2013 - that was the year that was

So we're fast approaching the end of another year. 2013 has been an eventful one. We've lost some of the world's most iconic historical figures in Thatcher and Mandela, a Brit finally won at Wimbledon and Wolves sunk to new depths with a second consecutive relegation.

But for me 2013, without sounding too X Factor-like, has been a journey. I've clocked up thousands of air miles, scored at Molineux, went to Wembley, took a dance class and survived the Oldham Half Marathon to name but a few.

I can't believe it's been twelve months since I set myself the challenge to complete 30 new things before I hit 30. With just eight months to go until I wave a final goodbye to my 20s it seems like an opportune time to look back and reflect on the journey thus far...and think ahead to how on earth I'm going to complete the rest of my challenges.

I've taken a look back over the year and picked out my top five moments (it's still December so I wonder if Noddy Holder will do the countdown for me; he seems do all the others at this time of year)...so here are just some of the highlights of what's been a year to remember:

I'm not sure this was in my new job description

Coming in at number 5: New job

It's been eight months now since I said a fond farewell to South Staffordshire Council. My professional home for nearly six years, leaving Codsall was actually one of the most daunting experiences of 2013; but ultimately it's proven to be one of the most rewarding. The time was right for change, and professionally, I couldn't have made a better move.

Number 4: When a non-stag doo stag doo is better than a stag doo

It might not have been on my list of 30 things to do but what should have been my stag doo turned out to be one of the best weekends of the year. Munich now holds a special place in my heart. Its architecture, its cutlure, its beer halls. Seeing the Olympic village, Dachau, the Allianz Arena and of course Rogers the Spaniel and 'Des Lennis'.

Number 3: The Golden Gate Bridge

My trip to San Francisco was incredible. Some great people, some wonderful places - but for me, taking an early morning stroll over the Golden Gate Bridge as the fog sweeps in from the ocean over the 'Frisco Bay was just incredible.

There was something cathartic about that walk, with my ipod playing Bob Dylan and with me inadvertently wandering into the middle of a 'Free Tibet' demonstration.

Number 2: Down Under with Rich


New Zealand is an incredibly beautiful country. The views are spectacularly stunning - and I got to spend some quality time with one of my best mates who I haven't seen nearly enough in the past few years. I also managed to take a trip on the 'Vomit Comet' ferry, get bitten to buggery on a beach and watch an England test match in Auckland (back in the days when we were good at cricket).

Number 1: My biggest failure

My inner-child still chuckles at this

We didn't manage it up Snowdon

I feel like I've done and achieved so much this year - but strangely enough, my only failure to-date has arguably been my most enjoyable. Coming in at number 24 on the list is to climb Snowdon. On 4th April (what would have been said wedding day) me and my entourage of misfits set out to conquer Wales' most famous mountain. Sadly, the snow scuppered those plans. But it turned out to be one of the best weekends I've had for years. Surrounded by my brothers and closest friends we had a great time full of laughter and fun. A walk - an on-going battle between Rogers and Becs over his inappropriate choice of footwear and a late night sing-song. It was a nice reminder that it doesn't really matter what you do, or where you do it, it's all about the people you do it with.

It's impossible to predict what lies ahead in 2014 - but I'm hopeful it will be as eventful and fruitful as 2013. I've got 8 months to get back in the swimming pool and prove my doubters wrong; my plans for a TV debut have taken a big leap forward - and it looks like I'm going all Samba in June!

I've been incredibly fortunate to have the love and support of some very good people throughout 2013 - I hope you all have a great 2014.

Back in the pool - and a plea for help

So my quest to finally learn to swim is progressing about as well as Arsenal's transfer bid for Luis Suarez.

There's about as much chance of Luis Suarez
 ending up at Arsenal as there is me swimming
 10 lengths of a paddling pool

I'm getting that sinking feeling - literally. It's been a few weeks since I last set foot in the pool at Wombourne - and this morning it really showed. I can barely do a width, I'm gasping for air rather than breathing calmly and I'm back to having a gallon of chlorine rather than Tropicana for Sunday morning breakfast.

