Looking Back - and Forward

The New Year always brings an opportunity to make predictions and promises about the future. It is also, certainly as far as I’m concerned, a time for retrospection. I recently had the opportunity to wallow in personal nostalgia through a kind invitation to appear on the TAPED Radio Puffin Island Discs show. Following the usual format, I had to choose five favourite songs, a favourite DVD, a book and a luxury item to accompany me on my castaway paradise. For the record, my selections were:

Songs:

1. Norwegian Wood - The Beatles

2. When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin

3. Jacky - Marc Almond

4. Sit Down - James

5. Killing the Blues - Robert Plant/Alison Krauss

Book:

Bonfire of the Vanities - Tom Wolfe

DVD:

The Wire

Luxury Item:

A saxophone

You will see that I have chosen discs representing each of the decades in which I have been listening to popular music, and I am sure you will agree that it is an outstanding selection. You can hear the whole programme at www.tapedradio.co.uk. Any feedback is welcome.

2010 has enjoyed an interesting start, with the adverse weather conditions presenting all sorts of challenges. I am very proud of the way CAIS staff have risen to the occasion in ensuring the continuity of services. Provision of meals to the homeless has been maintained at a time when it has most been needed. Other staff have found themselves snowed in at residential units and have cheerfully worked around the clock. With this spirit of commitment and resourcefulness, I believe 2010 bodes well for CAIS and, just maybe, the country in general.