Yeah, I know it's a little early for this thread, but I got ta thinking today, twas a pretty great year

continue to be really happy with my career, including taking a new job in May with a few guys I'd worked with at 3 different companies since '07. about to go full time for that company this month.

paid off a ton of debt i accumulated over the recession and the previous 2 failed ventures.

had my 5 year anniversary with punchmonk

my daughter continues to grow into a great kid, and found out we have another girl on the way

officially took over ownership of tww and excited about its chances for 2011



my 2009

Quote :

"spent the first 3 months of the year trying to breathe life into a company, mostly without pay. ended up leaving and it went bankrupt the next week. all in all, lost about 6 months of pay and almost lost my house spent the next 2 months looking for a job. finally got one and have been pretty happy here family is all healthy and there's a lot to look forward to in 2010 "

my 2008

Quote :

" my wife gave birth to our first child lost 2 jobs and about $10k in backpay all in all, it was a pretty excellent year"

2009
2008
2007
2006
2005


[Edited on November 22, 2010 at 4:54 PM. Reason : past years]

11/22/2010 4:43:21 PM

post the link to the 2008 and 2009 threads. I'd like to go back and see what I had to say about them as well before beginning to think about my 2010.

11/22/2010 4:52:16 PM

my cat died very suddenly & very unexpectedly in may

1 year wedding anniversary with Fumbler in june

my grandmother died in august

my nephew turned 1 last week

got lyme disease & found out i had a latent RMSF infection. good & bad thing. good bc it answered my question of wtf was wrong w/ my joints for the last couple of years. bad for obvious reasons.

lots of stressful times at work, bad luck, etc. i really hope next year is better, although i know much much worse could have happened.

11/22/2010 4:52:37 PM

got engaged

received 3 out of 4 interviews for schools I applied to

was denied for 1 school and wait-listed for 2...

got the last spot at UAB

quit my job (YAY)

moved to Bama

had a major breakthrough with my dad

beginning to find out what is causing my night terrors and excessive sleepiness


I'm excited for what 2011 will hold... but can't wait until 2012

11/22/2010 5:06:14 PM

pretty good


I got engaged as well
got another degree
got a job at a vet clinic (hopefully 2011 will have me applying to vet school)
had many a good times with my friends and family
got back into disc golf
good times!

11/22/2010 5:12:16 PM

Wife got hit by a car while jogging in our neighborhood in February, but she had a much faster than predicted recovery from her broken talus and is doing well now.

I, too, had my 5 year anniversary with my wife on April 2.

I completed a half-ironman triathlon in May

Company that I work for is connected to the real estate industry so of course the recession has hit us hard, but we have discovered some new revenue streams and as the economy recovers, we will likely be much better off than before.

We have been able to develop some great friendships throughout the year and have seen how awesome people can be when you need the help (throughout the ankle incident).

And the best part of the year was that we took custody of two little boys and we will hopefully be able to complete their adoption sometime next year.

Overall, a great year.



[Edited on November 22, 2010 at 5:23 PM. Reason : d]

11/22/2010 5:12:22 PM

Quote :

"we took custody of two little boys and we will hopefully be able to complete their adoption sometime next year"

awesome. how old?

11/22/2010 5:19:38 PM

Thx for sharing, qntmfred. Sounds like a pretty good year, indeed. I'm excited for your 2011 post.

Job: Still there, still writing. Great perks. Fun projects.
Also picked up a side job as a Spinning instructor, which gives me a bit more personal satisfaction. Am working on a couple of startup ventures with friends. One friend just bought a gym and I'm managing a portion of the business in my free time. Currently writing a business plan for another venture and meeting with a prospective investor next week. B+

Love: Nonexistent. Neither good nor bad. I'm okay with that. Unfortunately, not sure I'll have the time for a relationship for a while. C

Friends: They rock. Thank God for them. They keep me sane. Oh, but we had to have an intervention for one because she had a serious substance abuse problem ... that was pretty stressful. She went to rehab, thank God. B+

Family: They rock. They're cray cray, but they're great people. Had a granddad die, but it was a blessing. B+

Random highlights: Went to Costa Rica with gfs, went to the Bahamas twice with friends, paid off my car, landed an interview with a pretty awesome company (scheduled for next week, so 2011 could have even more good news), appointed to the role of Area Governor in Toastmasters International, completed one marathon and one 1/2-marathon, moved in with a good friend and saved about $700 per month



So, my 2009 was ok. I scored it higher at the time, but 2010 was actually better. Here's 2009:

Quote :

"A+ for love: Got out of a bad relationship. Enjoyed my freedom. A+ for friends: Went on 3 vacations (San Diego/LA, Vegas and Austin) with my closest friends A+ for job: Didn't lose it. Got a raise. Got awards. Still look forward to going to work every day. C for family: Awesome bro and sis-in-law. Parents are a basket case. Lots of ill family members. I have no complaints. Obviously, there's always room to grow. I'm looking forward to 2010. Trips to Cancun and the Bahamas in the near future."

