The 2025 review

 

2025 was a year I wasn't expecting in the form it turned out with more of the mish-mash of being NGU (not *fully* grown up) and having to deal with more adult or at least significantly older concerns and even responsibilities but none the less we did manage it.

This blog is more of an outlayer, more about thoughts, feelings and that than the others even if thanks to googles rules and their own changed reading of them over the years so topics have had to been paused or very much toned down, ditto with changed UK legislation.

Things that have been covered on here have been photography as I upgraded the lenses as I found the supplied kit standard zoom had an awkward lens changing cut of point as when you're out and about taking pictures on the go you don't want to changing lenses in the street or for that matter in drizzy conditions.

We looked at the redicovery of digital audio players of the portable sort given regular higher quality super audio cds have been thin on the ground over the last few years especially classical whereas identical quality downloads were easier to get from all the major labels.

We also found a couple of issues with players and more worrying some cards had gone astray but we've near enough replaced most of them, taking advantage to use better encoded files from scatch for the classical ones and discontinue popular cd copies in traditional "lossy" forms we had in the 2010's where memory was limited and dear.

I did decide to mention the history of school based corporal punishment here, not as titillation but to explain for one thing my attitudes to it and how that feeds into forum policy regarding talking about it as while significant numbers of us had that at school and more at home, there were questions then around when it should be used and its lasting impact on those who by todays standards were certainly ill-treated which needs to be respected.

Topics that came up for discussion included short lengths from those who grew up just above the knee to those of us who had quite brief fitting shorts and what we felt more comfortable in.

As a NGU I prefer shorts of the length I had in the 70's and fought for as we got towards the 80's although Christday's experiences being "read" as a lad out in the cold needing a welfare check by the fuzz showed looks and how you feel on the inside did really line up in a conversation that was more older child than adult.

The increasing amount of retro "memories of the past" Youtube channels came to our attention looking at life not least childhood of the decades we remember and how that compares with today which were interesting and prompted conversation at the forum.

All in while the year wasn't as planned, it certainly was interesting.

Review 2022

 Twenty-Twenty two had like the preceeding years its challenges of which one, considerable industrial action by a variety people was to cause issues such as delayed playthings, anxiety inducing logistical nightmares as train services were curtailed even if planned, difficulty in weekend travel as no train drivers were rostered so services were cancelled at short notice and so on.

Like a lot of people I had this Covid that doesn't test positive too and indeed are suffering from it as I type being unwell for days  at a time which does lead me to say, please wear your masks if you're in busy crowded spaces as it seems to spread just like the others.

On the otherhand I did have a great time with friends at a halloween party, making things, running around in competitions hunting for things and a great fireworks party which is really part of the stuff I loved as a boy.

I did get out about here enjoying the fresh air and countryside dressed in short short trousers with temperatures down to four degrees in my dufflecoat and bobble hat which was very much how school winters always felt to me.

Our forum stayed busy with fresh people arriving and conversations aound all sorts of boyhood related topics and interests which was why it was set up - to be free by one basic rule - to discuss the whole including things as boys that  can't happen on more "adult" orientated sites.

Monday was a great day over at my parents for Christmas, clad in grey with blue stripped school uniform, sat crossed legged on the floor playing as my younger brother and spouse arrive, just looking like a schoolboy.

Openess like that to our families and the wider community is something we all can struggle with, for some having to agree to some restrictions but for just being the boy you are it's so worth it.