I'm pretty much writing 2011 off as a loss

[Davenger]

Bloody hell!
All I did was find out my other half didn't think she loved me and that she'd had an affair, then had a minor breakdown.
At least I can still get to my home.
Hope things improve for you mate

[akku]

Blimey I'm amazed anyone buys a place in Spain all the horror stories I hear! Hope it works out for you, that's madness

[george356]

Guys, I just want to add a few comments re 2011.
Mid 2010 I lost my 85 year old Mother very suddenly, wasn't even able to say goodbye.
I bottled up all the sorrow for around 6 months by starting to drink a bit too much than was good for me, or anyone to be honest.
2011 started by me hitting the emotional buffers and I was treated for depression, taking Tramadols. Believe me, if you guys are offered those, run 100 miles. I was losing days out of my life, so I decided to stop taking them. The withdrawl from them is the worst thing, well, second worse thing, I have ever experienced.
I finally have managed to get my mysterious arthritic condition recognised and diagnosed. There is no cure, but there may be a treatment of sorts. My progress with the Standard 10 stalled after Mum died, but I am gearing up to start again in 2012.

On the plus side remember that we are driving the best cars to face the certain belt tightening that is coming, and that we have the skills to maintain our cars and maybe even earn a few bob by doing work for those who drive more modern stuff who will not be able to afford to have a Main Dealer service them when the merde hits the aircon.

All in all, we are best positioned to take advantage in 2012.

[dubzi]

It's good to see all this positivity but I can't see 2012 being better.

The country is basically bankrupt but we've still got the fripperies of the Olympics to finish paying for, aside from the fact that Europe could collapse everything at any moment. Face it, the credit cards are maxed out, it's only a matter of time before the bailiffs show up.
Employers are trying to push everyone harder and harder to wring every last penny out of us while those at the top cream off the profits. Most people's pay has effectively been cut year on year due to the cost of living far outstripping any pay rises. We're all working harder for less and that's set to continue.

The age of optimism is over.

[george356]

dubzi
Which is why I posted above that as a whole us RR's are better placed to weather the coming s**t storm.
We have skills and talents. We can maintain mobility at low or very low cost.
We can sell on our abilities to those without the skill to change oil, replace brake pads etc.

We are in a unique position to actually PROSPER in the coming recession.
However bad it is people still need to move around. They will need transport to get to work if they have work, or get to interviews if they haven't, they will need to travel to shop, as the High St has all but disappeared in favour of out of town shopping.

Chins up guys - our time is nigh.

[Lewis]

Here's to 2012 being a better year for everyone

[Davenger]

Dubzi, I hope you won't be offended if I ask you to please keep your negativity to yourself.
We have plenty of our own to deal with, without you adding to it.

[dubzi]

Fair point. I do get accused of pessimism. I see it more as realism.

I think part of the general disappointment that abounds is people searching for "happiness". We should really strive to be contented, a more realistic proposition. This has very little to do with cars however, so i'll get me coat....

[Deleted]

2011 was a real crappy year for me aswell, mojo wise. Ending with getting laid of from work. Wich was the best thing that have happened to me all year, i realize now how much that *deleted* factory and the *deleted again!* people who worked there drained my will to live! Fingers crossed for 2012

[Davenger]

Nov 20, 2011 15:56:51 GMT dubzi said:

Fair point. I do get accused of pessimism. I see it more as realism.

I think part of the general disappointment that abounds is people searching for "happiness". We should really strive to be contented, a more realistic proposition. This has very little to do with cars however, so i'll get me coat....

Cheers dude

I need to get down the workshop soon, not been down there since before the gathering.
Did my sodding back in, just make life that much more exciting

[retrowagen1234]

[Davenger]

Oooh, what's the deal with the roof?

[micrat]

(I'm gonna try and keep car related whilst staying on topic) well to echo everyone else, this year has been officially rubbish, like a pink micra CC! sympathies to everyone going through the mill right now, and lets hope 2012 is more of a yokohama than a chinese ditchfinder!!!

been a curse word one for me too, been massively into debty skintiness and have gone from great pay to nearly half, lost a few friends way too early from accidents/illness, lost my grandad, everyone else got ill at once (dad, step mum, nan and girlfriend all in and out of hospital in 1 week!!!) and to top it all off have gone through 3 cars due to simply not having the budget to a buy a good one, fix a curse word one or run a decent one?! had the 106 blow up, the micra epic-fail its mot, then the rover did a cambelt!!! even more annoying because i had a perfectly good car which i had to sell due to running costs, and thats doing just fine with its new owner still! ah well, ive just picked up a non-retro toyota to smoke about in!

on the plus side, ive attended my first gathering and on and off the forum have been blown away by the helpfulness, kindness and general awesome attitude of members here!!!

I'm just gonna leave a little R.I.P for the cars that bit the bullet in '11





heres to next year peeps!

[ironmighty07]

Keep up the spirit AK - your garage is a source of joy alone!!despite trials of the last 12 months you've got a plan and things will turnaround with the right outlook.

I've written off the last 12 months, they've felt like a lost 12 months really. People I trusted were using me for their own gain, I've lost the GF and am stuck in a job for which I no longer have any great affection and calculated I spend an average of £6.5k a year on petrol!!! which loosely means I spend nearly £100 a month more than I used to......

On the plus side I've got a camper van(not roadworthy), and 106 diesel(needs welding) which I didn't have at the start of the year. 2012 is about doing the things which make me happy....I'm thinking Morroccan Petit taxi for a daily(lowered and beige FTW!) ...bring it on.

[Davenger]

Yeah, don't get me started about jobs.
Mine is part of the reason I'm on happy pills.
Still, it pays for the rent on this place

[damask]

Well...i crashed the car, lost my girlfriend (my own stupid decision),found out i hadnt saved a quarter of what i thought i had, my family still cant stand me, i cant afford to move out and ive lost my grandad, who was the only man ive truely admired.... and i don't know half as much about mechanics or engineering as i thought i did!
But on the upside, i just got a payrise pushing me just over the minimum wage bracket for my age (but probably just into another tax bracket) i found out I'm still viable to get on an apprenticeship through the govournment... and all of my friends are happy doing what they're always dreamed about, which when I'm in a friendly state of mind, is a great thing!

I don't have it half as bad as some of the guys in this thread, i don't want to complain, but i honestly do hope 2012 works out to be a bit kinder on me and everyone else!
Hopefully i can actually get a career, a nice (rustbucket) car, and my own place, rented or not!

Good luck to all of you!

[md]

I actually feel ashamed at how much I've moaned about my situation this year! I smashed my knee up playing rugby and i'll never be able to run again (that may not matter to most people, but as an ex-GB athlete, it's devastating), lost my job, and had a hefty crash that put me off cars altogether.

but actually if I llok at it with positivity, I've only been out of work 5 weeks and I start a new job next week, I'm probably to old to be running competitively anyway, I still have all of my close family and friends and I have a roof over my head (albeit rented)

2012 is looking up too, I'm getting married in June, I have a big birthday in September and a whole new job to make my mark on, plus I'm hoping to start my own arch-rolling business at evenings and weekends


Most of you guys have had an awful time, much worse than me and I truely wish you the best for 2012. I'll always try and help anyone so if ever anyone needs an ear to bend, taken out for a beer or 2 or just generally cheered up, I'm happy to help.

RIP John & HKP, and god bless all of you RRers who are still with us

[rmad]

I think this thread has run it's course now. Let's all (as was the intention of this thread) look forward to a great 2012.