…and so it is, with a whimper rather than a bang, that 2021 has finally fucked off.

HURRAH!

Now for obvious reasons, 2020 was an absolute piss-fire of a year, so you would think that maybe we’d have earned some much needed respite in 2021, but no, for many of us 2021 managed to surpass 2020 in the burning garbage stakes, and just kept kicking us in the crotch for another 365 days.
For a lot of us, myself included, it’s been an absolutely terrible year for a number of reasons, but, and it’s a big but, the one solid gold positive that has shone like a beacon throughout 2021, has been the continued existence of our little community here at The Bear & Badger.

While the world continued to burn around us, the camaraderie and compassion demonstrated by you lot on a daily basis soared to new heights, and even though we still argue on a daily basis about the sort of nonsense that would shame MumsNet, for my money there has never been a greater feeling of a community actually growing up with each other, to the extent where we all now just innately know when to reach out and help support our virtual friends in their times of need.

Let’s face it, we’ve all been here a very long time. What started out as a wild west shoot out on The Edge Forums all those years ago, has endured to the point where it’s now become the internet equivalent of Cheers. I guess Sucra was right all along.
We’re all old friends now, whether we care to admit it or not, and we’ve all helped each other get through the trials and tribulations of another difficult year, with both good deeds and kind words of support.
Given that this is something that has occurred on the internet, a place not generally known for its compassion, tolerance or understanding, then that’s a genuine reason to join me while I raise a glass tonight in celebration.

…so…

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL YOU LOVELY PEOPLE!

Hey, it’s 2022, what the fuck is going on?