Me and My Fiance Melanie

2008 - A Year in Review

2008 Country of Living: England in LONDON!

Well, it was a year of dramatic changes in my personal live with my getting engaged in September to Melanie Hammond, a long-time friend of the family who I was re-introduced to at my grandfather's funeral in 2007. A year of changes indeed. I now have a flat in London with Melanie moving from Canada to join me in the new year.

Travel

Not a lot of travel, but did do a bit…Tended to be bigger distances…

  • March - Italy - Mother and myself managed to go skiing for a week in Cervinia in Italy (on the other side of the Matterhorn from Zermatt which we visited a few years ago now). We managed to see an AC Milan game in Milan (football) as well which was very interesting.
  • April - Yorkshire - Mother, my aunt Lois and myself staying in Settle in Yorkshire and visited Manchester and York.
  • June - London - Melanie, my (now) fiancé visits me in London and Cambridge
  • August/September - Canada - Visited my (now) fiancé in Mississauga (Ontario) as well as a cousin in Detroit (Michigan). Did I mention I got engaged? Well, that was on the 5th of September.
  • December - Canada - Visited my fiancé (to bring her back with me to London in January…) as well as relatives in Burlington (Ontario), and Winnipeg (Manitoba).

Events

There were quite a number of interesting events throughout the year that I attended, including:

January

  • 12th - London - i-to-i Information Talk about teaching English abroad (Talk)
  • 31st - London (Savoy Theatre) - Fiddler on the Roof (Musical)

February

March

April

  • 3rd - London (Apollo Victoria) - Wicked (Musical)
  • 4th - Birmingham - Cadbury World (Attraction)
  • 5th to 7th - Northern England - Staying in Yorkshire, Visit to Manchester and York
  • 18th - London (The O2) - Cirque du Soliel Delirium (Music/Dance)
  • 25th - Cambridge (Arts Picturehouse) - Persepolis (Movie)
  • 25th - Cambridge (Arts Picturehouse) - Future Shorts (Movie)

May

June

July

August

  • 6th - Wokingham - Paul's Wedding
  • 10th - London (Royal Albert Hall) - BBC Prom Concert 32: Messiaen (Classical Music)
  • 15th - Cambridge (Vue Cinema) - The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Movie)
  • 17th - London (Royal Albert Hall) - BBC Prom Concert 42: Messiaen (Classical Music)
  • 20th - Cambridge (Cineworld) - Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (Movie)
  • 24th - London (Royal Albert Hall) - BBC Prom Concert 50 and 51: Bach (Classical Music)
  • 31st - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Copps) - Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco (Music/Dance)

September

  • 5th - Mississauga (Ontario) - Got engaged to Melanie Hammond (Pleasure)
  • 13th - London (Earls Court) - Dr Who Exhibit
  • 13th - London (Royal Albert Hall) - BBC Prom Concert 76: Last Night at the Proms (Classical Music)
  • 14th - London (Hyde Park) - Andrew Lloyd Webbers Birthday in the Park (Concert)
  • 20th - London - Looking for new apartment…

October

November

  • 1st - London (Odeon Leicester Square) - Quantum of Solace (Movie)
  • 1st - London (Collesium) - Aida (Opera)
  • 7th - Watched Melanie Perform in North Metro Chorus at the Sweet Adeline's Annual Competition in Hawaii
  • 11th - Moved to London
  • 22nd - London (BFI IMAX) - La Damnation de Faust (Live Opera Feed from New York's Metropolitan Opera)
  • 26th - London (Royal Opera House) - Stars of Africa (Concert)

December

Reviews of the Year

Books

Films

Restaurants

Next Year

Well, we are definitely here for quite some time in London. We are getting married in October with visits from various people (including my mother and aunt) in the new year.

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Visit here for my review of 2007.