Finished my master’s degree
Got a job that uses that degree
Moved from TN to OH
I’m sure there was likely more, but those are the big events that stand out.
Let’s see:
Another year went by without my wife and I having an argument;
We got our first new car;
I started playing the guitar and bass again in earnest, and have recorded about a dozen multitrack demos, and learned some more recording engineering skills, and got some of my chops back;
My new supervisor at work, who has more experience at his job than anyone previously in the position, recognizes my talent (at last!) and we have laid the groundwork for some of the things I’m going to accomplish there next year;
Maybe this matters to no one else, but I’m finally about halfway through building the database of my record collection, with over 12,000 entries. I can’t really share my love of recordkeeping and documentation with anybody, but it impresses the heck outta me!
Speaking of mundane and pointless, I have indeed survived 2004. Now to survive 2005 
-
Embarked on a new “career” writing book reviews for an online literary journal (I don’t get paid, but I get lots of free books).
-
Wrote two hobbit murder mysteries. I never wrote a mystery story before.
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After considering the idea for the better part of the past year, I finally had my cable TV disconnected since I wasn’t watching anything but old movies anyway. We’ll see how I get along on buying/renting DVDs alone.
- moved into my own place without financial ruin (yet)
- completed and published my first book
- learned to use a sewing machine successfully
That’s about it. This year was a very trying one and though the calendar’s changed over, it’s not getting much easier. I’m hoping this spring will be better than the last one.
I accomplished a few work-related things, but they were so banal and obscure that most of them are not even worth mentioning here. Judging by response, the most useful was launching a monthly newsletter for our local field personnel. I’ve gotten a fair few compliments for that and next to no negative response.
Major planned accomplishments for the coming year will be a web site for some of my street photography, if I manage to get myself sufficiently motivated, and paying down my credit card balances a bit further.
Sheesh, I’m turning into an old fart.
I got more than halfway through finishing my Associates Degree.
I Realized I can make it in my own place, rather than my parents household.
I received a glowing yearly review from my employer.
I stopped being a teenager.
I became a big brother for the 7th time.
I took my first road trips that were not whole-family trips. My brothers tagged along, although one trip was a birthday gift from them, but I had to drive anyway.
I had two letters-to-the-editor published. They aren’t the first though. I’ve been getting them published since I was 13. In real, Big Papers!
Ah. Quite a year this was. I:
-Conquored Scotland
-Conquored Germany
-Conquored the Low Counties
-Conquored Poland
-Poised my mighty hoards to conquer England and France (they’ll be on next year’s list)
-Lost ten pounds (conquest is great exercise).
I passed an actuarial exam (Number 4 out of 9).
Those who know what they’re like will understand, one pass doth a year make.
- Came out of the closet (I have mentioned that before, right?)
- In just four months and at the age of 33, managed to make all the mistakes and poor choices in dating that “normal” people figure out over the course of years and in their teens or early 20’s.
- Learned to program for Macromedia Flash.
- Learned to despise Macromedia Flash.
- Helped finish a videogame.
- Got a new job title and a new position at my company that I’ve been working to get ever since I graduated college.
- Lost 40 pounds.
- Finally got over a prolonged, debilitating crush and actually managed to get a healthy, solid friendship out of it.
- Made several new friends, a couple of whom I now consider to be my best friends.
- Moved to the city.
- Paid off all my debts except rent and utilities.
- Met a bunch of Dopers in real life.
- Met a great guy who, for some reason, wants to be my boyfriend and still wants that even after getting to know me.
Upgraded from 98 to XP Pro
Gained a few stray kitties, lost a few
Registered to vote and did so
Continued to be the most perfect Daddy ever imagined-according to my daughter 
Two nights ago, I listened to William Shatner singing “Mr Tambourine Man” and within the space of 5 minutes I heard firetrucks racing to a apartment building in a nearby apartment complex. The building burned.
Coincidence?
:eek:
Forgot to Add:
[ul]
[li]Modeled in a Midwestern Sports Chain Store Advertisement Twice.[/li][li]Don’t be too caught up with the thought that I’m an UberModel and Gucking Forgeous. I know the photographer.[/li][li]It was possibly one of the shittiest pictures of me. But she photoshopped my thighes …Woooo Hooooo![/li][/ul]
Clearly, you are not trying hard enough!
I ran and finished a 10K trail run in Pt. Reyes. Not very impressive for a runner-type, but I am definitely not built for running.
Camped in Yosemite for the first time, and hiked oh so close (about 2 miles shy) to the top of Half Dome, before running out of water and heading back to camp. Hopefully this spring we’ll head back (with our new water filter) and I’ll make it to the top.
Hiked The DipSea Trail (round trip) with my husband and friends.
I finally accepted the fact that I have asthma, and after obtaining an inhaler, found myself with a lot more stamina to do activities that would have otherwise wiped me out. I signed up for an American Lung Association bicycle ride, and ended up doing a total of 55 miles.
I learned American Sign Language (and aced the class.) 
- Had a major heart attack in February.
- Started cardio-rehab in March.
- Have lost 40 pounds, and now exercise for at least 6 hours each week.
- Managed to have a grandchild in the making (hey, I’m proud!)
- Came out of retirement and took a part-time job after I realized how much I like having goals…and need them.
- Finished my plant shelters.
- Completed my album of 1500 pictures of a genus of plants and posted the best on a website devoted to them.
- Performed the marriage ceremony for my niece and her husband.
- Started doing community volunteer/animal rescue.
- Quit bemoaning the Niner’s football team’s performance - maybe the hardest thing on this list according to my wife.
Congratulations Freddy. I do know what they’re like. Are you doing any more in 2005?
[ul]
[li] Had a perfect, all-HD semester[/li][li] Studied full-time at one university and part-time at another during that semester[/li][li] Completed my first independent research project, in spare time[/li][li] Was invited to the 17[sup]th[/sup] International Forensic Science Symposium to present said research[/li][li] Obtained scholarships to pay for my trip to NZ :D[/li][li] Submitted my research to the Journal of Forensic Identification; article was accepted! 
[/li][li] Lectured classes for my first time, whilst the regular teacher was away finishing his PhD[/li][li] Tutored a very hardworking but not-so-chemically-adept student to get a distinction in Intro Chem class (third time is a charm!) - I think I’m most proud of this.[/li][li] Won an award for academic performance[/li][li] Voted onto the Australia/New Zealand Forensic Science Society local chapter committee[/li][li] Chosen as an international student ambassador for Canberra [/li][li] Started my bid for permanent residency[/li][li] Learned how to kick ass with the Dutch in Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots! :D[/li][/ul]
… damn, it has been a good year!
- Joined and graduated Americorps NCCC.
- Visited every major city in the Northeast, including Boston, NYC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and D.C.
- Won 5 rounds of pool against a Columbian and four Frenchmen. Viva la Montreal!
- Participated in the Women’s Rights March in D.C. and a demonstration against police brutality in Philly.
- Met Salem, Biqu, and many NYC Dopers, including Billdo, Cheesesteak, Oxymoron, and Zebra.
- Had a better time than perhaps is legal in New Orleans.
- Didn’t get arrested once!!!
- Joined Red Cross Disaster Relief in Florida.
- Went ice-skating in Central Park on Halloween night.
- Drank moonshine in a dive honky-tonk with Cajuns. Happy birthday to me!
#1. Got sober.
#2. Got a good job.
#3. Got a new place to live
#4. Bought (my first) brand new car.
Slee