Strike Factory

Well what an interesting year it has been that started for me at a Onesie themed New Years party in the Bryden-Pitt house, and as I write this from the comfort of my parents house on this festive day, I look on the highes and lows in the life of Charles Ball 2014, and what to look forward to next year.

At the start of the year I decided to go back to regularly updating this blog after leaving it pretty dormant for most of 2013, and pleased to see the revival of Strike Factory has gone down well with old and new fans, and this blog feels better than ever, with the usual diary updates my thoughts on sport, women ranging from Jenna Coleman to Eugenie Bouchard, the odd theatre performance and TV show. Though maybe not quite on the scale of reading aloud from Christmas Dinner Tables, but sure you enjoy having a read whilst on a break from Christmas Day madness.

For most of this year and documented in this blog I have been trying hard as an adult male with mild Autism/ Aspergers to gradually gain employment, with the assistance of Rewards Training and Shaw Trust. With the former I have managed to gain all Level 2 European Computer Driving Liecence qualifications, and recently a Level 3 in word processing, all these I received in a presentation hosted by Crawley MP Henry Smith. In October I thought I had got lucky when I gained some employment, a first paid role since my editor role at Rivals.net ended in 2009, but sadly this role proved to be not suscessful, however more doors have opened recently. I have carried on with volunteering at the Oxfam charity shop, and recently the appointment of Haywards Heath Oxfam's George Thacker (who like me has Aspergers Syndrome as Deputy Manager of the Crawley Oxfam branch and I have considered taking a similar path by looking at similar roles at charity shops around Sussex, but one oppertunity has recently arisen with an Voluntary Admin/ Receptionist role at local Volunteering/ Citizens Advice Bureau that starts on January 5th 2015 that I am pleased to have, which could still lead to desired employment in office/ admin role, so feeling very optimistic at the end of the year on this front, and I thank you all for you support especially messages I greatly appreaicate it.

There has been some low lights this year, including poor performances from the England and Brighton & Hove Albion football teams at the World Cup and 2014/15 Championship season so far though hopefully that changes soon starting tomorrow on Boxing Day, Roger Russell not free of False Aussie Syndrome. The tragic deaths of father of House music DJ Frankie Knuckles and former British ladies tennis No.1 Elena Baltacha from stomach cancer at the age of 30, the latter was sad for me especially as I had followed her since the start of her career and saw her in Eastbourne and Wimbledon a few times, her passing left just about everyone in the British and World tennis community in mourning, and we will never forget her. Plus still single but don't regret deciding not to appear on The Undateables show.

However there has been plenty of highlights this year, ranging from witnessing Team GB manage their best Davis Cup performance since the 1980s with a shock win against the US in their backyard at San Diego to meeting the lovely Amy Willerton and witnessing a cameraman split his trousers whilst performing squats at filming of a We Got Game project show. Plus the arrival of nephew Lucas, a new addition to the Ball family, along with a few good friends having babies this year (you know who you are.)

So I believe things are looking up for me, going into 2015 which will also see the 10th anniversary of Strike Factory will carry on plugging away with the volunteering, doing the odd bit of raving and enjoying the usual sport. I hope you are all having a great Christmas wherever you are, and next blog post will be in the new year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all readers. :)