A fine way to start the year, what a fantastic and ridiculously cute film, I was ready to hate it after seeing Toy Story 2 again the other day, but no, fantastic.

For fans of TS/TS2 they're re-rendering the film for release before the next installment, so expect some visual delight this summer, I'm pretty sure that's why I don't like it as much as I used to.

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Some SERIOUS shocks are in store, just you wait...

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[I'll make a nice logo in a bit, maybe, but here's a very short list of cycling things that have impressed me in 08]

Company: Twin Six, they wrapped this up donating $6666 to Fatty's Livestrong Challenge 09 team, donating time and effort a very worthy cause - no contest. (plus their garments are lovely)

Product: no surprise, On-One Stainless Chainrings, absolutely great, maybe too great as they destory chains.

Surprising: 29er bikes, really, if you're about 5"10 and over, ride somewhere not too techy with jumps and tight corners, or you're a endurance racer, get a 29er, you'll be surprised how like a bike they are.

Performance: Hands down the most impressive was Jenn's ludicrous riding of the Grand Divide Race, daily podcast updates were a welcome sound during another summer of UK wetness. I can only think of maybe two other people that would be mental enough to try this race.

Rubbish: Hope hubs, sorry, but really, you can't make hubs that don't go wobbly after a week and die in am month? try harder. (runner up is "the weather" so you know how much I hate Hope hubs - admittedly, they're fine on geared bikes)

Clothing: Fox Gloves, superb, I went though about 7 prs of gloves this year, and the Fox performed the best, still room for improvement (Mr Fox, call me), but much better than other brands and dirt cheap too.

Worst Clothing: Sorry, Fox, you "win" this too, making shorts out of some type of fancy material that wears though in seconds when faced with Proper Northern Grit™, fine in the dry, expensive in the wet. Try harder, Fox (call me, seriously I have ideas!).

Person, in a Time Magazine style cop-out.... YOU* thanks for reading, commenting, and pissing me off all year, same again in 09?
*you that ride a bike, the rest, try harder.

That'll do.

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Despite my long list of things to get done (see a few posts back) I've actually got very few of them done. Removing wallpaper took an age, then I dd some other stuff (not on the list) then I looked at the list and decided to watch 199 Lives - The Travis Pastrana story, whcih was most excellent, as was The Prestige, HellBoy II sucked though (Grant/Rich will agree I hope).

I've added **DOORS** to the list too, which I think means **BUY SOME** and **FIT THEM** unless the ones in the garage are the correct size (50% chance).

Also added is "turn sofa into a 2 seater" which should be interesting, I wonder how much money is stuck in it's guts?

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Well I am almost wallpaper free, which, only took 2 years and 12 days... an EIGHT hour effort these past two days has seen the last of it (kinda - there's a bit behind that thing over there which will go when that thing gets moved, but it's heavy and blocked in) gone, never to be seen again - yay!

No bikes built or dismantled as house stuff has taken priority, but, my lounge now seems bigger without some shelving (shame contents of said shelves are not located in various boxed on the floor). I really want to paint the walls, but that's pointless at this time.

really must remember to install those trickle vents, but that's an entire day job, sheeesh never ends and this is only the start :(

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