A message from Jet…

As a non-subscriber to what I believe is known as ‘Social Media’, I was beginning to think that I had finally managed to evade the annual fusillade of greetings to which I have become accustomed in recent years. Greetings, in acknowledgement of an event of some seventy eight years distant, to which I had then been involuntarily tethered.

That is, until social media savvy Ava, on the morning of the 26th last month, had informed me that there was a new fusillade winging it’s way towards me, through the wonder of international electronic communications.

The aforementioned evasion being, not for the expected greetings likely to be contained therein, but more for reminders of my ever advancing years, thereby implied.

Of course, the first seventy – since that distant day – weren’t so bad. They had their up’s and down’s but on the whole, they were mostly quite enjoyable.

During the latter eight however, there has been a tendency I had not anticipated, to develop a sort of ‘Canute’ mentality, in which one strives to hold back the waves of time. You find you just can’t do some of the stuff you used to, and so the past seems so much more agreeable than the future ever could be. Something I guess we all get to know in time.

However, despite my misgivings, I was enormously cheered as I began to read through the scores of warm-hearted messages which all referred to my birthday. Since I’ve only ever had one of those – and I don’t think I could face another one – I soon realised that I was being wished for more of the past. So, to all of you who were involved in this year’s fusillade, my sincerest thanks to you for that, and for your generosity of spirit and good humour. You are, as best I can compile it:

