2016 was...

A meet up with Transformers writer and inspiration James Roberts, Zorb-football, Optimus Maximus, Arcade Night out, Batmobile, 3 archive music video edit for Aniff Akinola, We Just Keep Bubblin’ Up, The Nationwide BBC UHD Introduction tour (London, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Belfast, Salford) American Diner experience for Hazel’s birthday, a decrease, The Gadget show Birmingham, My niece Lucy-Grace Warhurst is born,

OUR DAUGHTER, ROBYN HOPE WARHURST IS BORN,


Denton gets a craft beer pub, My first Father’s Day, A music video shoot with Jamie McCool, slow motion, gimbals, a record deal for Jamie McCool, Turkeys vote for Christmas, back to the scene of the crime at the Joshua Bradley for our first wedding anniversary (odd years are chilled, even years will be exploration!) low key due to being new parents, Robyn’s first trip to Devon! Greasy Spoon by the Sea, Exmouth Ale exploration, A pint of Otter (ale) at The Otter, Sidmouth street photography, Crazy golf at Jungle Fun, Blue Room team all win a BBC North Star Award, Chased by a Decepticon truck, Lyme Park Massive, Paramount pictures send me some goodies for my efforts in promoting Star Trek Beyond, Wirrallin’, Mr Ginge meets Robyn, Carlisle misadventures, Blue Room Live at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, rap comedians, Haggis, The iMac goes bang after 7 years of service, The BBC Blue Room send Agent Ahmed Razek and I to the IFA Consumer Electronics Trade Fair in Berlin, Berliner Philharmoniker, Brandenburg, photo booths, catching up with some Berlin buddies, bier and bratwurst in a brick laden brewery, Jazz (nice), some amazing photography around Berlin, then the Blue Room send me in solo to Photokina in Cologne, Iron Man, Kolsch, Robots arrive at the Blue Room, The Chase, Naming day for Robyn-Hope up at Dovestones, Dunham Massive, Chasing the Sun, spicy chicken and birthday beer drinking in Liverpool, Tatton Park Massive, A VR entry for #LostLightFest, An overcrowding at Victoria Warehouse, finally watching all of Star Trek Enterprise, a near nervous breakdown from over-exhaustion, finished typing up/digitising my 2008 New Zealand diary, Farewell to the Col-Mobile Mk III and hello to the MkIV IRONHIDE, an FA Cup, lecturing on UHD for BBC Bristol, Saying goodbye to Chateau Greyskull after 6 years, a horrendous house move, eventually arriving at our lovely new Home (Bag End, Hobbiton), BB8 teaching Crawling, Dragons in the Park, Wine Balcony and New Years Eve at Home with my Amazing Family.

At times, I was tempted to buy into the dangerous narrative created by the News and Media that 2016 has been a “bad year.” I cannot buy into that invention. I will admit that 2016 has been a year of extremes, with the highs and the lows being at their most exaggerated, often within rapid succession of the other.

For methis year, was the one in which all the sacrifice, determination and sheer hard work of over 20 years of education and 11 years of my career (to date) have culminated in the ultimate goal; to get into a Home where Hazel and I could raise a family. Finally, achieved. I type this entry sat at a table in our new home which we have (fittingly) nicknamed Bag End, Hobbiton. I am incredibly relaxed, and I think I’ve finally found a small measure of Peace.

And of course, 2016 was the Year of Robyn Hope.

A few years ago I came across a Bruce Lee quote that inspired me a great deal.

“It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”

I took this to mean get rid of everything that makes your life more complicated. Literally, everything. This year was one which has forced me to do that, but ultimately for the better. I am a far happier person, and I also hope that it will make me a better Husband, and Father.

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As such, with by beautiful and fierce Warrior Wife, our new Home and our amazing super-human Robyn-Hope, I can only declare 2016 to have been the year of Escape Velocity.

We’ve left orbit, and we are Boldly Going. x