looking back over the year 2007

well predictably i haven’t got round to blogging much over christmas…

but with the new year approaching it’s time to reflect on 2007, the year that’s passing. one of the things i like about online publishing via a blog and flickr and so on is that i can look back over the year through those things and it reminds me what i’ve been up to…

so these are some of the things that spring to mind from my 2007.

i now have a son who is eighteen

i have exhibited a photo in london for the first time and sold it

i celebrated 20 years of being married to jen – i can’t quite believe that. jen is amazing.

i have dug potatoes from my own allotment, much to the shock of my mum

cms has moved to oxford where i now work 2 days a week in funky new offices. i have taken on a new role as a team leader.

proost was re-imagined, re-vamped, made downloadable and relaunched at greenbelt 2007 and seems to be going pretty well with music, movies and books.

on the subject of greenbelt, having co-ordinated worship for several years for the festival i have stepped down (and it’s in the capable hands of gayle and ben)

our friend jane foster smith died over christmas, which was sad and shocking news to return to after the christmas break

i loved visiting cornwall, croatia, portugal, ireland, orkney, lee abbey, usa and canada, and the wye valley

my dissertation got published as a book

i felt so proud of my sister esther when i went to the preview of her film at the national film theatre written by damo

jenny launched the sophia network which is a brilliant thing

i have so enjoyed joining the ealing group of london independent photography where i have had a warm welcome and met wonderful people. i have learned a ton.

grace has been home base in terms of christian community that i thank god for – such good friends and creative people. paul and marcela got married, lydia celebrated her first birthday, and lynda has been a wonderful addition. the scariest gig was leading a session at the worship songwriters conference in december.

we had fun at the london mind body spirit festival praying with people.

i actually wrote a song for the first time in a couple of years – watch this space as i hope to do a few more with jon and doug for an album or something in 08

the big chill was so brilliant again and i loved being there with joel and harry and bhav. lots of other gigs were also amazing – chemicals, scroobius pip, lcd soundsystem, daft punk, air, trentemoller, tom middleton, coldcut, bonobo, massive attack…

anthony gormley blew me away in london and crosby along with loads of other amazing art stuff this year. i love london for that…

and on a london theme seeing the prologue of the tour de france in london was cool

chelsea won two cups beating arsenal and man united in the finals which was deemed a bad year which i never understood (!!!) and it was gutting to see jose morinho leave

harry and jen both did triathlons (and i cheered them on from the sidelines!)

it was a bit of a weird year for weather but we still enjoyed the new garden and managed to eat out and party in it on plenty of occasions.

and of course i have resisted the pressure to join facebook

so i guess i am saying a big THANK YOU and have had a sweet year.

This Post Has 5 Comments

  1. becky

    And you were interviewed for “Rising from the Ashes: Rethinking Church.” Proost rocks and I hope the seeds I help plant here in the States pay off – you so deserve it.
    I would recommend continuing to resist the pressure to join Facebook – if I didn’t have two books to promote, I wouldn’t be on it. The technology encourages too many adults to behave like extras on American Pie (the movie not the desert).

  2. johnny Sertin

    Sorry, cussing facebook whilst taking full advantage of its means to a commercial end? I assume when it says promote here, it means opportuntiy to reach the widest audience with free literature? PS. I like extras, americans and pie!

  3. Becky

    LOL – Maybe the movie reference didn’t cross the pond but Facebook in particular is set up so one can drunk dial, mooon and perform other juvenille actions. I think Jonny’s blog entry and subsequent comments on Facebook sums it up the pluses and minuses of social networking – Enough artists, musicians and writers use Shelfari, LinkedIn, MySpace and Facebook that I joined these networks but I use them more to interface witn my peers than generate book sales. And I use them very sparingly. Hence, I was supporting Johnny to continue his resolution.

  4. johnny Sertin

    Thanks for the clarification Becky. I enjoyed the banter at the start of the new year. I must confess your description of me on Facebook was uncannily accurate, almost as if you knew me.! As a joe blog, (excuse the pun.) average punter, who isn’t writing, painting or generally being artistic on any given day, the tool of Facebook to hang out with friends whilst generally having a laugh is a welcome break from the high brow stuff. Happy new year and give me a poke sometime…

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