World of Chig   

30.9.04
It was 20 years ago today...

Chig's big anniversary. It's not just Radio 1's birthday today, but today is the TWENTIETH anniversary of me coming to live in Birmingham. I can hardly believe it's been that long - I only came here for three (or four) years at Aston University, but as I still haven't yet decided what I want to do when I grow up(!), I'm still here.

Wednesday 30th September 1984 was such a life-changing day for me that the date has been etched on my memory ever since. The day I left the family home. The day I moved to Birmingham. The day I started Uni. It was even the day I opened my bank account with Midland Bank (and I'm still with their successor, HSBC). More importantly though, for me at the time, it was the day that, at long last, I could start to BE GAY. That was the foremost thought on my mind that day, never mind the course. I had seen a poster on the noticeboard in the Guild of Students for the Lesbian & Gay Soc when I'd been to Aston's open day, and I wondered if I would be able to pluck up the courage to join. My optimism for a new life immediately was about to be shattered though, and Freshers' Week got off to the worst start possible, but that's a story for another day...

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