[Edited on November 22, 2010 at 5:24 PM. Reason : g]

11/22/2010 5:20:52 PM

^^ Brothers age 6 and 4. Currently fostering them.

11/22/2010 5:23:05 PM

could be better, could be worse


i still have about a month for it to round itself out with a bang (hinthint, karma :kiss

11/22/2010 5:31:04 PM

-got a job beginning of 2010
-sister got married
-dog died
-paid off all debt
-got new debt after visiting vegas
-enjoyed a lot of other vacations with my friends
-love life good, relationships not so great

11/22/2010 6:17:02 PM

[Edited on November 22, 2010 at 6:19 PM. Reason : delayed double post]

11/22/2010 6:18:04 PM

got married and I still have a good job

I'd say it was a pretty good year

11/22/2010 6:48:43 PM

You people still have a month to live through. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

11/22/2010 7:06:35 PM

It looks like I unintentionally took a few years off from these threads between under grad (graduated 06) & grad school (started 09). I'll make up for that by writing a lot this time


2006

Quote :

"This year I graduated with a philosophy degree, moved to a nicer area, got a full time job, got notice that I'll be published in the URJ, met alot of new people, made alot of new friends, got a digital camera, may yet get a new car & a wii within the year"

(I did end up getting that car & wii)

2009

Quote :

"This year I got married, got into grad school in Public Administration, organized a very successful community pet food drive during a recession, finished a three year run at my first full time job, did some traveling, worked on a winning mayoral campaign as the volunteer coordinator which was a step up for me from just doing campaign internships to having a real position/responsibilities, and I have just finished my first semester in grad school with straight A's"

(that pet food drive that I started up/created in 08 & did organized again in 09 became an annual thing for the vet clinic even after I left, just as I'd hoped it would)

2010
Grad school is going well.

I did a summer internship for my graduate program with the mayor’s office from the campaign I had worked on in the previous year. Got to learn a lot about the inner workings of local government which was important for me since I'm studying Public Administration. I got to meet a lot of new people, and complete some interesting projects. I even got to design our presentation to a delegation from Kosovo from a region that has experienced war & ethnic violence who were here studying the mechanics of effective & democratic government at the municipal level. I helped on the effort to get keys to the city to some local guys who rescued a jogger as she was being kidnapped. And then there was little stuff like helping constituents figure out bus schedules, or trash pick up, or where they could find a copy of their birth certificate, or relaying a thought/concern to the mayor or scheduling a meeting with him. There was lots of minor stuff like that, but it felt good to help.

At this point my next to last semester is nearing its end and I’m on track to keep up the good grades. I’ve already signed up for my classes next semester and am excited about those since I was finally at the point where I had electives so that I could specialize in the areas I wanted a little bit. I'm also using it to take more classes with some of the best professors in the program. I'm taking Program Evaluation with the same professor I have for a class this semester where I've been doing some consulting work with the local United Way. And I'm taking Negotiation and Contract design with the same professor I had my Human Resources class with. I'm also taking a Non-Profit management course. I've had a few that deal with managing in the public sector, but I wanted to broaden my range by getting some more non-profit related courses in there beyond just grant-writing.

I’m already applying for jobs. Based on the salary ranges I’ll be making a little more a month than I used to before grad school, even factoring in the new student loan payments. Or so I hope. If I post in the 2011 version of this thread, hopefully one of the things I’ll say is that I got a job with decent pay and that I’m still enjoying it. The big thing grad school is doing for me is opening up the possibility of career advancement over time, since I was kind of dead ended before. I'm hoping I'll end up in a public sector management position at the municipal level (or position that could lead to management down the line), or in a non-profit either as a program director, volunteer coordinator, or some kind of issue advocacy position. Or something dealing with animals or animal welfare, either in the public or non-profit sector.

The biggest stress factor on my horizon is my Comprehensive Exams. Although I’ll do most of my studying in December, I’ll actually be taking them in early January, so whether I passed or not can go into next year’s thread too. I’m still happily married, my pets are in good health, and I’m looking forward to the holiday gatherings with friends and family.

11/22/2010 7:23:14 PM

bullet points are your friend

11/22/2010 7:42:40 PM

what is with all the other years' threads being 2 pages?


This year was fine up until August/September

- had a great friend stay as a roommate
- celebrated 1 year marriage anniversary
- took multiple road trips out west to see Colorado
- decided to move to Colorado, wife went out first to plant roots
- job stayed constant/stable and $$$
- was able to slowly pay off debts

... August
- dog had to be put down
- family celebrated our marriage at the beach

... September
- wife's grandfather passed away
- wife passed away
- friend moved out
- November has been a blur


I just want this year to hurry up and end.

