The one-and-a-half year review!

Here’s an unusual recipe for a great night with friends. You take five people (preferably people you know!), a Polish café, and grab a tape recorder. Invest in a few rounds of beers. What happens? Great fun, illuminating chatter. How does it work? You announce a Year Review, that’s how!

Make that a year and a half. It had been that long since Zhao, Tom, George and Phil last reviewed their lives while living in Chiswick, West London. Then, I was not a London resident. I knew nothing of this. Now I was accepted, part of the clan. Ready to review.

So, the last week before Christmas, the festivities began. Each of us, in turn, reviewed our year and a half straight into Zhao’s Dictaphone, before receiving questions, nay 'abuse'(!) in return!

The recordings are now hidden in a safe box near Euston station (our flat, basically), but I can offer a brief account of what was said by each person below… with the typical Scribbler's comedic licence, of course...

Phil















"I'm a firm believer that every year is better than the last and this year is no exception"

Tom














"I'm taking valliant steps after 25 years to finally become a man and start making arrangements to pay all my energy bills."

George














(George's photo was taken after his account and thus looks like he's endorsing dictaphones as a product) "This year might not look like it has induced many changes to my life, but it has. However, these changes are hidden. Internal."

Charlie (The Scribbler)

"In terms of work, life, location and of course blogging, my life has changed incredibly over the past year... in fact, I'm getting rather emotional just thinking about it..."

Zhao

"I justified leaving my old company by saying it was because I wanted to travel to work by bike."