Review of 2012 - Part One

So, here we are on the eve of 2013, and to be honest with you, I think that 2012 has been a damp squib for me personally.  I can't wait for it to be out of the way and get into what will hopefully be a much better year.

I knew that I wanted to look back on the past year in this blog posting today, but to be honest I can't really remember that much.  Me and my memory hey?  I think it might be best if I don't remember in some ways.  After all, nobody likes to remember bad events do they?

I'll intersperse my recollections with some other bits and pieces I think, maybe that's for the best...

Fleetwood Mac 1973, featuring
Bob Welch and Bob Weston, who
both passed on this year.

In January we said goodbye to Bob Weston (guitarist for Fleetwood Mac 1972-74), Bob Holness (Television and radio presenter), Etta James (Jazz singer), and Colin Tarrant (Actor in The Bill and born in Shirebrook where some of my family are from), among others.  It is also when my sweetheart met the lovely +Vicki-Sue Brotherhood, who opened Indian Summer in Newark, a shop that sells quality items that were made in India for a decent wage that Vicki pays them for.  Vicki is now a great friend of ours.  It has moved recently to premises nearer to Morrison's in Newark, because she needed bigger premises for the yoga classes that she gives as well, which she is doing really well with (good luck x&x).

The Monkees' Davy Jones

In February we said goodbye to the actor Ben Gazzara (The Big Lebowski, Road House, etc), Whitney Houston (shocking news has come out about this lately apparently), Michael Davis (bassist for MC5 - I had to listen and watch all of this video link because it was fantastic and gave me a break from writing this), comedian Frank Carson, and The Monkees singer Davy Jones.  It was also the beginning of celebrations in honour of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's reign.

In March we said goodbye to Designer/Illustrator Ralph McQuarrie (Star Wars, Cocoon), guitarist Ronnie Montrose, darts player Jocky Wilson, and Gary Walberg was the first actor from the Quincy television series to die this past year.  Then in April we said goodbye to the king of sound amplification Jim Marshall, saxophonist Andrew Love, Levon Helm (solo artist/The Band), Greg Hamm (from the band Men At Work), and guitarist Bert Weedon.

Star Wars concept design by Ralph McQuarrie RIP

In May we said goodbye to Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, hair stylist Vidal Sassoon, one of my bass guitar heroes Donald "Duck" Dunn (sessionist/Booker T & The MG's), and Bee Gee Robin Gibb.  These were followed in June by science fiction genius Ray Bradbury, BobWelch (the second ex-Fleetwood Mac guitarist this year), actor Victor Spinetti (who appeared in every Beatles film), screenwriter/director Nora Ephron.  On June 24th, China became only the third nation to perform an orbital dock (after the United States and Russia).  They docked with the Tiangong 1 by the way.

John Lennon having a laugh
with actor Victor Spinetti RIP

As a break from this, my sweetheart Louise has offered this little bit of 2012 information.  The top ten highest grossing films of the year were (in reverse order); (10) Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, (9) Ted, (8) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (already!!!), (7) Brave, (6) The Amazing Spider-Man (I really liked this film), (5) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Wind Dawn Part 2, (4) Skyfall (loved it!!!), (3) The Hunger Games (?), (2) The Dark Knight Rises (I liked it for the most part), and the number one film was (duh, duh, durghhhh) The Avengers (or The Avengers Assemble as the British Film Commission decided it had to be called).  I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the Avengers film, but wish that I could have seen the whole film when we hired it out since it was decided to snip bits out for the British copy.  Now to see if I can get a copy from the US so I can see it all without some bloody hoity toity person deciding that it's not right for us to see things.  Another thing that bugs me about the DVD is that it is scant on extra features, instead insisting on putting them onto the bluray edition instead.  I'm not sure if I like them doing that at all.  I must admit that I am sort of interested in seeing what it would be like in 3D on the bluray version, but am not sure.

Wow, this is a great link that Louise has sent me to check out.  There is so much going on here that I think I should just let you follow the link and check it out for yourselves - CLICK HERE.

Other great offerings from my sweetheart include the fact that it has been a great year for underwater exploration.  James Cameron set a record by being seven miles underwater inside a "one man bathysphere"). Freediver Ashley Futral Chapman went down 67 metres (223 feet) and back on a single breath of air, and Casio have started working on the first diving underwater transceiver, which allows divers to talk to each other whilst scuba diving.  More on these and more great achievements in the oceans and seas can be found right here (thanks again to Louise for finding this).

Thus ends what I have now decided is the first part of my Review of 2012.  To be honest I fancy getting away from it because all of this research, brain activity, and that sort of thing has taken ages I can tell you.

More of this and more later on.  Thank you for reading, and Happy New Year wherever you are.

January 1 2013 - Welcome to the world of Tomorrow!!! (I've been waiting to put that link in one of my blog posts for absolutely ages)