How's Your Year Been (2016)?

Buckley

Buckley

Well-Known Member
Last year:
http://forum.ibiza-spotlight.com/threads/hows-your-year-been-2015.74522/

Mid year catch up:
http://forum.ibiza-spotlight.com/threads/hows-your-year-going-2016.75314/#post-862715

My post on the half year thread:

For me, life is dominated by my three year old son Tommy's autism. In a good way really, because I couldn't have believed how far he's come. I never knew this would be my journey. If you search my name on these forums you'll find a cocksure firestarter for whom everything was easy.

So far this year, I have Tommy skiing every Saturday, swimming every Sunday and achieving things we thought might never be possible. Including kissing and cuddling his one year old brother Billy.

I was in Ibiza for 5 days at the start of June and had a wonderful time. Nothing really changed, you can find the magic - even in just a chance conversation with strangers. Of course, I mourn the ease with which we went to Space pretty much any morning of the week back in the day, but I can't be sure the youth aren't having similar excitement elsewhere.

So, it's a thumbs-up from me so far. You?

More the same since really. Life is pretty dominated by the battle with Autism, but it generally feels like we're winning, certainly more so that many others in our situation. We can do normal things now - we just couldn't before. A few weekend's ago we went to ShrekWorld on Southbank - and it was, well, normal. No meltdowns, no tears from the missus because we'd spent ages getting somewhere just to have to leave in shame and humiliation. We had a nice time and went home, like everyone else.

I'm just waiting for the missus to get back from Iceland so I can boast about what a doddle having both kids on my own is:lol:

If I had to find a negative, there's a little bit of the green-eyed-monster, just now and again, of how comparatively easy neuro-typical kids are for their parents, but it isn't in me to be bitter so it doesn't stay long.

So all-in-all 2016 has been great for me and mine. Hope you've all had a belter?
 
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Uppers
- swapping West Sussex for Barcelona
- some great music / boxsets / films
- still having a job
- still having my teeth
- still having (some of) my hair
- still having a girlfriend
- various holidays, roadtrips, boat trips, camper vans, swedgathons - Ibiza, Andalucia, Carcassonne, Costa Brava
- 18 consecutive weeks of hot weather
- Catalan food
- Sa Trinxa crowd - the best atmosphere in years
- the 'real' Spain it's still there in the undergrowth if you look hard enough
- some hugely enjoyable (and pointless) arguments with total strangers on the internet (see also 2004-15)
- Iceland football team/fans


Downers
- the world going to hell in a handcart etc - "Great" Britain "God Bless" America - (ahem...)
- my bank balance taking a hit. F**K the 52%
- too many fallen heroes (RIP 'Manuel')
- too many corporate festivals replacing proper parties / boring tech-house which would suck the life out of a morgue / overhyped DJ 'brands' / people not having the first clue about music
- central Barcelona losing its charm / being overrun by tat/bad brands/shit tourists
- the callous indifference of the Spanish police when your visiting friend gets her bag nicked
- missing Harvey in IBZ (next time)
- homesickness for UK biscuits, pies, sausages, full fat milk
- expanding girth
- the relentless shitness of Spanish tv
- Cristiano Ronaldo - jarring symbol of everything in this world that I would like to detonate with Semtex
- bad clothes / heinous tattoos / arrogant people talking through intimate gigs
- some hugely pointless arguments with total strangers on the internet (see also 2004-15)
- the desperate state of spanish/catalan politics - get round the table now
 
I'd have to vote it as not a vintage year all round:

Biens:

:Owning a gaff in london with my brother is no mean feat and can only be a good thing (capitalist yays)
: That whole experience has def made me 'grow up' in some ways which i quite like.
: Getting towards mid 30's - quite up for it , no FOMO or some of the angsts of younger life.
: Discovering the beauty of the Italian countryside , WOW what a place and great people who are so proud of their food
: Got my sunday roast technique down to a effing T!
: Catching up with old pals u dont see often and its like time has stood still . A few cracking times

Non Biens:
: The cool little boutique company i work for being sold by the owner to a HUGE corporate company and moving offices in New Year. Really not sure how long I'll be able to stand it but hopefully some positives too.
: Still no Mrs - just cant deal with internet / app dating and getting to age where some company would be good
: My best mates getting more desplaced such with adult life but part of me feels like mine is passing me by.
: Slow disinterest in dance music - not sure whats up with that just not hitting the marks it once did. maybe send me some quality mixes?
 