11/22/2010 7:55:00 PM

--Finished my 2L year of Law School and began my 3L year.
--Started a fantastic internship, where I really enjoy my job.
--Celebrated my first anniversary with my husband.
--Got a new niece in January. Didn't think I could love a child that much. Can't wait to have one of my own!
--Took my Grandmother to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for her 70th Birthday.

Good year, but really looking forward to what 2011 may hold for us.

11/22/2010 8:07:50 PM

Quote :

"bullet points are your friend"

Didn't meant to overwhelm anyone. The details are mostly for my benefit when I look back in a few years.

Cliff Notes version:
-Grad school & job search are going well
-Family, friends, & pets are well

11/22/2010 8:26:09 PM

Job: Job is going well, got a promotion due to getting my MS degree, and its going well. B

Love: Well, I was engaged but now I'm not. Kinda going through a lot of drama with the ex at the moment, but hopefully that'll die down soon. I did learn a lot about relationships though, plus I lived with a SO for the first time ever, so that was a learning experience. I know now how to handle things a bit better, and have a clearer definition of what I want out of a relationship, and what I would like in a partner. So while the end of my engagement has just happened, and for most people that would be an "F", I'm going to mark it a "C", due to everything I learned from this relationship. C

Friends: I don't have many, but they are awesome. They properly bitch-slapped me with some info immediately following my breakup with my ex-fiancee that I really needed to hear. This information has been instrumental in me deciding that I need to be a more social person instead of the reclusive person that I have been. They have helped me lots through rough times this year. A

Family: I love my family. They're strange, and have their own special brand of crazy, but they're blood, and they always have my back. Also, my biological mother and I have started writing letters back and forth, and are in the process of repairing that relationship. I am happy about that. A

Random highlights: Got my first M.S. degree, which is awesome. I've learned a lot about life, which is great and I'm working on being debt free. Had some awesome times in Oregon checking out the scenery, its pretty out there, I think I would like it except for the rain. I'll probably go back b/c I wanna do some hiking/etc around Mt Hood. Living in a townhouse & area of town that I just really like.

11/22/2010 8:28:45 PM

i'll use a modified format from last year

Money: B last year's 5% paycut was ended but no raise. At least I'm back to where I was when I first started. Had to buy a new car which sucked. Quit spending money on the house though, aside from the mortgage.

Career: B In general work is pretty boring but tolerable. I don't dread going to work everyday and get along with my co-workers. I feel like I'm being groomed for a major position change in the coming year, so we'll say what I have to say about it next year at this time.

Family: B This was a mixed bag. My grandmother passed away in February and I missed the funeral due to business travel. On the other hand, a new niece was born. My parents are in good health, I wish I got to see them more than major holidays.

Social life/Friends: D- No real friends to speak of anymore. Pretty much every one I used to hang out with has gotten married and/or moved away. Weekends are spent pittling around the house and running errands. I've lost interest my old hobbies and its hard to meet people these days.

Love/Sex: F - non existant. Didn't even go a single date. Forever alone.

Overall, that's a 2.0, so it was average I guess.

11/22/2010 8:36:04 PM

goods
-finally graduated college
-bought a new car that i love
-visited ireland
-visited vegas
-started "nest egg"

bads
-roommate died
-another friend died
-dog got lyme
-didnt get an advancement that i really wanted

11/22/2010 9:00:36 PM

Money: C -- making more, but spending more, saving nothing
Career: B -- got a promotion, but still waiting for that next good thing to come along
Sex: D -- only 2 more notches, not a good showing
Love: D -- a formerly promising relationship ended early this year, nothing since then

Things took a dip from last year using the scale from last year -- but I feel like I did a lot more cool and different stuff than previous years (which is also where all the money went). So I'm adding another category and calling it...

Fun: A

11/22/2010 9:06:07 PM

Great year!

This year has been Silas's first year off of isolation and medication since his thymus transplant back in 2008. He's just blossoming.

Made some phenomenal friends.

My husband has made a job transfer to Greenville and I stayed behind in Raleigh to finish up my son's therapy and evaluation for preschool services. While it sucks being here alone, I'm looking forward to following him to Greenville in the new year. (Greenville is my hometown with family and old friends there.)

We're pregnant with baby #2!

11/22/2010 9:07:58 PM

Money: C, Financially things are kind of dim. I make enough to ALMOST support myself but unfortunately I can't say that I am 100% independent yet and at 25 that's a tough thing to deal with

Career: B-, I got a new job in August to get me out of the mundane office position I was working before. The longer I'm in the company the more I realize I want something different but it's at least getting me good experience in agriculture, a little more pay, and I DID just get a small promotion. I also get along with my coworkers which is a big plus

Family: A, My grandmother passed away in January, she was the last of my biological grandparents but she went peacefully. In all, while my family is a little crazy, my parents and close relatives are healthy and doing well so no complaints there.

