So, how was your 2014 and what are your hopes for 2015?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
41

Good memory!

Yes, sadly, it feel through.

3 phone interviews with enthused management saying I was just the writer they needed, they flew me down to Tampa to meet the team, have some small interview stuff, and take a 2 product writing sample.

Called me the next day and say it didn’t work out. It was my first interview since last July, and had none since. That was also something bad in 2014, hundreds of unanswered job applications and the only one that went anywhere was taken away from me at the last minute.

42

What sort of writing do you do?

43

2014 was a very stressful year. I was unemployed almost the entire year. Finally started a new job at the end of October.

44

Oh, hey, the day after I posted litany of 2014 losses, our newly adopted dog died. So 2014 managed to slip another one in under the wire before departing.

45

Copywriting/Marketing/Public Relations writing. So far it’s been mostly blog articles, social media stuff, press releases, and news articles. Then it shifted to retail headlines and email headlines, I also have a lot of documentation and manual writing.

Right now I do retail headlines and company emails and I was going from my contract job now, to a full-time one…but that’s the one that fell through.

Oh no, this just happened now? I’m so sorry…

46

I’m hoping 2015 is a bit quieter year.

2012 is when my grandfather died.

2013 saw the birth of my daughter, me graduating college, and staring a big person job.

2014 saw us moving from California to Boston so I could go to graduate school. I’m still adjusting to New England. My wife likes her new job, and they actually pay her really good money. My daughter is growing like a weed. Too fast, really. Was the move worth it? I honestly don’t know yet. Grad school is like, really hard. Hopefully I can hack it. If not, I guess I’ll look for another job.

So yeah, hopefully this year is a bit calmer. Although I won’t complain if something big but amazing happens. Our New Year’s Resolutions have been things like get better at meal planning, do things as a family more, etc.

47

Well, in January my beloved dog had to be put down due to old age (honestly we should have done it earlier but didn’t want to go through the holidays without her). In February a dear, close family friend, and mother of one of my son’s best friends lost a long battle with cancer. In April my Dad passed away after slowly deteriorating from Parkinson’s for the last few years.

Fortunately things got better as the year progressed. We got a new Puppy, I got to spend time with family I don’t see often, I reconnected with my childhood best friend, I lost 30 lbs and am getting back in shape. The kids are all doing well in school and life in general.

I guess in the end it was kind of a wash… just normal life I believe.

48

I think it has been a pretty kick-ass year for me.

I threw out the first pitch at a major league baseball game, which was like a dream-come-true for me. Wound up on the kiss-cam at a hockey game. We moved to a really awesome new apartment. I had a couple of significant successes at work, which led to a promotion and a not-insignificant raise. I’ve made some tremendous new friends this year. And I got to go on an Alaskan cruise, which was amazing.

Really, this year feels like it can’t be topped in a lot of ways, but the only way to find out is to try to out-do it, right?

49

Wow, that’s fantastic! I’m so happy for you. (And maybe a smidge jealous, what with Doper Crushes and all).

My best efforts to either get a new job or be rewarded in the way I think I should be at my current job have failed this year, which stinks. But it hasn’t been a bad year. Trudging along, you know?

Oh! Welcome to Boston. We hardly ever have Dopefests, but we talk about them from time to time. :smiley:

50

I’m sorry for those of you who had bad health, major family losses, or otherwise awful 2014s and hope that 2015 is better.

My 2014 was good from a career perspective, even though there have been ups and downs! I did get a job that is very close to a dream job. I enjoy what I do and feel it can have value in the world.

For 2015, it’s time to start dating again. And a little more money won’t hurt, so I’m looking into secondary jobs I can take on to help make the buy-a-house fund bigger.

51

Thanks! I was honestly surprised by how nice people are out here…unless they’re in a vehicle. The moment they get inside they decide to throw out any sanity and human decency and do whatever the fuck they want. Seriously. Worst drivers in the world.

It got to the point where I looked up the MA vehicle code because I thought that maybe I was wrong and out here people making a left don’t need to yield the right of way to someone going straight. No, they’re supposed to. They just don’t. And then they get mad at you if you have the audacity to go when you’re light’s green.

And don’t get me started on the idiocy that was registering my car…

Ahem. I mean, thank you for the welcome.

52

2014 started with my father in hospital; it’s ending with him in hospital.

53

Heh. I’ve lived just outside of Boston for a year and a half now and I love everything about it except the damn drivers. People who would rush so they could open the door for you will cut you off without a second thought. People who take pride in being from the most educated state in the nation will stupidly turn across three lanes of traffic without a signal without even thinking about it.

Otherwise this is a pretty awesome place to live.

54

I used to be an auto insurance adjuster and I die a little inside every time I drive. My next big purchase is a dash cam.

There’s an intersection getting onto the 90 by Washington that my wife and I have dubbed the “3rd world country” intersection because it just doesn’t make any sense and you see that kind of stuff on videos where the title’s something like, “Look how crazy these drivers are!”