Well it's been an interesting one hasn't it!

Good stuff:

Lucky to have been on lots of good trips again this year. New York, Ibiza (twice), Sonar in Barcelona, Amsterdam for the first time as well. All have been a brilliant laugh whether with wife, extended family or close mates.

DJ wise played out a lot more and generally had the opportunity to play longer sets and on vinyl which is a real pleasure. Hoping for a lot more of this in 2017. Getting a bit more involved in the promotion side as well.

Finally in the position to buy a first house with my wife. We've taken a pretty big decision to move to Brighton while we both work in London. It'll be a nasty commute but everything else about the move makes so much sense.

Bad Stuff:

Losing out very narrowly on 2 houses that we really liked...(see above).

General political turmoil and uncertainty surrounding various things. Had some bad news relating specifically to my industry last week. Job seems safe enough for now but it could be a bumpy ride for a while.


Other notes

Some really close mates have had their first kids which is obviously amazing and while I am very happy for them you get the feeling that life is changing in terms of not being able to see mates as often and spend as much time with them....also gradually dawning on me that I'm not Peter Pan and I'll more than likely try to follow suit this year which I do feel excited about and totally ready for.
 
Up:
-4 incredible weeks in ibiza, we saw a lot of old friends we haven't seen since years, we had some great private villa parties,thousands of fantastic dinners,enjoyed the island like when I was 21...:cool:

-meeting Stivi in real here in France during his walking trip :D

Down:
Feeling really, really depressed after the terrorist attacks we had here. My country has suffered a lot after it, and it's still really strange, the ambiance is still unreal.

For the rest, job, family, etc, nothing special, some good and some bad things...
 
Good:
Got married
Step son nailed his GCSEs
What I thought was my last trip to Ibiza turned out to be one that opened my eyes to a new way of enjoying the island. Next year flights already sorted
Got away on four holidays, with three trips and counting booked for next year
My dog got through a major operation

Bad:
My dog got sick and needed an op
Brexit result and it's fallout - still sickening and embarrassing
Deaths of too many legends. Bowie and prince in particular for me
 
This years been a good one overall, which I'm happy about. Seem to have slipped into a bit of a rut in the last couple of months though.

I've played some incredible gigs over 2016.
My best is most definitely going to have to be either the Transcend Fourth Birthday, or Nature One (What a festival that was).

Ibiza was great, 18 of us taking over a villa was amazing, but it's had repercussions which has, in the end, caused a split within our large social group which is a shame.
I decided earlier this year that 2016 would be my last extended trip for awhile, and I intend to stick to that.

Clubbing wise, Cocoon is still my best night this year.
Music wise, I think it's changed everything for me.
Already planning many more none trance nights in 2017.
I think I'm done with the scene of music. The modern stuff produced is terrible in Trance.
 
good:
- traveling philippines at the start of the year (and before that new crazy president got to power). beautiful!!!
- ending up interviewing sven väth myself because he wanted to do the interview in german. I hadn't expected that, but it turned into a highlight of the year for sure
- proposed to my gf (got accepted too which is great :D )
- space closing party
- the vibe being alive still, just need to know where.
- new stuff like woomoon bringing a fresh breeze.
- cocoon closing afters. always great, but unbelievably so this year. africa!
- my pilgrimage from bern to barcelona. 1400km in 50 days of walking. a fantastic experience!!!

bad:
- space closing and all the consequences this will have...
- too many great people dying this year
- ibiza suffering from its success. peak season simply too busy now (too many people, too many cars, too many boats). housing prices going absolutely bonkers. influx of dickheads on the island.
- trump
- current political climate in europe and terrorist attacks not painting a great picture for the nearer future
 
All in all a good year for me musically and politically, the 52% shafted cameron and got the looney lefty toys out the pram. .against all odds. . f*** em :D


Musicwise. Seen some great acts in 2016 old and new....Long may the good fortune continue :cool: starting with the bpm festival in 2017!
 
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Another top year for me.

Good:

- Proposed to the missus
- Left the company I had spent all my career with since Uni with to move to a rival. 50% pay rise, company car and official working for home.
- Ran my first official 10k through Blackpool Illuminations and got a PB (44mins)
- Fought in a charity White Collar Boxing Event and won
- Got my first set of decks
- Brexit (campaigned on this half my life so to see us finally vote to leave was incredible and had me on my knees at 6am screaming at the tele when the news came through).

