In no particular order:

1. Went to the Cologne Games Convention. Had almost 40 meetings in three days. Wore wedding shoes the whole time and bled till my socks were stuck to my feet like a second skin. I turned up late a lot.

2. Was promoted to Section Editor of PC Gamer, after three years as Disc Editor. Continued to make the coverdisc anyway. In fact, made the PC Zone coverdisc for a while, too.

3. Went with Lisa to America, my first time there. Spent five days in Chicago eating room service, then took a two and a half day train journey across country to spend a further five days in San Francisco. Saw the Colorado rockies, the Nevada desert, snow in Utah and cornfields in Iowa. Saw a Nun holding a devil-baby with an erect cock in San Francisco, and lots of screaming shirtless people. Loved all of it.

4. Wrote my first cover feature for PC Gamer: an eight page preview on Command & Conquer 4. Did it twice more.

5. Apologies for the namedropping, but an enormously fun part of my job that I only began this past year is meeting and interviewing interesting people. In 2009 I met Jeff Minter, Chet Faliszek, Dave Jones, Ed Stern, Peter Moore, Ray Muzyka and Michael Simpson. I pissed off only some of them, as far as I know.

6. Wrote two things I’m still mostly happy with now: a preview feature on APB and a review of The Sims 3. Both are available online, but are best read in the magazine with the original screenshots and formatting.

7. Was promoted to Deputy Editor of PC Gamer. Stopped making the coverdisc. Did some things well, other things poorly. Commissioned, edited, wrote, called, called again, called a third time, emailed, and shied away from too many things. Loved all of it.

8. Started a website dedicated to the PC Gamer community in Wurm Online, a massively multiplayer game set in a fantasy version of the New World: lots of resources, lots of threats, and unspoiled land waiting to be developed. Sat back and watched as the community wrote entertaining blog posts, designed maps, made mock newspapers and formed a friendly messageboard. Played Wurm Online myself for hundreds of hours, helping to dig tunnels, build houses, plant trees and construct paths. Right-clicked a lot. Ended the year by giving up my own house and moving into a cave. If ever I needed an example to explain why I write more about PC gaming than console gaming, this is what I’d use.

9. Loved Spelunky more than any other game this year, though frustratingly failed in my attempt to capture why.

10. Wrote my first comic script. Astral Airlines currently has four drawn pages available online. Just these few taught me a lot, the main thing being: WRITE MORE COMICS.

Which is part of the plan for 2010. Happy New Year, everyone.