55

Well, last spring we got to take a trip to Alaska, which was incredible and amazing and beautiful and all that kind of stuff. My husband has been talking about moving there ever since. I’m less sure…maybe we should see what it’s like in the winter before we move a jillion miles away? But it was a great vacation.

Also last spring, we learned that my seventeen year old son had knocked up his sixteen year old girlfriend. That really cast a cloud over life for a while. A few months later, my boy got a fast-food job and dropped out of high school…well, sort of. He is now taking some accelerated on-line course to get his diploma and attending a few classes in meatspace as well. We loaned him money to buy a car, which he is slowly paying back. Speaking of money, he receives some benefits from Social Security and now that he is eighteen, they go directly to him. Scary, but as far as I know, he’s trying to put his life back on track and I hope he does.

The child was born in November and there’s nothing wrong with him except that they named him Midas. Could have been worse, maybe it will grow on us.
My son pretty much lives with baby-mama and her family now. I’m not sure that’s for the best, but I’m glad he wants to parent his kid.

My girl-child lost some scholarship money and she gained some, seems to have broken just about even. She works fast food, makes good grades in college, helps around the house, she’s great. But she doesn’t have friends or romantic relationships…never* has* had, really…and she’s not very happy. That’s gotta change.

In November, I had to put one of my cats down (kidney disease). It was really really hard…and that’s all I have to say about that.

So! 2015. In the spring my husband and I are supposed to travel to Europe for the first time. I am terrified. Once we’ve been and seen it and gotten back home, that’ll be great and I’ll be glad we got to go.

Next summer, the girl-child will get to spend a semester in Spain. I am BEYOND TERRIFIED. But maybe she will be safe and love it and it will be the most amazing experience of her life. Pardon me while I breathe into this paper bag for a moment.

Anyway, life was not boring in 2014 and it won’t be boring in 2015 either. Let’s all hang in there like the poster kitty.

56

My husband spent a semester abroad in Salamanca when we were in college, and he lived to tell the tale, as did all of his colleagues. It was a very positive experience for him. He even went to Pamplona and got pick-pocketed, but miraculously got his wallet back (sans cash, of course.)

Incidentally that was the first three months of our relationship, long-distance. So maybe your daughter will come home madly in love. :smiley:

57

Thanks Spice Weasel! If a genie gave me just one wish, it would be that this trip goes well for her.

58

i’m nineteen days late with this reply but I still feel that 2015 has just started and with the eleven months ahead of us a lot can happen. I am claiming that 2015 will be a year for change - change for the better.

2014 was ‘come what may’ for me. 2015 is going to be different. I’m setting goals that I want to achieve before this year ends so that by December, I will be able to assess myself. Included are: health (that has always been first), family, career and friends.

59

While not my worst year ever, 2014 was very challenging and more than anything, frustrating.

Good:

My younger son got married to a girl he’s crazy about.

I rode out a huge operational excellence (translation - mass lay offs) initiative at my place of employment. I’m still working.

I was given an Irish Setter pup by a young couple who couldn’t handle him. He’s a handful all right, but we’re making progress. He’s a beauty and will be such a good dog when I’ve fully trained him.

I found a nice roommate who helps around the house and pays his share of the bills regularly and on time.
Bad:

I took a gamble on a low-paying job in 2013 after I’d lost my job in 2012. It was sold to me as a job with tons of opportunity and the company had a great track record of promoting from within. Unfortunately, I had no sooner gotten on board with this company than they had a wage freeze and later, lay offs. Now I’m stuck in a low-paying job with no future.

I had to get a roommate to enable me to keep my house with my reduced income.

My only real friend locally was transferred out of the country. I haven’t found anyone to take her place.
2015 isn’t starting out well. My son who was married last year and his wife are pregnant. 26 weeks along. She is presently in the hospital where they have tried for a week to stop her early contractions, with very little success. It appears my grandson is joining the world early. I am waiting for the phone call that they’ve taken her to the labor room. We had hoped baby would at least make it to 28 weeks. We’re all 3 pretty terrified right now.

In addition, I was just informed that there will be no raises or promotions again this year at my job. Older workers are not in demand anywhere, no matter what their experience, but it looks like I’ll have to try job searching anyway.

My hopes for 2015? Obviously I’m hoping my grandson makes it into the world with a fighting chance to survive. And that there are no lasting ill effects from being a preemie. I’m also hoping that I’ll find a better job and find a new BFF and maybe, finally, a really nice guy who likes dogs. I’ve gotten awfully tired of kissing all those frogs while searching for that prince. lol

60

2014 was ok tired of economic stagnation but there were signs of recovery. Personally not a lot happened, sort of a holding pattern.

Strangely in 2015 so far I’m most happy about lower gas prices. I’m now filling my tank for $30 rather than $50, and that little extra money makes me pretty damn happy. I think the lower gas prices will help kick-start the economy, I just hope they last for a while.