Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I know that you have made the list, and indeed even checked it twice by now, and probably have a very good idea of who’s been naughty and nice. Still, I thought that for what it’s worth I would chip in with my two penn’orth and let you know how I’ve got on with my quiz resolutions. Let’s look at the first one :-

*I resolve to stop automatically saying that any team who beat us in a straight pub quiz must automatically be cheating on their phones, and to hold my tongue unless I, or a reliable witness, has actually seen them doing it.

Well Santa, me old china, if you’ve read the blog much in the last 12 months you’ll know exactly how ell I managed to get on with this one. I could play the lawyer, and insist that as regards the exact wording of the resolution I haven’t done too badly – being as the cheats in the rugby club that I labeled MDNs ( Morally Deficient Numpties ) I did actually observe using their phones, but let’s not split hairs. I’m just not very good at quietly accepting that a team which we have no trouble beating, and beating well, for a long time suddenly overnight become too good for us to live with , when there is no perceptible change of personnel. Does that make it alright ? No ? Didn’t think so.
Verdict – Naughty

• I resolve to not close the door to appearing on some other broadcast quiz, but only to apply to something because it might be fun.

Job done, Santa. I applied to Breakaway, and even got as far as an audition, even though I wasn’t invited to appear on the show. I’ve also applied to other shows, from which I had no response at all. But by my calculations that is enough to ensure this.
Verdict – Nice

• I resolve to keep working on my weak areas

Well, I have worked on my weaker areas, yes. I wouldn’t like to give you the idea that I have been spending every waking moment working on my knowledge, though, because I haven’t. In fact I wouldn’t say that I’ve worked anything like as much on my game this year as last. So it’s an area for development next year.
Verdict – Nice – ish

• I resolve to try harder to try to attend at least one or two grand prix events this year.

No excuse for this one. Absolute failure I’m afraid.
Verdict – Very Naughty indeed

• I resolve to try to listen to my team mates more carefully, and more sympathetically – even if I’m pretty sure that the answer they have suggested is very wrong. Well, I shouldn’t really be the one to comment on this one. One of my team mates should. Still, I’d like to think that I have gone some way along the line towards this one, and am fairly happy that I can say that I have tried.
Verdict – Nicer

• I resolve above all else to enjoy my quizzing throughout the next year as much as I have enjoyed it this year.

This is always something of a given with me. In recent weeks I have found it hard to post in the week, and this accounts for the glut of posts each of the last few weekends. However I would hate anyone to think that this has been through a loss of enthusiasm. Nothing of the sort. It’s been a really enjoyable quiz year, what with doing the double double in the Bridgend Quiz League, stamping out the scourge of phone cheating in the rugby club ( for the time being at least ) winning in Birmingham, and playing in the GetConnected Charity Evening. So I am delighted to give myself a resounding : -
Verdict – Very nice indeed.

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Well, that’s two naughties to 3 nices, so although it was a bit of a close squeeze I’d say that I make it onto the nice list again this year. As for wishes for next year – well, we’ll look at the newest resolutions in a week or two’s time.