Sandie Joblin -+- Al Gunn -+- Sarah Sutherland -+- Jeff Curnock -+= Jax Ferneyhough -+- Yuka Takahashi -+- Barry Leedham -+- Steve King -+- Phil Coxon -+- Amanda Simpson Key -+- Greg Stubley -+- Lorne Ranger -+- Mick Lynes -+- Ann-Marie Mondan -+- Stewart Wilson -+- Gaynor Jones -+- Megumi S Haider -+- Choi Sul -+- Simon Fella -+- Ed Kleinman -+- Karl Westhead -+- Brian Anderson -+- Joe McAnearney -+- Alan Murray -+- Allan Smith -+- Thierry Avril -+- Duncan Round -+- Darren Goodley -+- Ann Macintosh -+- Paul Lindop -+- Za Maquire -+- Richard Adams -+- Simon Kent -+- Dennis Hoy -+- Doug Inglis -+–+- Patrick McLaughlin -+- John Gallagher -+- Jeff Davies -+- Hикоna Taнкосиh -+- Nicol Noguchi -+- Phil Meek -+- Alyson Blodwyn Palmer -+- Chris Wilson -+- Derek Wales -+- John Gallagher -+- Christina Puplett -+- BjØrn Barstad -+- Steve Bullock -+- Marcel van Oosterout -+- Jez Bottley -+- Tez Payne -+- Neil Cash -+- Imon Jordan -+- Nicol Noguchi -+- Tim Hawkins -+- Jack Harkins -+- Norman Campbell -+- Vincent Davenport -+- Catrona Lang -+- Radek Demondog -+- Owen Carne -+- Israel Ahmed -+- Murray Conahan -+- Chris Lee -+- Scott Howieson -+- Angela Drummond Morlotti -+- Jon Murfin -+- Mark O’Connor -+- Fred White -+- Ian Fielding -+- Peter William Killick -+- Mark Owen -+- Rowena Coventry -+- Noel McCarrick -+- Patrick McDermott -+- Sean Thomas Graham -+- Tommy Grant -+- Karen Steve Godwin -+- Michael Allen -+- Jim McCaulay -+- Paul Claughton -+- Neil Champion -+- Declan Hughes -+- Michael Wenn -+- Kathleen Laing Morton -+- Graham Pole -+- Paul Geli Gelderd -+- Nige Cranfield -+- Annick Lefèvre -+- Simon Jordan -+- Nicol Noguchi -+- Catrona Lang -+- Lizzy Burns -+- Stewart Wilson -+- Tajo Glendinning -+- Andy Depamelaere -+- Trish King -+- Malc Leary -+- Philippe Lambour -+- Chic Coyne -+- John Durr -+- David Maclennan -+- Neil Abraham Dowsing -+- Russell Gow -+- Douglas Roemer -+- Lawrie Redican -+- Dai Sullivan -+- Iris Perry -+- Gerard Hession -+- Bob Armour -+- Neal Hancox -+- Greg Moore -+- Gordon Donald -+- Mick Byrne -+- Craig Fleming -+- Helen Jones -+- Jeremy Brannan -+- Clive Adams -+- Ian Radley -+- Michael Haigh -+- Jenny Johnson -+- Martin Spencer -+- Stephen Turner -+- John Toner -+- Craig Lee -+- Lily Bee -+- Elizabeth McCaffary Reid -+- Nell Rose -+- Steve Flint -+- Thomas Whiteman -+- Victor G Lawrence -+- Colin Pearce -+- David Avila -+- David Holmes -+- Nigel Jethwa -+- Martin Connelly -+- Pete Wyatt -+- Kviar Noir -+- Musiikki Saarelainen -+- Peter Lawson -+- Paul Bell -+- Nigel Sbon -+- Hellebrandt Csaba -+- Alan Hughes -+- Heather Maclennan -+- Jill Sanderson -+- Janice Walton -+- Del Trudgill -+- Marian Weighardt Frayne -+- George Smith -+- Richard Clark -+- Gerd Kwasi Feldmann -+- Mike Shewring -+- Stephen Robinson -+- Michel Klessens -+- Claire Kelly -+- Sharon Laing -+- Mandy Ward -+- Chris Dixon -+- Niall Muldowney -+- Ian Hall -+- Colin Bannister -+- Dave Coulthurst -+- Reese Edwards -+- Cathy Trott-Hudson -+- Pat Davies -+- Leo Mongan -+- Angelo Romano -+- Jeannie W-s -+- Keith Napier -+- Peter Cannon -+- Todd Jones -+- Jaspa Karat -+- Maria Kuiipers -+- Daniel Bravo Tamayo -+- Andy X Alisa Wade -+- Jim J Magee -+- Ian Hedley -+- Jim Perfect -+- Ross Stothard -+- Jim Bob -+- Higgins A Gogo -+- Michelle Headlam -+- Colin Williams -+- Benoit Newberry -+- Wim Soeters -+- Sean J Johnson -+- Vince Johnson -+- Andy Scorfield -+- Brian Birrell -+- Eileen Barratt -+- Keith Burrell -+- Wayne Lukhard -+- Bert Hoogeland -+- Karen O’Neill -+- David Higginson -+- Malc Nedd -+- Jeff Curnock -+- Sandra Fairweather -+- Jeanette Fox -+- James Van Sant -+- Nick Easterbrook -+- Chris Ingram -+- Robby Spiga -+- Nina Darling -+- Gerry Edgeworth -+- Samantha Witton -+- Manuel Castro -+- Howard Sloane -+- Brian Riley -+- Adam Fyfield -+- Ian Bell (yes I do) -+–+- Duncan Round -+- Mick West -+- Garrick Charter -+- Gary Ponsford -+- Chris Taylor -+- Karl Lykös -+- David Edwards -+- Jim Kiracov -+- Jon Young -+- Happy Ev -+- Eric Blevin -+- Ginger Beesty -+- Tess McKelvie -+- Patros Tserpelis -+- Ian Dobie -+- Gregory Buck -+- William Muir -+- Eric Edwards -+- Peter Anthony Woods -+- Nick John Legend -+- Philip B Serbetis -+- Chris Michael -+- Mary Coates -+- Simon Coulson -+- John Fisli -+- Ian Gittins -+- Bill Jayne -+- Paul Jordan -+- Charles Babcock -+- Andrew Romeo -+- Dave Blackinblack -+- Betty Rodent -+- Nicholas Franklin -+- Mariko Mitsui -+- Jack Rawlinson -+- Vaillant Jérôme -+- Jean Félix Cochin -+- Simon Power -+- Charles Shivers -+- Tomm Stu -+- Stephen Gilmour -+- Andrea Pelucci -+- Ann Marie Boyle -+- Alan Hughes -+- Holt Pritchard -+- Cathy Trott-Hudson -+- Steve Flint -+- Eric Gregor-Pearse -+- Andy X Alisa Wade -+- Graham Edgar -+- Noel McCarrick -+- Ian Warner -+- Deedee Einertson -+- Suzanne Bédard -+- Patrick Meurice -+- Joe Saggese -+- Michael Strong -+- Janine Tyler -+- Patrick McDermott -+- Nick Easterbrook -+- Ad Sandtke -+–+- Szymon Sadowski -+- Robert Inverarity -+- Gail Worley -+- Mark Wozencroft -+- Mathew Seamarks -+- Jim Dorman -+- Ken Worthing -+- Ken Worthing -+- Tim Comiskey -+- Janet Newcombe-Cootes -+- Michael Healey (me too!) -+- Ava Rave -+- Nat Mondlicht -+- Mark Fish -+- John Maher -+- Anna Bunny Josephina -+- Lee Williams -+- Charlie Drummond -+- Dawn Hodges -+- Eric Sandmark -+- Jake Burns -+- Gööse McCormack -+- Dave Twigg -+- Simon Barraball -+- Clive West -+- Bob Christie -+- Sharon Williams -+- Holt Pritchard -+- Pierre Jolicoeur -+- Cucho Peñaloza -+- Emily Donner -+- Selina Postgate -+- Yuki McCuddle Watanabe -+- Willie Dade -+- Al Gregor -+- Allan Lento -+- Kenny Cyrus -+- Paul Ferguson -+- DeBorah Fielding -+- Bernard Taylor -+- Tracy Bayarena -+- Graham Morgan -+- Andy Stafford -+- Alan A Hillier -+- Mark Lepage -+- Kaz King -+- John Scott -+- Tony Armitage -+- Kenny Jones -+- Marcel van Oosterhout -+- Ian McCabe -+- Debbie Walker -+- Wayne Foster -+- Penny Williams -+- Roddy Whiteman -+- Kevin Dean -+- Brian McLaughlin -+–+- Gina R Sigal -+- Sam Holliday -+- Pam Greenfield -+- Alison Jones -+- Graeme Hopson -+- Jolyon Black -+- Brian Southgate -+- Elizabeth Janet Taylor -+- Trevor Sweeting -+- Docteur Maison -+- Ruth Smith -+- John M Mills -+- Jacky Lennon -+- Gill Baglady -+- Shane Jones -+- Jeff Davies -+- Lorna Forbes -+- Ian Grant -+- Debbie Grant -+- Helen Murray -+- Pauline Lever -+- Carl Sanderson -+- Patrick McDermott -+- Inge Schaap -+- Julie Gawthorpe -+- Chris Balden -+- Charles Chivers -+- Gary Bolton -+- Mark Williams -+- George Carr -+- Carl Greenwold -+- Neil Sparkes -+- Alan Stott -+- John Morgan -+- Roy Batty -+- Louisa Helen -+- Stephen McCracken –+- Martin Hussey -+- Paul Cox -+- Rod Cohen -+- Colin Davies -+- Steve Beddoe -+- Missy Sheila Urbanoski.

There are others who’s names were somehow corrupted or filtered out by systems I don’t pretend to fully understand, but to you also, whoever you are, my deepest thanks.

Jet Black