For those who never got it

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan

As an old year comes to it’s climax there are of course many noble traditions, the revelling and singing in the streets, the time to reflect and resolve a course of self betterment and of course my Christmas/ new year email of which must now be in its 6th or 7th incarnation and is an institution with all the history and wonder of the queens speech, the only difference is I write my own greeting (oh I went there) and my greeting is sent out to good friends rather than the entire nation. My annual ramblings is a time and space for two things, first and foremost to spur catch up and explain myself to those I’ve been neglecting all year long and furthermore to cement in our collective memories the state of the year we have just been so fortunate to have together. Each year has its own traditions and this is one I like upholding, similarly this year I also carried on the tradition of going to see the wonderful John in London again and will be once again visiting the host to boast the most this spring and once again hopefully putting him up at some point too.

First of all I think a hello to all in Edinburgh is necessary, I think I can count on one hand the amount of trips I’ve made back this year, it’s been a rather busy time up here though and as my final semester looms it is looking ever more likely that I’ll either be moving back to Edinburgh or at least visiting more often, with my dissertation on the way and work commitments etc I’m only going to be back for a few festive days and hence in all likelihood this will be all you see or hear from me for probably a good few weeks. Anyway as ever there are new people reading this year’s ramble which of course is the wonderful thing about life, as you progress and discard old friends and acquaintances you do of course also pick up new ones and I bear warm greeting to you all.

This year has been a year which has seen a lot of big events for the world; the race hate scandal engulfing big brother, the end of the Blair era, the failed terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow, the bizarre carbon fuelled spectacle of Live Earth, Prince Harry being banned from fighting abroad, the kidnap of Alan Johnston in Gaza, Paisley and Adams coming together, the election of the SNP and the traditional Hibs post Christmas slump coming early. However individually we also all our own years and I hope to hear about yours.

This was the year of a few changes for me. First the spring saw the hardest and toughest fought election in University of Dundee history (possibly an exaggeration) which saw me getting triumphantly hammered by a known and respected member of the rugby team, I don’t think I can even claim moral victory as I was almost disqualified before the election even began! However I think I can claim to be a model loser, I did email the winner and I think he may even be reading this now, if I ever win a university election I hope all losers are as graceful as I was :-) The campaign was great fun however and although we failed to win I like to think it was all worth it, having said this it is only losers who play the “taking part” card.

Almost as soon as the election ended 10K training began, my first ever race being in very early Aril and taking my good self and Chris and Charlene to the “scenic” and “beautiful” town of Balfron! This has subsequently been followed by 10k and half marathon races in such glamorous locations as Aberdeen, Glasgow, Anstruther and Oban (which all sarcasm and East Coast prejudice aside was actually beautiful) the Oban half Marathon was a nightmare in so far as it was 13 miles of hill, the Glasgow one in comparison went very well and I would have to urge you all to kick off your shoes and throw on some trainers for next years running season.


The summer saw a voyage (or rather carbon fuelled flight) to Cuba to see the land of Sun, Sea and Socialism. With hindsight I don’t think there’s adequate words to articulate quite how subtly different from the west Cuba is, on one hand the nation is built on communism and Leninism etc but on the other hand I found from chatting to the locals that as well as seeing Marx and Engles as heroes and liberators they also saw Coke as being a sign of freedom. Castro is one of the last totalitarian communist dictators on earth and we can hope that when his time is finally over he can be replaced with someone who genuinely has the interests of Cuban people at heart and does not have to impose his will through an offensively ridiculous propaganda machine that gets called a media or through arresting and/ or torturing people who object to their regime. The island was beautiful and I would recommend all of you to go there as soon as possible, for better or worse Cuba in a few years will be a very different country, from the people we spoke to it became apparent that socialism is not dead there but Castro’s moral authority has largely waned. Upon getting back to Edinburgh the airport was shut down due to terror threats as religious fundamentalists attacked Glasgow. The only good news to return to was that Bernard Manning had died. It’s very rare for someone to die and the world to genuinely become a happier place but this feat was repeated only a few days ago as Ike Turner departed us; let’s hope that Roy Chubby Brown’s demise is not far away.

The summer also saw the establishment of Ale Club, the finest club in the entire world, we combined running with a love of ale. The sense of camaraderie which comes from Poker and ale is something to be celebrated. However when University went back we all switched to become tee total which suggests that it was more about the banter than the ale, in fact it most certainly was, after all we could never fully get around the fact that Ale itself is actually pretty foul. Having said this we can all agree that by the end of Ale Club the taste has begun to grow on us. In effect I would like to raise a glass to the legacy of Ale Club and to Chris, Michael, Maciej and Grant and all our other ale drinking comrades. In relation to going tee total I have to recommend that too, the effect it has on your uni work is exclusively positive and it always leaves an extra few bob in your pocket.

