At points during 2016, it’s been hard to have faith. But these wise words from George, the first love of my life, might just see us through.

Wham. Bam. George is dead, and with him creeps another one of God’s children, out the back door. It’s a shell shock.

It’s hard to believe that last year, my heart was intact. Now this year, I’m full of fear as we slowly lose everyone in the world who is special.

I started my 2016 blog with a post reflecting upon what David Bowie could teach our children. Now as we seem to move further from heaven and closer to the deep blue sea, it feels right that I end the year on these words of wisdom from George; words that I will make sure are handed on down to my very own young guns.

I’ve already played them Wham-Rap. The rest of their education starts here:

1. Sometimes the clothes do not make the man.
2. You might make it big.
3. You might  not have a job, but you can have a good time with the boys that you meet down on the line and, whatever happens,
4. You are FANTASTIC.
5. Listen without prejudice, and
6. Never be careless with your whisper.
7. Doo Doo Doo
8. Whoa Whoa Yeah
9. D-do doo do doo do doo do doo-oo-ooo.
10. Enjoy what you do? If not, just stop. Don’t stay there and rot.
11. If you are gonna do it, do it right, but keep in mind that,
12. If your best isn’t good enough, then how can it be good enough for two?
13. Wiseguys realise there’s danger in emotional ties, and
14. It’s hard to love, when there is so much to hate, but
15. You’ll never find peace of mind ’til you listen to your heart.
16. Don’t leave people hanging on like yo-yos, instead
17. Keep hanging on to hope when there is no hope to speak of and, above all,
18. You’ve gotta have some faith in the sound – it’s the one good thing that we’ve got.
19. You’ve gotta have faith.

Finally, when all else fails, when a year seems to turn on you, when you aren’t sure where next to turn, remember,

20. At Club Tropicana, drinks are free.

RIP George: for the songs, the memories, the finger-less gloves and the leather jackets (whether they be worn or exploded).