Me 2 You – Review 2021
2021 was another hard year, but every year presents challenges no more so than the last two as we continue to live through this pandemic. Things are more normal, but we know that variant most recently Omicron presents challenges. Hopefully this time next year we are in the ‘new normal’ without restrictions.
In this edition I have been looking through ‘the 2021 file’ to select some of my favourites, most interesting stories, offering a bit of reflection on what they have meant to me.
Covering F1 this year has been dramatic; it drew to a controversial and epic climax in December. Max Verstappen we know won the title, I think he the same as Lewis Hamilton, would have been worthy winners, the repercussions I think, are still to be played.
Another race that stood out for all the wrong reasons was Spa, it goes up there as one of the biggest farces, up there with IndyGate in 2005, I think we will one day look back on that race. George Russell took his first podium; we think that he could be the successor to Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
Reflecting on those two races, there are serious questions about Michael Masi. Looking back on the season, we had great racing between the two title contenders but often I feel we were waiting hours for results. I think next year we all want two things consistency and not long waits for the final results. But I see a Rush style film being made in say forty years’ time.
One of the highlights of the summer was the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, perhaps coming at the moment when we needed it the most. For Team GB it was the most successful summer games equalling London 2012, combined 65 medals, 22 gold at the Olympics and 124, 41 gold at the Paralympics made Tokyo one of the highlights of 2021.
These games came probably when the world needed them the most, I think it was a great show. Unifying the world in the middle of the pandemic. It gave us all something to get behind, I hope with Beijing six weeks away, the Commonwealth Games in the summer again continue to be a unifying force.
In June, I wrote about something so personal, six months on I am grateful that I haven’t received the kinds of abuse I wrote about in the article, I was pleased when it was published to date, I’ve not had any abuse or negative responses online. Reflecting six months on, I stand by the article. It’s my own thoughts, feelings, observations and not a statement of faith.
Away from what I’ve done and away from the pandemic, the most shocking story for me which we are still continuing to see unfold was the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. This is a story I am not an expert in, as we know the old Taliban were harsh on people who were harsh ‘on people who don’t fit their image.’
This line stays with me “Not quite the fall of Saigon, but not far off.” I recommend this podcast by Lyse Doucet to understand the history often need to look back. Often when writing my HMD piece, again out end of January, we never seem to learn from
What’s ahead in 2022? I don’t know, but I am looking forward to whatever I come up with. I am thinking of new content, this site for me as I often say is about me not how much content I produce its high quality and well researched.
Hope you have enjoyed this look back happy new year