The semester also saw the closure of my beloved Oxfam book shop, of which I had been working at for around a year but it also saw me start a new job at Dundee University Archives which has been lovely and has seen me meet lots of lovely people but also my hard talking and violent boss Garry who enjoys shouting at me and beating me- I should establish for all that this is a lie, Garry is lovely and in no way feels like a boss in the sense that he’s thoroughly helpful and has made me feel most welcome, the work I’ve done has been very interesting and might I add I may have some very big and good news on the work front in the next 4 or 5 weeks, watch this space! Work is at a cross roads, I can guarantee that this is the last Christmas email I will ever send as an undergraduate student, in fact it’s almost certainly the last one I will ever send as a student, I’m not 100% sure where I’ll be this time next year and am certainly not sure what I’ll be doing this time next year, it has to be said that not very many people can be entirely sure where they’ll be in a year, life has that habit of being profoundly unpredictable.

As I do every year I want to make a few recommendations for you all as last minute stocking fillers and/ or presents for yourselves in the New Year, these are all things I’ve bought this year and are all well worthy or your hard earned cash

5 damn good reads

. Philip Roth- Portanoy’s complaint (possibly the funniest book I’ve ever read)
. Ian Mcewan- On Chesil Beach (A short story about sexual attitudes in the 1960s)
. Ed Hussein- The Islamist (A powerful and relevant book about the roots of Islamism)
. Douglas Coupland- Generation X (Iconic story about youth cynicism and apathy)
. Alasdair Gray- Lanark (A true Scottish classic that changed our nation’s literature)


5 damn good CDs which have been “pumping on my stereo”

. K’s Choice- Best of (If she’s reading this Nat is totally right, they truly are wonderful)
. Manic Street Preachers- Send Away The Tigers (A return to form!)
. Various- Ballads of the Book (A great mix of Scots poetry and music)
. The Police- Best of (Only just got in to them and they are sublime)
. Mouse Eat Mouse- Mair Licht (Great record from a great underground Scots outfit)


Sadly I hardly got to any gigs this year but I did see Smashing Pumpkins, Mouse Eat Mouse and Luva Anna who were all very good, however I am sure that if I did see the delightful Barbara Scott sing this year she would have topped the list again :-)

Each year is a time of change but really all times and days are significant for all of us and I you have all had wonderful years and times. Next Month sees a few changes as my dissertation gets well under way and a new flat mate moves in, this year we’ve had the delightful Space, our multicultural friend Maciej stayed with us after he got evicted (wink wink) and of course most recently the lovely Sarah, I believe next year we’re going continental and having the charming Laurie Anne (probably spelt totally wrong) who will be bringing a touch of European class with her.

As was the case last year I have had the privilege of living with my beloved duchess Nicole this year, it’s always a pleasure when your girlfriend is also your best friend and being together is always more fun than being apart, I have to give her a special mention (otherwise I’ll never forgive myself) and I wish to have many more happy years together. Similarly like year our rabbit Belle is in grand condition and as adorable and grand as ever.

2008 should be another important year for the world and another important year for us all and I wish you all nothing but love and joy over the holidays and nothing but goodness in the year ahead. I hope to see you all soon and I hope you’ve read this far, a gold star to you all and I will reward you with a few great jokes from a hilarious book I got from Secret Santa at work, who I am certain as actually Susan, of whom does not have a beard and I hope does not spend her nights breaking in to strangers bedrooms.

. Police arrested 2 kids last night, one was drinking battery acid and the other was eating fireworks, they charged one and let the other one off

. I asked my wife what she wanted for Christmas; she said “something to run around in” so I got her a tracksuit

. Viagra is now available in powder form for your tea, it won’t improve your sexual performance but it’ll stop your biscuits going soft

. After all the revelations about him in the press David Hassellhoff has decided he just wants to be known as the hoff, I guess he just doesn’t want the hassle anymore


As I never tire of saying, if wealth were measured in the good friends and good experiences we had then I would be a millionaire many times over, I wish you all the best and good things for all of your friends and families. I hope while your gathered around your turkeys (or tofu for you veggies) that like me you’ll spare a few thoughts for those less fortunate than ourselves, it is only when I sit back at this absurd hour in the morning and look around my bedroom/ study and think of the year that has been that I realise how utterly lucky I am, and in fact how utterly lucky we all are.



Here's tae us

Wha's like us

Damn few

And they're a' deid

Mairs the pity!



Peace and love


Andrew