Highlights of 2008:

• Kevin Rudd said sorry.

• I got a keynote gig at an international conference.

• They accidentally introduced me as Professor Emerson.

• They thought I was funny.

• Someone called me a world expert in online religion.

• I fell in love with both Santiago and Edinburgh.

• I met the girl who has been making my brother so happy (and could see why!).

• My daughter told me she wants to be a stand-up comedian when she grows up (I had never been so proud. I actually had tears).

• A whole lot of rich people lost money.

Disappointments of 2008:

• Brendan Nelson said “sorry, but.”

• They thought I was so funny at the keynote gig that nobody actually wanted to talk more about the research.

• A whole lot of poor people lost money.

• Santiago and Edinburgh are both very jealous cities (thank God Thatcher and Pinochet aren’t around anymore).

Have a fantastic 2009, everyone. In 2009 I will get a PhD and lose enough weight so I can fit into a leotard so I can front a David Bowie tribute band. Who’s with me?

So, like, I’m supposed to be this mature, 37 year-old, father of two children, with a full-time job and a full-time PhD course that takes me to conferences where I speak on important research and stuff right. Well I have a blog about that, and I also used it to write crap stuff to friends about what’s happening in my life and that.

Well, today I decided I’d grow up a bit, and took all the crap out of the other blog so it looks more mature and professional, but I didn’t want to get rid of all the all-about-my-wanky-life-and-that posts that my friends enjoy, so I’ve made this blog too.

Hope you enjoy it.