24 AN ANNUAL REVIEW
It really has been a while. My last entry was in March. So, at this point, I can’t even guarantee consistency, let alone quality writing or entertainment.
Anyhow, each year, around this time, I get all philosophical and like to write a little something to reflect on the past twelve months. As a general rule, I write about some highlights, some low points and attempt to wisely tie these together with some overarching thoughts. Last year I wrote a pretty shambolic attempt at a year wrap-up, where I summarised two lessons I’d learnt from 2023 (one of which I used a faecal metaphor), before quickly losing inspiration and ending abruptly. In hindsight, this entry is almost exactly the same, so once again, I apologise to anyone reading this (hello parents ! I hope you’re proud).
On the whole, 2024 was a very positive year. It’s been my first year living full-time away from home, and despite it being hours from near-enough all my friends and family, I have genuinely come to grow fond of Bath. This nicely leads me to my first highlight…
1) There’s certainly worse places to live than Bath.
Bath is undeniably beautiful. Sure, it does lack a lot of things; regular live music, a wide selection of good pubs (actually scratch that, the nightlife in general is pretty tragic), a range of political opinion. But it does compensate in other ways. There’s no shortage of [actually nice] restaurants, shops, and parks. It’s also surrounded by some of the most scenic countryside I’ve seen, which, in summer, is so stunning not even an 19th century Romantic painter could capture.
It’s even great for running, and I love the skatepark set-up (it would get an even higher rating if the locals at the skatepark had the social skills to speak to the opposite sex). Even the things Bath does lack, I can find in Bristol or London, only a train away. The weather is even better than in Wales.
However, and quite fundamentally, it’s not Wales, and it’s far from the Wales I’m from. Yet surprisingly, despite being geographically further from Wales and my family than anywhere I’ve lived before, I feel a greater connection to both things than I did when I was living at home or just over the border in Liverpool. This then suitably ties in with my second finding of 2024…
2) Sometimes, less is more.
In the grand scheme of things, Bath is hardly far from home. But, a result of me now living a 5 hour drive/7 hour train away is that I only visited home 3 times in 2024 and truthfully, I missed it a lot.
Pre-warning, the next few paragraphs are disgustingly soppy, so please forgive me.
I’ve never really suffered from home sickness, and I’d argue that that still stands. But in Wales, there’s a word that has no direct English translation: Hiraeth. Whilst I could try to define it, I came across a description online that better sums it up: “Hiraeth conveys a deep, bittersweet longing and nostalgia that goes beyond simply missing a place or person. It embodies a sense of melancholy and wistfulness for a past that cannot be recaptured.”
Hiraeth is the closest word to describe how I often feel about missing my home and family in Wales. I had such an incredible upbringing and being surrounded by a beautiful environment and an extremely close-knit community shaped so much of who I am. Therefore, I do have this deep sense of longing for it, paired with a bittersweet realisation that it’s something I may never fully experience again. Part of me likes to imagine that if I moved back, things would feel the same. But deep down, I know they wouldn’t quite be.
While I’m very aware that this may come across sickeningly pretentious and slightly depressing, there is actually a positive side to it. I truly appreciate the upbringing I had and now, whenever I do go home or see family and friends from Wales, I make the most of it and it does feel like more of an occasion. I try to squeeze in as much time in the mountains or seeing friends/family as possible, and in a bizarre way, it’s brought me closer to them - proof that sometimes, less is more.
Anyway, moving on before I debate getting a Welsh dragon tattoo on my shoulder (I am joking)…
2024 has also been my first full year of full-time employment. No, I’ve not been fired yet for stealing the odd toilet roll. As I said last year, working is inevitable. We all have to do it one way or another (unless you’re the offspring of Noel Gallagher or have somehow made it on the cast of Made in Chelsea). I was quite excited to get stuck into work when I returned from my travels in Bert, and to this day, I far from hate it.
Admittedly, this is an ode to my team at work. Which brings me to my third — and final — highlight, mainly because I've run out of things to say without delving too deeply into my inner thoughts.
3) All work and no play actually does make Jack a dull boy.
Although I know they'll absolutely destroy me for what I'm about to say, I feel that I cannot talk about 2024 without mentioning my team at work - after all, they are the people I do spend most days with. They have made an often repetitive job feel like a never-ending episode of Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow; utterly chaotic but so much fun.
Buddy, Jamie and Alex are undoubtedly three of the most amazing, hysterical, caring, authentic, generous people I have/will ever meet. Individually, they’re each incredible, unique people, with genuine personalities and interests. Then, put together, in one room for 8+ hours a day 5 days a week, well you can only imagi- actually no. You can’t imagine, because nothing that they say is ever predictable or boring, and very rarely is it appropriate. Truthfully, I almost feel like I’m punching in the most platonic way possible. Nevertheless, I’m really grateful to have met them. They are proof that work should be fun otherwise you’ll go crazy (or at least I would anyway).
And so, we’ve reached the end (thank God). To finish, as I’ve ran out of creative steam, I’ll close with some song recommendations that will forever remind me of my 24th year on the globe.
Changes Pts. 1 & 2 - Neal Francis. Arguably my soundtrack of the year, so I could hardly avoid mentioning it.
Silver Seed - Lisa O’Neill. I personally think this song is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever created (not to be dramatic).
Get It Together - Beastie Boys, Q-Tip. One of those songs where you don’t know how you lived without it.
Clychau Cantre'r Gwaelod - Llywelyn Elidyr Glyn. A lovely Welsh shanty.
A Cry For Help In a World Gone Mad - Agent Orange. Always have to play it twice because 2 minutes is not enough!!
Descent - Carl Craig Remix - Dubfire, Carl Craig. Simply great.