I feel close to the point of saying - 'do you know what, I haven't drowned after 29 years, maybe I'll be just fine as I am'. Even the ever-patient Clive said that there's not a lot more he can teach me - it's all down to practice now. Although he did offer one pearl of wisdom about ducking my head in and out of the sink at home to practice my breathing. I would try that but the pots and pans which have been building up all week would probably be in the way.

What I really need to do is practice in the pool during the week. I just struggle to find the time - and, in fairness, the inclination. What I need is someone to drag me along to a public swim.

So - this is a genuine plea for help. If you're a swimmer, if you're patient and if you want to do your bit towards a 'care in the community' award then please get in touch.

I think I'm back in the mental block phase of this process...and I'm conscious that time is ticking closer to that big 3 0.

Back in the pool - reluctantly

The last time I blogged about my swimming lessons was in early March. It's now almost three months later and I think it's safe to say I'm not really any closer to donning my pyjamas and leaping majestically into the deep end to retrieve a brick.

With my trip abroad, the new job and generally doing loads of different things, the motivation to rise early on a Sunday morning and head down to Wombourne Leisure Centre has waned somewhat.

I'm expecting to have a similar expression
when I try the nose clip next week

But this weekend I was determined to get back into it. After all, I've only got a year or so to nail this and I can't let this one in particular defeat me. I  may not achieve some of the other things on my list - but there's no way I'm letting this one beat me.

It was good to see Clive again. He looked somewhat startled when I appeared poolside this morning - but then again I'm happy to admit I rarely look my best on a Sunday morning - I'm sure he's not the first person I've startled early on a Sunday (that sounds more sinister than it was supposed to).

There were some new faces in the pool since I was there last. It's always nice to know it isn't just me who can't do it!

One guy called Joe had, up until three weeks ago, never been in a swimming pool. He'd lost a close friend in the water when he was a kid so I guess he'd spent his life avoiding it all costs. Then there was another chap, probably in his late forties. He was telling me that his ex-wife died of cancer a couple of years ago and she was a great swimmer. It was great to hear he's met someone else now - and she's a swimmer too. I think he wanted to finally overcome his fear and have something they could do together. Really interesting to hear people's reasons for why they've never swam or why they suddenly want to do it now.

Now, having not been in the pool for a few months I was more than a tad apprehensive this morning. I actually remembered more than I thought I would. The buoyancy belt is long gone and I only used a float for ten minutes or so. That's when it starting going a bit wrong.

I can move my arms, I can move my legs and I can breathe - but all three together is still causing my brain some confusion. I know it'll take practice - I just can't seem to find the time (or, in fairness, the motivation) during the week to do it. I'm also a bit wary of going to a public swim in case I get shouted for being too slow - or sinking.

Does anyone know a millionaire who's got a pool I can practice in??

The basics are there - I just need to really get my head down and build my confidence. Oh, and stop breathing in half the pool as well - I'm sure that would help. Next week I have to use a nose clip. The indignity just doesn't end does it.

Clive's still really supportive though and if you're thinking about learning - just go and do it. It's a new term next week so if you fancy it, you should pop down to Wombourne Leisure Centre - you'll feel better for it (eventually...probably).

I'll leave you with this. I swim a bit like this spaniel - apart from the diving in and going in the deep end bit...

#13 My new job: the Daily Mail, The Wanted and farewell South Staffordshire

Farewell South Staffordshire Council

The council's offices in Codsall
- my home since 2007.

After more than five and a half years, tomorrow I will bid farewell to my friends and colleagues at South Staffordshire Council.

I'm expecting it to be an emotional rollercoaster of a ride - I've made an awful lot of good friends in Codsall over the years and I have to say, I've thoroughly enjoyed my time there as its Communications Officer.

But after nearly six years, the time feels right for a change of scenery, a fresh challenge and the opportunity to get my teeth into something new.

