When I was seven years old, Halley’s Comet was visible to the naked eye in our skies for a few weeks. Already a space geek at even this early age, I was desperate to see it. I remember standing in our back garden on a cold northern night with my Dad, straining to follow his pointing finger.

“Look, see those three stars? It’s in the middle of them. Can’t you see it?”

“No, I can’t even see three stars. Where are you pointing? I can’t see it.”

We went on like this for a while, and eventually gave up – the freezing wind coming off the Irish Sea sent us indoors frustrated and disappointed. It was three whole years later when we discovered that I was shortsighted, but the spectacles came too late for the comet.

I remember furiously flicking through my big book of all things space related, and discovering that Halley’s Comet would return in the year 2061.

I would be 82 years old.

In a little over a month, I will be one third of the way there. Assuming I make it, which is quite a stretch given my distinctly unhealthy and unwholesome lifestyle, I’m about one third of the way through my life.

Have I done one third of the things I want to do? Have I achieved one third of the things I want to achieve?

I’ve travelled to some amazing places. I’ve met some incredible people, and experienced things that most people can only dream of.

I’ve been a homeless dropout, I’ve been a mess. Now I’m a professional computer programmer. A year and a half ago, I moved into in a Grade II listed building – at first alone, but now sharing with a fantastic friend. I’m not rich by any means, but I have most of the material things I could wish for.

I’ve written a lot, but not as much as I’d like. I think I have at least one novel in me, but when will I find the time to write it? I’ve recorded a lot of music (iTunes says 60 tracks), but so many have been cover versions – surely I could have created my own album by now? I’ve taken a lot of photos (513 there) in the past few years, but too many are of mates in the pub instead of picture postcard scenes.

I’ve had to overcome a lot of barriers, and I’ve managed to improve my life substantially in the past ten years. Tellingly, I suspect I’d still be questioning my achievements if I’d managed to do twice as much as I had. There’s nothing wrong with ambition, or even perfectionism, as long as you don’t let it get in the way of appreciating how far you’ve come.

I’ve come a long way. Hopefully I can go a lot further.

I’ve done a lot of things. Here’s to doing a lot more.

See you for the comet.