Mathew Browne

The last year was a bit hit-and-miss - the relief of finally obtaining my degree (and other things) seems to have been offset by poor luck later on in the year. Must be karma.

The Highs:

- Most important of all: Getting my university degree (possibly the most relieved I have ever been)
- Bagging a fantastic job at UCL
- Dad winning a top-of-the-range computer in a competition run by Computer Shopper magazine
- Dad then giving me the computer as a graduation present

The Lows:

- Some junkie burgling my parents house and making off with thousands of pounds-worth of jewellery
- The Missus losing £600 she’d paid upfront for a Tiny/Time laptop
- The ex-landlord fiasco (though it had a happy ending after many tense weeks)
- Two aunties dying within days of each other before Christmas

Maybe 2006 will turn out to be middle-of-the-road and plodding. We’ll see. Here are some predictions of things that definitely won’t be happening in the coming year:

- I become a millionaire (but it won’t be for lack of trying or desire)
- P2P file-sharing is destroyed by the MPAA and RIAA, once and for all
- I join a gym
- The Northern Line goes a whole day without disruption or delays
- I go a week without being targeted by a charity mugger around UCL or Tottenham Court Road
- I use the “I’m busy”, “away”, and “on the phone” status messages on MSN honestly. (Who does?)

Ugh. Back to work tomorrow. I have to spec, order, and set-up a web server. Which I know fuck all about. I think I’ll be pestering my friend on 7th floor to help me out… I’m not looking forward to actually getting up in the mornings again.