I was a fresh faced 23 year old when I turned up for my first day on 23rd July 2007. Since then I've met government ministers; worked with journos from the Express & Star to The Sun; and have regularly been threatened with legal action by developers who have taken exception to my quotes in the press. I've travelled the world, spreading the South Staffordshire mantra; taking photographs of wheelie bins from Auckland to San Francisco; and I've even met a man from Kinver, in New Zealand, who was so delighted to know he'd be returning home after his travels to find a new blue recycling bin, he text his wife who was on the beach to tell her.

Personally, I'm not sure Malcolm Tucker and I
 share the same managerial style.

My most memorable moments

I've been called the 'king of spin', Alastair Campbell, Andy Coulson and, up until recently, even Max Clifford. I'm glad that nickname ceased. My personal favourite is Malcolm Tucker although I'm not sure my style is exactly the same as his.

There have been some memorable moments over the years - both good and bad.

I've been pilloried in the Daily Mail for my campaign to introduce plain English at the council. The message boards that day were somewhat critical of my plan - especially given that my quote had the phrase 'our levels of avoidable contact have fallen year on year'. In hindsight, perhaps I should have said 'we've had less people complain about the fact they don't know what the hell we're going on about!'. In fairness though, that final line was supposed to be 'off the record' - thanks to my good friend and former Express & Star journalist Alex Campbell for that one!  


'Jamie and his Olympic Torch'.
The stress of the Olympic Torch led me to gain a few pounds!
Standing next to The Wanted does
 nothing for your self confidence either.

For the record, here's the article. Thanks again to my mate Dav Tomlinson who printed the article and framed it for me. It takes pride of place. But it was I who had the last laugh... the inaccuracies still make me chuckle. They named the wrong council, put a picture of the wrong council offices and referred to me as having a 'communications department'. As a one man band for more than five years I'd have loved to have a whole department!

Over the past five and a half years I've:

• met pop stars
• held the Olympic torch
• been given free reign to ridicule the management team at our annual awards (although I suspect this will be returned ten-fold tomorrow!)
• had the pleasure of working with Jaguar Land Rover on the i54 'South Staffordshire' project which is a huge boost for Staffordshire and Wolverhampton.

I've also propelled the council into the world of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. I've even written, directed and starred in my first film! Can you spot my cameo appearances in this video?

We've also teamed up with Dominic Littlewood to expose rogue fly-tippers, been the but of jokes on Harry Hill's TV Burp and even made it national when we prosecuted former Wolves striker Freddy Eastwood for a fly-tipping-related offence (Mark Mudie, you are welcome).

My favourite memory?

It's not very often South Staffordshire Council gets sandwiched between Barack Obama and Gordon Brown on Sky News' headline cycle...but that's exactly what happened in December 2008.

A somewhat dubious 'Lapland'-inspired winter wonderland event was to be staged in the village of Essington just before Christmas. But without a licence or any sort of permission, the council were asked to step in. We were the big bad council who were set to ruin Christmas. But it transpired there was a little more to it than that.

A similar, although unconnected, event had been closed down by trading standards teams in the south of the country just weeks before and all the signs suggested this was to be of a similar ilk. Broken first by the Express & Star, anticipation was growing as to whether the event would take place or not. We were taking calls from ITV News, the BBC, Reuters, The Sun and The Guardian. It was going to be a busy week! The organisers had promised 'huskies, reindeers, real snow, a bungee trampoline and cartoon characters skating on ice'. By the time the event was scrapped, TV crews captured one or two tatty marquees, one burger van, a white-painted plywood “ice rink” and, if memory serves me rightly, some tatty-looking tinsel and a pornagraphic magazine. A Christmas 'Winter Wonderland' it certainly wasn't. I think most people managed to get a refund after a bit of a battle which was good news. It was a busy week - but one I look back on with a smile.

I will miss South Staffordshire and will really miss some of the great friends I've worked with there. So where now? On Monday I take up my new position as Head of Communications and Engagement at Wolverhampton Homes. As with any new job, I'm approaching it with a mix of excitement and anticipation with a dash of nerves thrown into the mix for good measure! But it's set to be a fresh challenge and the opportunity to get involved in some new projects and learn a lot more too.

I'm sad to leave South Staffordshire behind - it's been a blast. But for now, it's time to hurl myself into a new challenge. #13 - get a new job. Done.