Bad:

- Worst trip to Ibiza I've had all because we had to babysit one of the group the entire time. He also lost a large quantity of narcs on the danceloor at Circo opening. Or at least that's what he told us. I spent the rest of the trip in a k-hole. Got far too mashed.
- Not going out anywhere near as much these days. I miss raving big time but having two kids takes its toll.
- The house falling apart and costing a ridiculous amount to fix.

Not sure how I'm going to top it in 2017 as I've been on a very good run last few years.
 
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Buckley said:
Last year:
http://forum.ibiza-spotlight.com/threads/hows-your-year-been-2015.74522/

Mid year catch up:
http://forum.ibiza-spotlight.com/threads/hows-your-year-going-2016.75314/#post-862715

My post on the half year thread:

For me, life is dominated by my three year old son Tommy's autism. In a good way really, because I couldn't have believed how far he's come. I never knew this would be my journey. If you search my name on these forums you'll find a cocksure firestarter for whom everything was easy.

So far this year, I have Tommy skiing every Saturday, swimming every Sunday and achieving things we thought might never be possible. Including kissing and cuddling his one year old brother Billy.

I was in Ibiza for 5 days at the start of June and had a wonderful time. Nothing really changed, you can find the magic - even in just a chance conversation with strangers. Of course, I mourn the ease with which we went to Space pretty much any morning of the week back in the day, but I can't be sure the youth aren't having similar excitement elsewhere.

So, it's a thumbs-up from me so far. You?

More the same since really. Life is pretty dominated by the battle with Autism, but it generally feels like we're winning, certainly more so that many others in our situation. We can do normal things now - we just couldn't before. A few weekend's ago we went to ShrekWorld on Southbank - and it was, well, normal. No meltdowns, no tears from the missus because we'd spent ages getting somewhere just to have to leave in shame and humiliation. We had a nice time and went home, like everyone else.

I'm just waiting for the missus to get back from Iceland so I can boast about what a doddle having both kids on my own is:lol:

If I had to find a negative, there's a little bit of the green-eyed-monster, just now and again, of how comparatively easy neuro-typical kids are for their parents, but it isn't in me to be bitter so it doesn't stay long.

So all-in-all 2016 has been great for me and mine. Hope you've all had a belter?
Click to expand...
Haven't really spoken to you on here before Buckley (although we've been on the forum about 10 or so years). It seems we've all been on a journey with you! From your partying days to being a responsible Dad. You are a top bloke.
 
freakstar said:
Haven't really spoken to you on here before Buckley (although we've been on the forum about 10 or so years). It seems we've all been on a journey with you! From your partying days to being a responsible Dad. You are a top bloke.
Click to expand...

Buckley said:
Very nice of you to say sir.

I grew up on Spotlight!
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I'll second what Freakstar said. :) Definitely been on a bit of an adventure with you online since I joined in 2011, and I've only met you the once too :lol:
At least, I think you were on that boat party... :lol:
 
mashednlovingit said:
Another top year for me.

Good:

- Proposed to the missus
- Left the company I had spent all my career since Uni with to move to a rival. 50% pay rise, company car and official working for home.
- Ran my first official 10k through Blackpool Illuminations and got a PB (44mins)
- Fought in a charity White Collar Boxing Event and won
- Got my first set of decks
- Brexit (campaigned on this half my life so to see us finally vote to leave was incredible and had me on my knees at 6am screaming at the tele when the news came through).

Bad:

- Worst trip to Ibiza I've had all because we had to babysit one of the group the entire time. He also lost a large quantity of narcs on the danceloor at Circo opening. Or at least that's what he told us. I spent the rest of the trip in a k-hole. Got far too mashed.
- Not going out anywhere near as much these days. I miss raving big time but having two kids takes its toll.
- The house falling apart and costing a ridiculous amount to fix.

Not sure how I'm going to top it in 2017 as I've been on a very good run last few years.
Click to expand...

The bad's not too bad in there MNL. Good work!
 
Buckley said:
It was my party!* Of course I was on it!

*and Stu's

You had your own shorter transformative experience, we went though on here, to be fair
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Ah yes. Well, I had just come back from Ibiza, so things were hazy :lol:

And yes, I have. Been a fun ride these last five years.
 
Shite, hopefully starting the new year with a bang in brum tomorrow will start things as they mean to go on. So sick of this year bar a few decent bits like space closing and seeing sven a few times.
 
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