THE NEW YEAR BLOG

Welcome to my first new blog of 2011, having just completed my first year of proper blogging in 2010.

WordPress were kind enough to send me (unsolicited) blog statistics for 2010, and it revealed that “Alex Higgins” was the search term which drove most people to my blog, and that an article ripping the piss out of Jerome Quinn was the most viewed article. How very Northern Ireland.

I’ve really enjoyed the past year’s blogging, and hope to continue throughout 2011.

That said, i’d really enjoyed blogging on Bebo before that, but the ability to post links, pictures and videos is really what i’m looking for, which is why I use WordPress now.

I’m not one for New Year Resolutions, but if I was for 2011, it would simply be : Travel more, and take more photos.

I’ve already got a few trips lined up in 2011. I’m going to Barcelona for a weekend at the start of February, because I just feel like it.

I did the same last year over the same weekend, when I went to Manchester, because it was demoralising getting to October with the nights getting darker, and I just wanted something to look forward to during the winter months.

I might just make a trip somewhere over the first weekend in February an annual tradition, you never know.

I also just fancied going somewhere in mainland Europe, as most of my travelling has been to mainland UK and Republic of Ireland, barring trips to Majorca when I was wee.

I’ve also booked two nights in Dublin in May for the UEFA Cup final. I haven’t got tickets yet, but i’m hoping to get some.

The weekend after, i’m hoping to go to Old Trafford to see United take on Blackpool, so fingers crossed for that.

I’m hoping that Blackpool don’t become a team I always end up missing.

In July, I won a competition being run in the Irish News to win return flights to Blackpool. The deadline for booking expires tomorrow, and unfortunately, it looks like I won’t be booking anything.

The flights only run from April to October, and have to be booked by May. I’ve had a look, and there’s no concerts that excite me, and I don’t want to go simply for the sake of it.

When I won the flights, my original plan was to fly over on the weekend United visit, and take my chance on getting a ticket. Unfortunately,the date United visited, there were no flights in operation during that period.

As it turned out, all flights leaving Belfast International Airport were cancelled, and the match was postponed, so it was probably a blessing that I was unable to make a booking for this weekend.

Like in August the last two years, i’m hoping to take in a few days in Edinburgh for the Festival.

In terms of places I wouldn’t mind going to, i’ve got an eye on Brighton, Bristol/Cardiff (double header) and Cork. Don’t know why, just fancy it.

As i’ve been using Bebo and/or Myspace for getting photo properties, i’ve been largely neglecting Flickr over the past year.

If I have any resolution, it’s to keep on top of Flickr and not let photos I want to upload build-up, and hopefully to take better quality photos.

So, I just thought i’d post a wee guide to some of my favourite accounts and photos

My Accounts

My Favourite Photos

Buskers