2009 Was A Year Of...

In My Humble Opinion
41

One diddly-durn fine year.

Ms Hook retired in December '08 and in '09 we traveled.

Took of January 7th pulling the 5th wheel and saw (along with stopping and visiting a bunch of friends) Death Valley, Las Vegas, Barringer Meteor Crater, Capulin Volcanoe NM, Billy the Kids grave, Rosewell New Mexico, Carlsbad Caverns, Guadalupe National Park, Big Bend NP, Judge Roy Bean’s grave, Roy Beans Jersy Lily (which by-the-by is a long way from his grave), South Padre island, the Alamo, Fort Davis NM, McDonald observatory, Hueco Tanks NM, Rosa’s Cantina in El Paso, Smoky Bear’s grave, White Sands NM, Chiricahua NM, Tombstone, Biosphere 2, Casa Grande NM, the emergency room in Phoenix where Ms Hook had her appendix out. We finally got home in late February.

Took off on the Harley in mid May. Went to the LA area to join some friends on the Run To The Wall. Spent 10 days crossing the southern US to spend 10 minutes in DC at the wall. Met Ms Hook in Portsmouth, Ohio (her 3 sisters had flown out and they had all driven back to Ohio) for a drive home. Got 52,000 on the bike and that’s the first time it’s ever been on a trailer. We finally got home about June 10th.

Took off for our summer trip in early July. Went north through Oregon and Washington and then cut over through Idaho and Montana to join some friends in Yellowstone. Went south through Tetons NP, visited the Green River lakes in the Wind River mountains, circled said mountains to visit friends in Lander, WY. Headed north to the Custer Battlefield NM then to Devils Tower NM, Mt Rushmore, the Crazy Horse mountain thing, Deadwood, Wall Drug, Michigan’s UP, stopped to visit family in Ohio before heading to St. Louis for a reunion with some of the men who served in Vietnam with me (it was great, there were about 100 of us there.) Stopped in Salt Lake City to do some geneology and visit with friends.

Did Burning Man for the third time.

In Early October we went to Moab, UT to meet a friend and do some sightseeing/hiking/exploring. Checked out Archs NP and Canyonlands NP. While in Canyonlands we did the White Rim Trail (three days of four wheel driving.)

The first week in December we went to Pinnacles NM in California for a few days to see some condors, which we did and had a great time hiking all over the place.

We just got home this afternoon from a quickie (4 days) trip to the California coast. We went to Ano Neuvo SP to watch the elephant seals, checked out the boardwalk in Santa Cruz, spent a day hiking in Muir Woods NM, and a whole bunch of time birding.

Finished the year with about $30,000 more in the bank than when we started. Our health is very good. We enjoy each others company. I’m really thinking this retirement thing is gonna work out.

At this point I would like to think all you little worker bees out there who are struggling so hard to make our life of ease possible.

There were also a bunch of other short trips that I won’t go into least you get to feeling bad about your lives.

42

Og, I just love to tell this story.

Got a degree in accounting in 1990 (I got hurt working construction and decided to go in a different direction).

I went to work right after graduation for a mine in the town (Green River, WY) where we lived. At the same time Utah state started an MBA program in the community college in Rock Springs (12 miles away). My company offered to pay my way if I wanted to go, so I did. It was 2 years of Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning. When it was all done and I was MBAafied I sold my texts and actually turned a $600 profit on my grad school experience.

43

China.

Every day, except for one week in Nepal and one in Thailand, I have gone to sleep and woken up in China. It’s been good at times and tough at other times. It’s certainly been one hell of a learning experience, both intellectually and personally.

Next year should bring some changes- I’ll be back in America for the first time in 4 years, and ready to begin my life as a real genuine adult.

44

Ups and downs.
Quite happy to see the year end, as the “downs” were somewhat prevalent.
One of the “ups” was major, and I really thought at one point this might be the worst year of my life, but missed that bullet.
Have high hopes for the coming year, but man - when you get older, the years start flying by - seems like only yesterday it was Thanksgiving, and Christmas came and went and now New Year’s is over and walking through Walmart today, they had FIVE rows of Valentines candy…and it is only a matter of time until the BBQ’s and lawn furniture are on sale, then the Halloween candy and…

45

Thanks, tdn, that means a lot.

46

For me, 2009 was a year of being in situations that I did not choose.

[ul][li]In January I was facing a layoff, and I more or less had to take my current job: it’s ok, but it’s not the same work I’ve been doing for the past 11+ years and I quickly realized that I don’t really like it. Also, my commute often sucks. I’ve been looking for a new job since April.[/li]
[li]In May I broke up with my boyfriend of 2.5 years. I didn’t want to – I gave him two more chances than I should have because I didn’t want to – but ultimately I felt that he left me with no other self-respecting choice.[/li]
[li]The breakup meant that I had to move out of his house, which I didn’t want to do because I’d only moved in a year prior. I also had no money to move with, so I had to accept some serious financial generosity from my mom. I’m glad and lucky that she was willing and able to help, but I hated having to take it from her.[/li]
[li]The breakup also meant that I was suddenly a single dog owner, which I never would have chosen to be. I’d adopted my puppy 7 months before the breakup, and while she loved my ex she was definitely my dog in every regard. So there’s no way I wasn’t taking her with me. I love her to death and we’re doing just fine, but it is harder to do things after work/on weekends when I’m her sole caretaker. So I don’t regret adopting her or taking her with me when I moved, but I wouldn’t have chosen to have a dog while living on my own.[/ul][/li]There were also good things that happened in 2009, but when I think about my professional and personal situations – two pretty big aspects of my life – neither one is of my choosing. I’ve come to terms with the breakup fallout: I’m renting the nicest townhouse I’ve ever lived in, the dog and I are doing well, and I’m even starting to think about dating again. The job situation will be harder to fix, because less of that is in my control, but I check Indeed.com and Craigslist most weekdays and I apply for any job that sounds good and is closer to home. In the meantime, I try to think of ways to improve my current job duties, and I constantly remind myself of how lucky I am to even have a job.

