A Good Year

Laura memed me with this: If you could go back to live in any one year from your lifetime, which one would you choose?

I admit my original understanding was which year would I like to live again to make it better (almost every single one of them) but it's supposed to be which one is the best so you'd like to enjoy it again. Like a re-run of your favourite episode of "Only Fools and Horses".

This is a toughie for me, honestly. My child years ... well, let's just say I dislike what I was then, even if I did read a lot of good books. University wasn't too bad but nothing special.

Since then I've struggled. I suppose there's never been a year when I've been happy with myself - I could have done so much better.

This sounds depressing, doesn't it? I'm neither depressed or unhappy - it just could have been so much better if I weren't so lazy.

(Marvin: The first ten million years were the worst, the next ten million years, they were the worst too. After that I went into a bit of a decline.)

In 1982 I met my wife-to-be. In 1984 we were married. In 1991 my daughter was born and my son in 1997.

Can I choose 2009? We're a month in and it's been okay so far? Except it hasn't, because we've been on the border of bankruptcy (it's okay, it's fixed now - I have a new contract).

But this month is a perfect example of my entire life: Struggle. It's true that in all cases the goodness outweighed the badness, but sometimes it was damned close.

See what I mean? What year would I want re-live? None?

If you twisted my arm ... ow! ... I suppose 2008 was the best because I discovered I had some ability at screenwriting, and I had a good job for 6 months of it (and a couple of rubbish jobs but at least they paid). My son went to big school and is doing well. My daughter did well at college. My wife lost the appalling teacher she'd had as a subordinate and gained a couple of brilliant ones that's made her job far less stressful.

So, generally speaking, if I had to relive a year then 2008 would be okay. But really, I prefer to look ahead.

I do hereby tag Potdoll and Chip.

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What's on the turntable? "Amarok" by Mike Oldfield.