29th December was the Hartley family Christmas, was the only date we could all get together.

So although the month was not taxing on my evenings I know I will feel a gap and be a little lost.

I don’t know what I am doing next. I don’t know what the next year has in store for me. I hope it brings a smattering of happiness my way, that really would be nice.

To all those that joined in on the #vlomo11 and #audiomo11 I hope you all have a very safe and happy year ahead. Keep those you love around you. Tell those you love that you love them often.

If I am still around I will be back for #vlomo12 and #audiomo12.

To those I love, I love you. You know who you are.

Well it’s almost that time of year when the video blogging community come out of retirement. Yep #vlomo is upon us soon.

#vlomo11 get your vid on kids. Above is a taste of what I did last year, phew what a month.

I may return to video blogging, well if I can learn how to string a sentence together.

I managed to finally make it to a Cozy Tweetup.

Mm might try this on my own blog posts.

I have been tasked to compile a video for a charity event for bomb disposal experts.

The video will be made up from still pictures of those the bomb disposal community has lost in recent conflicts.

The brief calls for the pictures to be set against a haunting piece of music. This is where I would love help. I am struggling to find a suitable piece of music. It needs to be 3 to 4 minutes long.

If you have any ideas could you please leave a comment on this post with any recommendations you may have.

Huge thank you to any of you that do.

All my best Ernie.

Yesterday this country mouse headed into the big city of London. I went to the Grand Designs Live Expo down at the Excel. I must apologise to the London residents that I keep meaning to go and visit. But the day was for me to get out and look at stuff without the need to talk and socialise (if that makes sense).

The expo itself was good, not as good as the one I attended 2 years back. Lots of hard sell by energy companies this year. I got nabbed by e-on, spent over half an hour with this guy wanted to sell me their latest fuel package. He succeeded, well until a climate change person thrust a leaflet into my hands. The e-on guy said “what is that” I said “a leaflet on the impacts of making solar panels” then his mood went quite aggressive toward her. That was the point he lost his sale. Last time I checked we lived in a free country.

This year there were a hell of a lot of solar panel companies there. Even Sainsbury’s tried to sell me a solar panel deal.

The reason I went to the expo was to look at self builds. I have a pipe dream. I want to build an eco house that does not pay anything to the gas man or the electric man. In fact I want the electric man to buy back from me. As I say it is a pipe dream.

A great highlight for me was seeing a really great chef Martin Blunos doing a cooking demo. He made a risotto from finely chopped broccoli stalks, looked fab. There were also loads of fabulous sculptures and carvings etc. Sorry to all the folk I probably spammed on Instagram and other social networks, well those of you who still look. But as like most folk I don’t get into London as often as I would like.

On the way back home I went for a bimble down Regent Street and Oxford Street, a bit of retail therapy, didn’t buy anything though.

On the train journey back I was captivated by a young lady who was receiving messages to her BlackBerry. She would get a message and her face would beam then she would break into an uncontrollable smile. It’s a look that is only made by someone who is truly in love. It made me smile and I felt happy for her because I know only too well what that feeling is like. When someone makes you smile at a screen, anyway this is why I shouldn’t write blogs I go off subject, well that and my grammar and spelling are shit.

Any hoo, I know the self build is a pipe dream and probably will never come true. But sometimes you need pipe dreams. Life can be really shit and crappy, pipe dreams or any dreams make it less so.

Me + alcohol + social networks = disaster.

I have destroyed the best relationship/friendship I have ever known. I am totally to blame for ruining the awesomeness.

I am truly sorry.