Now that I've started using Windows Live Writer I'm more inclined to add photos to the blog.

Here is a summary of 2007 in photos. (Hey it could be worse, I could have done it 'through the medium of mime').

If you click on any of the photos you'll get a larger higher-resolution version.

Happy New Year to you. See you in 2008.

... did I mention how much fun Bore Place was ? I did ?	By May I was spending whole evenings writing.	Finally a gig on my own with my own songs. 6 months later my only thought is that my songs are better now and I want to get out there and perform these new songs.
In 2007 I felt older so much older than today. I attended my first 50th birthday party. My brother-in-law turned 50 and fortunately he's still a big kid.	Heather's birthday - candles, friends and fun.	Baby Craig arrived and my sister is a grandmother !
Our baby grew up and started secondary school in September.	She might be growing up fast but Alison still loves ice cream just like every other little girl.
	Valerie's father is now in a nursing home and while he finds most things difficult to remember he's still the patient gentle man he has always been.	Ben started playing guitar this year. With any luck he's starting out on a lifelong relationship with music.
Ben saw a TV show about Eric Morecambe and sought out these glasses the following day !	Christmas dinner wouldn't be the same if Heather didn't decorate my head with the contents of the Christmas Crackers	You know this was the first Halloween Pumpkin I ever made ? Pumpkins are a fairly recent arrival to Irish shores.
We had the holiday of our lives this year.	Even Ben got over his nervousness around water...	Dive !
Walking with our French friends
Harry D. Catt arrived on our doorstep in mid-September and adopted us.
Simple Kid played Whelans but my hearing was screwed and I had to leave after 3 songs.	I saw Paul McCartney at the Roundhouse in London for 25 quid ! That's me on the right only feet from the stage.	Thomas Dolby came to Dublin ! I never thought I'd see this guy perform live. What a gig.
Alison...	Ben...	Heather...

2007 was a learning year for me, it was a good year for me.

This blog posting will be self-indulgent and me me me me me.

Since last Christmas I regained my confidence and, through Tom Robinson's 'Stand & Deliver: Finding Your Voice' weekend, I performed and wrote songs for the first time in many many years. I spent this summer playing open mics around Dublin. Thanks Tom, Sue & Nick. I wrote about this back in April. My demo'ing of songs for my album has stalled a little but that's ok. I know I'll get back into it in a few days. I'm too busy living to worry.

I experienced mid-life career meltdown at a well known software multinational which left me in a bad place in late 2006. I was lost professionally, spiritually and creatively. I'm fortunate to have some good friends in that office and they helped me. I put a lot of time and work into self-examination and development. 2 days ago I was offered a new job in the company that gives me a reason to turn-up for work in the mornings. For the first time in many years I'm looking forward to going back to work in the new year. My self-esteem was at an all time low. The professional help I received for about 2 months gave me the information and tools I needed to understand myself and what made me happy.

Was it a mid-life crisis ? Fucked if I know. What I do know is that I'm happier now and less-stressed than I have been for over 10 years. Writing music will do that for you. Being recognised and treated as an adult professional will go a long way too !

Today is Thursday. Tomorrow I'm 'working from home' and will be getting ready for the weekend. Our kids don't know that we've booked 2 rooms in the Four Seasons Hotel Dublin for this Saturday night. We're going to spend Saturday relaxing in their pool... well I'll be reading and listening to my iPod. Val will be doing the whole relaxation and getting-hair-done thing. While we have a grown-up dinner and some drinks that night the kids can order room-service and watch movies.

Next week it's Christmas. In Ireland everything shuts down for the week between Christmas Eve and New Years Day. This year will be no different I'm sure.

When I return to 'work' in January I will have demo'd some more songs for my album, I will have written some new songs and might even have developed a couple of the songs I've started. I will be returning to a new job which should keep my mind busy between 9 and 5 which is more than has been happening for some years.

One of my un-finished songs goes 'I don't need a namebadge to know who I am'

I still believe that.