So Long, January

Dan Kirby

Jan 31, 2022

What have you learnt so far this year?

If you’re anything like me, not much. I feel like I've had less to drink, but in honesty probably haven’t. I feel less healthy and yet my legs hurt from not running* enough. Still, the first month of the year is out of the way.

I often find saying things out loud legitimises them, turns a thought into an idea. With that in mind, what have I got to look forward to now that my January slump is out of the way?

Drinking More Beer

Oh, I learn about wine, read about wine and talk about wine, but there’s something special in the tingle of a deliciously frothy cask ale by the pint. I had an eye opening brew** last week, I’ve been craving and other gulp since the walk home.

It feels like two years spent using the pub to carefully meet long lost travelling friends. A one sided relationship that needs attention. Get out of the house, get to the pub, drink some delicious beer.

Playing More Guitar

Obviously I play the guitar. Just not often enough. I’ve probably been to the pub more often than I’ve played. I bought some new kit so I can play loudly at home without waking the neighbours, and it’s awesome.

When I’m not at the pub, I’ll be re-learning and playing along to Coheed & Cambria*** on a sunburst Fender Tele that’s been tucked away in the cupboard for far too long.

Projects, Projects

I’ve got my planning brain in gear. I’m enjoying writing, I’ll be doing more of that in the future. Here’s your not so subtle hint if you want to talk to me about writing for or with you in any capacity.

The podcast thing seems like it will happen. Conceptually I think I can make it work, the format and themes seem solid, while I hope there’s something worthwhile to offer there.

Study Days and Weeks

The Master of Wine Seminar week in Rust, Austria is back on in March, although our UK based study days have been moved online. I’m looking forward to finally meeting up with some other students properly.

I’m based in the wilds of Norwich in Norfolk, hardly as far away as many of the students, to be based in the UK and find meeting up with other students a fiddle, is a quandary. It’s definitely one thing I’m making sure I work around.

Make Me a Master, S2

Stage 1 raised around £5k for my MW Study program. I’ve been open about that from the start, and there is still some sweet, sweet reward for the original chipper-inner-ers in the future. I promise.

Based on the assumption**** is that I get through the Stage 1 exam, I’m looking at sustainable ways to relaunch the funding for Stage 2.

My current thoughts are that the Newsletter and Podcast will both be up and running properly by September this year, ready for Stage 2. I’d transition them to a semi-voluntary subscription model.

A small monthly donation and I’ll be better at doing what I already do, while also having a nice platform to offer exclusive bits and bobs for subscribers.

Switching Off

Obviously, I’m going to pack in all of the above while studying. The MW is why you're here and it’s what keeps me going, but there’s the pressure of getting things learnt.

It’s easy to convince yourself that too much ‘do’ means no time to ‘not do’.

I don’t know if this is a common worry, but there’s a sense of guilt associated with doing nothing, it’s a privilege and a luxury to have the option and it’s nice to embrace that sometimes.

* When does running stop hurting?
** It was Bull Of The Woods, Vapour Trail
*** Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness. Learning it in full.
**** There’s quite a large exam to sit in August.

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