47

I’m basically shooting the moon at this point, hanging on to see what surprises I have in store for me. Either the job I talked myself into in the spring will turn out to be an amazing and wonderful career move, or I’ll fizzle out and be bitter. But I was bitter anyway, and as I keep telling people who work with/around me, a year ago, I was very angry and very stressed out. Now I’m just very stressed out, and that’s an incredible improvement.

A key feature of 2009 was that, for a company boy who’s always aware of which managers I need to impress, I did an amazing thing: I existed from April until early December without an actual line manager. HR was really getting bent out of shape about it. I basically went to the various programs that were using the work products of the team I’ve started managing, and told them to give me charge numbers; how else can I be expected to answer for my team?

“But groo,” you might say, “how will your managers fight for your raises and promotions if you don’t actually have a manager?” This is where I veer off into teh crazy: much like Angelina Jolie at the end of Life or Something Like It, I “died” in April, so anything that comes out of this venture is pure gravy. I am free from worrying about ever being promoted again, because I no longer care! I’m just going to try to get this new gig up and running, just because it is big and challenging.

It’s reinvigorated me, though at the cost of some added stress.

48

2009 started dismally but ended very well.

Work: Starting this year, I’m positioned to take charge of a new workflow process, establishing protocol, supervising day-to-day stuff, etc. After a depressing year of layoffs, no bonuses, no raises, and some rate decreases, we hope it will add to our cost-cutting efforts. It’s exciting, and the entire thing will be good for me in many ways.

Personal: I broke up with my long-term live-in boyfriend. I realized he needed more help getting his shit together than I could give him, and that he could not be helped until he helped himself first. Breaking up seems to have provided the kick in the pants he needed, as he’s back home and finally doing the things he meant to do years ago.

Just prior to the breakup, I met a smart, funny, sweet, nerdy guy. We’ve been dating for six months now. (I didn’t break up with the ex to date him, but it played out looking that way.) So far, so good-- he’s a great mix of the qualities I like, the qualities I need, and a lack of the qualities that did me wrong in the past. We had a terrific NYE date to see Sherlock Holmes. Best New Year’s midnight kiss ever.

Money: I’m still recovering from supporting the ex. My debt isn’t out of control, but it’s beyond my comfort level, and my savings could use some help. I’ll spend most of 2010 getting into better financial shape.

All-around health: I am much better now. Breaking up with the ex is what turned it around. I absolutely needed to come home to a quiet, undemanding environment. With him gone, my stress level goes down the minute I walk in the door. My apartment’s clean. I get things done. I’ve ditched bad habits and reinvested myself in old hobbies. I’m watching my diet.

I hardly recognize my life from a year ago.

I’m hopeful this good stuff will continue through 2010.

49

It’s been a year of ups and downs.

My father was in the hospital 3 times. He has several chronic illnesses. Some if it would probably improve if he would change his diet and try different things but he’s very set in his ways and not willing to try. It’s difficult but we’re trying to make him as happy and comfortable as possible.

We nearly lost the house and family business due to financial difficulties but we are in the process of selling some property. That will go a long way to help us and give us some breathing room while I finish school.

I made it through one of the most difficult semesters I’ve had so far and I survived a stressful and frustrating clinical rotation. I’m very proud of how I was able to turn things around.

I lost 20 pounds and, while it is still a work in progress, I’m pleased with the results.

So while there were difficulties this past year, I am happy to say we survived it. I’m looking forward to 2010, graduating in May, embarking on a new career and making a new life for myself. Heck, I may even start dating again.

50

muffled voice emanating from piles of student loans

That’s a hell of a story.

51

wow fuked up year i wuz really bad wit my addictions really bad in my 15 yearz of fightin it i never totalled my car i never ended up in da hospital or ever been arrested 2x in 2 weeks ya c im massivly bipolar n been self medicatin myself since i wuz 12 wit watever i like my downers newayz i became a dick a liar jus mad fuked up i hated it n im still battlin but iv been clean 4 bout 2weeks cold turkey suckeddd so now im left wit my bipolarness n dats scary i wanta use everyday but i keep tellin myself i more day im good so 2weeks is nuttin compared 2 15 yearz but shit its a start rite :confused:

52

We appreciate new guests here, but since this is my thread I’ll go ahead and tell you… WTF? We don’t talk like that here- look around you. Do you see other people writing like you do? It would be hard to say we fight ignorance if we wrote like ignorant people. Please go back to youtube comments or wherever you’re from, or learn to write like you have some semblance of a brain.

53

House repairs. Really, that was the dominant theme of the year. Between December 2008 and now, we’ve…

  • Gotten new siding
  • Replaced our old baseboard heating system with a forced air HVAC
  • Replaced the floors in six of the seven first-floor rooms
  • Repaired damage to walls & ceilings from a washing machine leak
  • Completely redone the kitchen, downstairs bathroom, and an office

…in addition to minor stuff like getting a new water heater, miscellaneous electrical work, having a shed removed, etc. It’s great having all the improvements, but it meant that, with the exception of a two month hiatus in the summer, we’ve been having more or less constant repair work done on the house for 14 months, and it’s been driving me crazy. And I’m closer to meaning that in a literal sense than I would like. Fortunately, it’s done… for now…