2016 is upon us and I want to start by saying a big fat thanks to you the readers, the columns grown from when it first started and continues to grow with readers dropping in from all over the globe, Egypt to USA, France to New Zealand and back to my hometown of Watford, there are even readers from the city of Zigazag which made me smile, what an awesome name for a city. Why you all join me every Friday I have no idea, but I’m mightily grateful that you do, It’s come to feel like sharing my Friday Mornings with family……………………..

Watford Observer:

So come on then, do you have any plans for 2016?  After a year that’s left me broken I’ve decided not to make any plans  and  just to take each day as it comes & keep rolling on…….As Meerkat  Aleksandr Orlov  would say “Simplz”

Plans don’t always go to…er…plan anyhow, back in the day Pepsi were pretty hacked off at lagging behind Coca Cola in the Asian marketing stakes so they came up with a campaign in the Philippines where three digit numbers were put on bottle tops and you could win small amounts of money with one big prize winner getting one million pesos  ($50.000).

It was all going well until it was drawn. Instructions had been given that the number generated shouldn’t  be  349 as this was a common number, but there was seemingly a mix up and 349 was announced as the grand prize winner, the problem was this number had been printed 800.000 times…oh oh!  Pepsi tried to explain but folk weren’t having it, there were riots, grenades thrown through Pepsi offices and it all turned ugly as they were left fighting criminal lawsuits.                  Watford Observer:

One unfortunate chap spent ages planning a solo bank robbery, not realising that by the time he sprang into action it had ceased trading as a bank.  So on the day he burst in, there were just a few staff packing stuff up for moving and certainly no money left on the premises…DOH!

Another chap who robbed a bank hadn’t  planned on literally running into his mother on the way out, it was their local bank, and it was just one of those bizarre coincidences that she happened to be heading in to pay in some money, despite a balaclava she recognised him instantly, grabbed hold of him and pulled the balaclava off,  by which time other people had come running out including security guards who held him until the police arrived.      Watford Observer:

Do you want more ?......oh go on then just one more…….

Parker Pens had planned to launch their product in Mexico with an advert that translated said “ It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you”…however something  got lost in translation which meant the Ad actually read:

“ It won’t leak in your pocket and impregnate you”  I will never look at a Parker pen in the same light.

So you see,  no plans for me, just one day at a time.

Gizmo/Gadget/Gift of the week, and starting off with something that’s still in concept mode but could be at a store near you in the future, the defibrillator  toaster. Those  of you who love watching medical programmes are gonna love this, it does what it says in the title, you basically brown your toast by defibrillating  it , so  I guess you could say that when  your breads brown bread you can shock it back to life.

               Watford Observer:

For all you girls that like your tootsies to be snug in winter how about a pair of quirky over the knee stripey socks, fit like a glove and are £8.99 from http://www.totally-funky.co.uk/PROD5499/Stripy-Over-Knee-Toe-Socks---Rainbow

Watford Observer:

& for anyone with a sense of humour comes this pocket size  fart fanfare box, containing 9 farting effects of various sound and length , it says for age 6+ on the box which makes it just right for the grown man in your life,  girls, you know his gonna love it?  It’s a trump at only £5.99 from http://www.totally-funky.co.uk/PROD4510 

Watford Observer:

I’m sure many of you will have good intentions of getting fit  in 2016, taking up running? Joining a gym? Or something else  that raises your heart beat & gives you hope of losing your wobbly bits? If so, then why not do it in a Runnin On Empty T-shirt ? Designed by me and Available  from  in mens/womens and various colours  http://wwwmamachill.dizzyjam.com/ & with all profit from every single sell going to charity Invest In ME. What could be better than feeling all warm and fuzzy at your good deed while also trying to achieve your own goals? ...I'm afraid I can't provide David Beckam as part of the deal. 

     Watford Observer:

Once again I invited charity Invest In ME  to see us out of 2015 & this is what they had to say:

French Author Voltaire  once wrote that optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable.

              Watford Observer:

 Yet Invest in ME (IiME) is optimistic that we and our big hearted supporters can build on our achievements from the past year, and all the work over the past ten years, and consolidate the foundation of research that we have which can finally treat myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and give people their lives back.

We are pleased to see that more and more ME is being talked about outside the usual ME circles – and in a positive way too.

Patients themselves are driving change.

Watford Observer:

In 2016 IiME will focus on European collaboration and the establishment of a centre of excellence – and with just a little more support we can make this a reality.

We look forward to Dr Ian Gibson’s book - ‘Science, Politics and ME’.

In 2016 we hold the eleventh public International ME Conference and the sixth two-day International ME Research Colloquium – both in London in June.

 At the time when the  NHS is being stretched to its limits it is even more important than before that ME patients can take part in shaping their own future.

Things won’t change overnight but good foundations are being built with the help of IiME supporters who are selfless and resilient.

If optimism is madness then for 2016 we choose madness, we choose optimism, we choose progress.

We welcome 2016 and promise to work for the benefit of patients.

Bring it on.   Happy New Year to everyone.

 

In Local news my neighbour  pointed me in the direction of a facebook page called  “Watford Positive News & What’s On”  run by Neal Emery  the man behind Reasons Coffee  shop & book store at the top of the high street. I popped over and joined and you can do the same if you haven’t already? by going to :  https://www.facebook.com/groups/959109500817468/?fref=ts

And last but not least, as John Lennon sung “Another year over, and a new one just begun” I wish you all a happy new year & to be blessed with the important  stuff, love, laughter &  good health and a shot of something strong inbetween. Thanks once again for all your support and company and I hope you’ll continue to join me throughout 2016?  

                               Til Next Week, Stay Blessed                                                                            Back Before Elvis X

https://www.facebook.com/RunninOnEmptee1

https://twitter.com/RunninOnEmptee

http://ldifme.org/

http://www.investinme.org/