Not Saussure has tagged us to declare the 7 best things that we’ve done this year (he did have the decency to apologise) so here goes. Most of them are ARCHy things, two are personal to me (Terri) but I’m still so chuffed about them that I’ve got to mention them.
1. Started and finished the report for the Information Commissioner on children’s databases with FIPR. A major job that has dominated the whole year.
2. Got proper, grown-up funding for 9 months (thanks, JRRT) which means we can get on with work instead of rushing around with the begging bowl when the phone bill arrives
3. Made the shortlist for a human rights award: even though it went to the worthiest winner (Southall Black Sisters) just being on the short list was pretty fantastic.
4. Discovered that, after a 6-month battle, the coalition of organisations we’d pulled together had persuaded government not to introduce mandatory police/social services reporting for under-16s using sexual health services.
5. Organised the filing on this computer at last, thanks to the wonderful ‘adventures in record management’ blog. Where did it go? One day I clicked on the link and it had vanished.
6. Got a beautiful, lanky, naughty new dog – a 15-month-old Basset Griffon Vendeen (though it followed probably the saddest thing I’ve done this year). An essential addition to office sanity because she thumps her tail, wriggles and picks up her stuffed toy rat when anyone looks at her.
7. Watched my older son open the letter offering him a place at Oxford – doubly fabulous because (a) he so badly wanted it and (b) he’s been home educated, so university interviews are the acid test of whether we failed him lamentably. Ooooh, the relief!
Now, who can I torture? Let’s have Dave Hill, Ian at Blogzilla, Pippa, Carlotta at Dare to Know, Ray at B2fxxx, Longrider, and William at Ideal Government
The ARCH Blog 
Bassett Griffon Vendeen…I want one now!
Congratulations are well overdue for all your other achievements. It has been an impressive and vitally important year. Families all around the UK would be thankful for your work, if they only knew.
BGVs are cuddly, sweet-natured and fabulous, so long as you appreciate a marginally-trainable dog with a mind of its own! Thanks for the compliments – it’s been a flat-out but pretty satisfying year. I have to say, though, it’s no.7 on the list that still has us all dancing on the ceiling…
Many congratulations on all of them, particularly on number 7 (and to your son, of course). Sounds like you’ve had a deservedly successful year.
Have a great Christmas.
“dancing on the ceiling”??
Visions of Alex doing a Lionel Richie ;0)
have a good one.
Well done, an admirable list, especially number 7 – congratulations!
Merry Christmas to you all.
Hi Terri. look out for mine on New Year’s Eve,
I shall look forward to it, Dave :o)
[…] disobey ‘Working together’ When I was tagged in December to write about the 7 best things that had happened in 2006, I mentioned discovering that: after a 6-month battle, the coalition of […]