, wanting a General Election because of Labour's failure, and the petition received its 3 millionth signature a few seconds after 7.00 pm on 23rd December; the start of Christmas as far as I was concerned. Sunak was correct that the General Election would be in the second half of the year; the first Thursday in that second half - the very first Thursday in the calendar to come under that very part. I didn't even go to bed during the night and early hours of the 5th and 6th July, watching every bit of the BBC's "Election 24" coverage, and seeing so many seats as "Labour Gain". Cups of tea and whatever was in the fridge was there to keep me going. I did like the purple sub-Windows desktop design of the TV screen which displayed the election coverage on, and Clive Myrie holding his own throughout those magic hours. I stayed awake long enough for midday on Friday, Sunak announcing his resignation and handing the baton to his successor, just after I nipped out to the local paper shop for a Times and a Mail. I finally went to bed on Friday evening.
(Continued...)
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