Review of the year: 2006

This is now my 292nd posting of 2006, and we're on New Year's Eve. 2006 was the first full year of the blog - as it started in January of 2005. So what has hapened over the past year in the life of this random ordinand???

January started without blogging, as my laptop was down. Eventually when it was fixed, the blogging started again. My favourite posting was on the flight from Dublin to Prestwick, with clear skies and a good view of the whole M1 corridor, and Counties Down and Antrim. We also had the January Day organised by the Down and Dromore Youth Council (DDYC) and my first Sunday in Magheralin.

February was mostly college news, with the main event being the Approach mission event in Trinity College. We also had the lament over dodgy theology, which I have since encountered in many other places too...

March was the visit to Venice with College. A few great days emploring the city, taking in the sights, as well as enjoying great food. It was, of course, an educational visit, though, so we spent a few days at the Ecumenical Study Institute, meeting others from different denominations and cultures.

March also saw me back in Dundee for a week of my 'Easter' holidays. A special moment of that visit was the stargazing at the observatory.

April didn't have much excitement - apart from the end of my first year at college, and the observance of Easter. The Community weekend in College was over my birthday, but thankfully James and the rest of the messers didn't do anything on me - except buy me a nice cake!

May was my first attendance at the General Synod, and then contained exams... (Which I passed!).

June was a busy month. Scott and Donna got married.

Lynsey and me got engaged in Tollymore Forest Park.

Adrian was ordained.

July was my travelling month. In the course of the month, I was in London with Standeley at the Proc Trust Preaching Conference; in Scotland and France with Lynsey, Louise and Bryan; in Kent with the Mid-Ulster Battalion Boys' Brigade Camp.

August saw us doing some touristy stuff at home in Northern Ireland. My favourite day was the one spent on the north coast with Lynsey. It was my first time proper at the Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, and even the rain couldn't stop my enjoyment!

September will go down in history as the 'Oh what a night' of 2006. Northern Ireland were playing Spain at Windsor Park in the European Championship Qualifiers, one year after having defeated England at the same venue. Sadly, also four days after having gone down to Iceland. And what happened? We only came back from a goal down twice, to win 3-2.

Other highlights of September were Bryan and Louise getting engaged, and my return to college to start second year!

October was a month of randomness, I have to admit. Lots of random postings on various topics, including the mystery visitor to Brown Thomas, a day trip to Ayr, the Delirious and Tim Hughes concert in Belfast, and the views from Flagstaff mountain:

November was the month of the Proclamation Trust Northern Ireland Minister's Assembly, held in Dollingstown, with Kent Hughes and David Jackman encouraging and teaching us to preach the word. Then it was over to Scotland for Lynsey's birthday weekend, and the driving range!

December on the blog contained a lot of complaining about Christmas coming so early, and the crowds and bustle and fuss of it all... I'm not a scrooge, I just don't see what all the rush has to do with the real meaning of Christmas. After all, when we had finished our turkey dinner last Monday, it was all over for another year... Other things happened too, though, including my trip to London, some carol singing, and some Christmas parties with time spent with friends.

So that was 2006, and I'll be ending it in my bed as I'm still not well... sore throat, lots of snot, warm or cold, and a bit weak. I've just seen on the tv that the Concert to be held at Belfast City Hall tonight for New Year's Eve has been cancelled due to the high winds... so it's more than just my New Year's eve which won't be happening...

A Happy New Year to you! Come back and read more of the blog in 2007!