The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

I don’t know about you, but it was an OK year.

Certainly not one of my best, but far from being one of my worst.

To be honest, despite such highs as taking my Mum to see the Northern Lights … seeing Andy’s delightful daughter overcome her terrible illness … appearing in a book [and amazingly, not in a bad way] … pulling off a half-decent April Fools joke … going to Disneyland [for work!!!] … being reminded I work in a great company with great people … being the winner of losing … … discovering great people and finding out that someone you think is great, really is great … buying my bike … seeing a few genuinely wonderful campaigns – and some not-so-wonderful – and finally, the 10,000 holidays China decided to bestow on it’s people, there were a few lows.

From seeing people I adored unexpectedly die [including this wonderful man] … to hearing about people I didn’t know, die in the terrible of ways … to saying goodbye to great colleagues [not forgetting you Sue!] … to finding out Morrissey was actually quite nice [even though his biography makes him sound the sort of twat I thought he would be] … to having my much anticipated catch up with Northern and Freddie being snatched away at the last moment.

Then there’s the issue that a bunch of you come on here each day and abuse me which – if I’m being honest – I don’t know if it’s a high or a low. Ha.

But all in all, 2013 has been a good year and I hope it was for you guys too. Who the hell knows what 2014 will have in store, I’m sure it won’t have – sadly – as many holidays, but in a World of uncertainty, the one thing we can all cling on to is the knowledge I’ll be writing some utter rubbish on this blog and you’ll be taking the piss out of it.

Finally, I want to say goodbye to a colleague of mine who is leaving us after 3 years.

Ryan Gerber turned up in China with a reputation.

To be honest, his reputation was built on this video from his previous employer, R/GA, but as far as I was concerned, anyone who wore sandals, liked Iron Maiden, looked a bit like Officer Poncherello from CHiPs and was 3 feet 2″ tall couldn’t be too bad.

I was only semi-wrong.

Ryan has the ability to have an argument in an empty room. He’s loud, obnoxious, opinionated and rude.

In other words, he made me look professional and well behaved.

No wonder I adored him.

Anyway, he is moving on and I have to admit, I am sorry about that.

Despite him being almost solely responsible for my purchase of a Zakk Wylde Gibson Les Paul [just so I could match his black and white version] a ridiculous iPad arcade machine ‘case’ and the most pointless back massage tool I’ve ever seen, it’s been a fun and eventful ride with some experiences in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Detroit that I will never forget and will always associate with him.

He leaves having caused a trail of glorious destruction – both to the agency and the country – however I am sure he would agree that his greatest achievement has been turning a tattoo virgin planner into the sort of inked beast that most people would cross the road to avoid.

Yes, I’m talking about me and my arms of colour, which is – unsurprisingly – why my mother doesn’t like him very much.

So with that, I wave goodbye to my fake-American friend and wish him well.

It’s going to be a hell of a lot quieter without him so to ensure I always remember his unique patronising tone, I will add the last bit of work we did together, that he not only wrote – but voiced as well.

Egotist.

Take care Ryan, see you in LaLaLand.

So with that over-indulgent sentimental post, I bid you all farewell.

Thank you for the laughs and – where necessary – the support and may 2014 be bloody awesome, just not quite as awesome as mine.

Happy eating, drinking, present opening and present exchanging.

Ta-ra.