Well, it's traditional to think along these lines at this time of year, is it not ?
High Points / Low points.
Good One of my mates beat a life threatening illness. That was good. Drove a proper American car, in America. That was also good. Had some cracking nights at the track - they were all good. Built a garage for my Sylva - that was really good.
Bad
Two good friends through the car club have died suddenly and in a not at all Rock n Roll fashion. One a few weeks ago, one a few days ago.
Enjoy today and every day that follows, you don't know how many you have left. Try and fill the first list and ignore the second list.
Good: Had a great year at work, with lots of disposable cash for once. Got my 75 back, nice and shiny. Did 4 track days. Did more miles on the bike than I have the past few years, but still not enough. Went to Portugal twice and it was bloody scorching both times. Got to spend lots of time in nice, award winning hotels and restaurants, with work picking up the tab.
I have done a mayor navigation recentely, chickened out and turned back: no visibility, low clouds, got lost, was talked home by airtrafic control. When I landed, I wasn't proud but got congratulated by my instructor: I had done the right thing.
It felt weird but exactely 5 days later an experienced helicopter pilot flew the same route: clouds became lower, flying into the descending sun made his forward visibility zero.
Flying VFR (Visual Flight Rules) he descended to 800 feet, 700 feet ,
600, 500 feet QNH (altitude compared to sea level) in order to see the ground. The fog thickened, visibility reduced to 4 kilometers. That is not a lot when you are at speeds of around 200 kph.
He didn't chicken out: he had the experience, had flown in far worse weather.
Then flying at 100 knots and with ground level at 100 ft he suddenly saw a high tension line coming up. Was he above it? Under it? ON it?
Nobody knows what happened, but the helicopter struck the ground nose first, killing all 5 on board. Our airfield is 5 NM from the impact. We fly over the crash site in our "extended circuit" when landing.
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I am on your side concerning enjoying life but would add my own little philosophie: "Whenever you have to go, be sure that you can go at peace with yourselve and without regrets."
Yes, 2007 was a good year and yes, there were a few major dissappointments. That's life.
All the best for 2008! May every-one receive at least 100 HP extra!
Been ill - beaten a life threatening illness again for a bit - but that's par for the course for the past few years heh. I dunno if that's good or bad heh, I suppose I'm still alive so bonus. I am still suffering from the major op though.
Met some of the group here - which was nice.
Bought the Vee - had some nice drives. S'about all really. Been a pretty slow year. I was even going to list getting an Xbox360 as a high point. Oh got a puppy too, she's lovely, so that's a high point :)
Accompanied by the sound of a chisel on slate Bob Sherunckle, managed to produce the following words of wisdom
High points;
Finally getting a business off the ground, and enjoying it, Couple of trips to the Czech Republic Finally getting the Range Rover that started off my Range Rover thing years ago Meeting a few of the muppets off 'ere Tatra 805 purchase - shame it's taking a longer time to get ready than planned Finally dumping the psycho hose beast girlfriend..
Low points;
Blowing up the Range Rover gearbox Not going to Czech enough Not having a track day car Deciding that I don't just want, but I actively need a AM V8 Vantage (early '80s one) Not having the disposable to buy the Aston.
i'm still here lol Going to brands hatch for the first time thanks to work! hopefully go more in 2008!!! Me and a workmate becoming really close friends! my work xmas do, totally lived up to expectations, i work with a bunch on nut jobs haha. Feeling pretty good all round for once.
bad points
still single :( My BMW not being the greatest car in the world and for costing me f*ck loads this year in fuel and breakages!!! My Debt not going down as quick as i hoped :( going to MaC D's and KFC ect far to much for lunch at work! and finally me failing to re-join my old martial art club
still something to work on! goals for 2008 are
Get back over to daytona florida again! Sell the BM and get something fun but cheap to help clear my debts. To Clear my debts! well at least most of it!! To meet someone nice!!! girly wise! and lastly to have more fun than i did in 2007 which is gonna be a tough one to beat hehe
Got another qualification from uni, (going for enough to be unemployable due to being over qualified) ;) Seeing just how quick a Veyron is round a track with british GT cars.
I don't feel like I have achieved anything. Still single. Getting so drunk one night everyone I know keeps telling me "you were so drunk" and I have no idea what happened.
The most impressively drunk I've ever been was the time I demanded for that a mate unlocked his front door so I could go outside. What I thought was his front door was in fact a radiator.
Years ago at a new year party a guy called Dave Barlow was so hammered he thought he was in the toilet when in fact he was stood in the host's living room, and proceeded to piss on his video recorder...
Moving somewhere less pikey Keeping afloat All family still with us Getting the merc back Meeting people from here and discovering Conor is actually human!
Bad:
History coming back to haunt me from time to time Debt mountain is still about the same size Income stream not running faster and wider Stress affecting health and wealth...
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