Social Life: C, A close friend of mine killed himself the same day my grandmother died and the loss of him is something I am still dealing with. A lot of my friends have moved away so there are times when I feel really lonely in Raleigh. The inevitable has happened where I have grown apart from many of the mutual friends my ex and I shared so that has taken some getting used to. I've got my boyfriend and a few friends left here in Raleigh, it's just been a big adjustment and I really miss everyone. The older I've gotten the more difficult it's been to build new relationships but I guess that's just how it goes...? *sigh*

Love Life: A, I met Matt last October and we started dating in January and things just clicked from day one. He's great and for some reason I feel like I'm the one trying to sabotage the relationship by just being an asshole sometimes. I love him and I know he loves me so I just need to let it ride.

Health: B-, Over the course of the year I have managed to gain about 20 lbs. I'm slowly losing it and getting back to where I was a year and a half ago. The process would just be so much nicer if instant gratification and weight loss went hand in hand, but it feels great to finally see some hard-earned progress

11/22/2010 9:47:29 PM

I like Chop's format so Ill use his/hers.

Money: B+ I should be making more than I am right now based on my experience, skills, and degree, but I work for a small (but growing!) company so Im not stressing it. Im able to live comfortably, save some money, and still have fun so pretty satisfied.

Career: B+ I was promoted in Feb and will be receiving another promotion in the next few weeks so Im ecstatic about that. Like I mentioned above, the company is small but revenue is doubling just about every year (just hit the 10 million mark) so Im very excited about the future of the company and I hope to grow and become successful with it. I think if I stick around and deal with the lower pay eventually it will pay off when the company becomes big.

Family: B My parents moved down from Va Beach to Cary in Feb so it's been great seeing them every Sunday. They are getting old and it helps alot when they are so close and need my help. Visited alot of my extended family and re-connected with the some younger ones as well. Hopefully we can keep in touch into the future. On a sad note...my dog of 15 years died back in August and left a huge hole in my life. It's still hard to come home and not see him come to the door.

Social life/Friends: B+ great friends including some very close ones. Unfortunately with my job I dont have alot of time to spend with them. I feel like Im getting so old these days...I cant even stay awake for a night on the town. They stick with me though and are always there for me and Im very thankful for that.

Love/Sex: A Same gf for more than two years now and Im seriously considering taking the next step and proposing. I can definitely see myself spending the rest of my life with her. For you guys that I play COD with...she says hi, haha.

Overall a very good year. Im very excited about my career in the coming year and where it will take me. Life is good.

Most exciting moment: spent two weeks in India and had an amazing time!

[Edited on November 22, 2010 at 10:02 PM. Reason : a]

11/22/2010 9:59:16 PM

-Uncle died
-Got a new job and a huge pay increase
-Family relationships remain strained as ever. I just can't deal with some people anymore.
-Haven't made many new friends, but got to know some people better
-Got a new car
-Took a great trip to San Diego
-Went to DC for Rally to Restore Sanity

Overall it was a 6/10 year. My uncle's death really threw me and the rest of the family for a loop.

11/22/2010 10:01:11 PM

Overall, I'd say it was an A

-Worked really hard this past year, and got a lot of experience, made a lot of contacts, and accomplished a lot of goals in NY. B

-Broke up with my now ex. Kind of sucked at first, but it's for the best. Thinking back on the whole thing, I can clearly see now that the relationship was destined down a road that would have left me miserable. B

-Got laid off from that job. F

-4 days after receiving notice of my layoff, I found another job with the same company. They just ended up transferring me. This new job moved me to an area that I love being in, moved me closer to family and friends, the job itself is LEAGUES better than my old one, and I ended up getting paid much more. A++++

-Bought a new car. Love it. A

-I'm quickly realizing that I have much less free time to enjoy myself these days. It's not all bad, as my time is consumed being productive. Still... I guess if you have time, you ain't got no money. If you have money, you ain't got no time. B-

-Now, I'm really in a position to make huge positive gains, very quickly. I just have to stay focused and determined.

11/22/2010 10:04:57 PM

went to the philippines, korea, and seattle for the first time
made it back to japan for the first time since i was a kid
long weekends in new york, savannah, and charleston
picked up some property downtown which has turned out to be a great project
streamlined my business and got rid of an employee that i'd known for years but who had turned into a major liability
put another company in charge, now i really don't have to worry about it at all - quality of life is up considerably
went back to college to battle calculus again
hosted a friend's wedding and had a great time
kicked the hell out of the stock market. topped everyone at work except the cfo.

11/22/2010 10:09:05 PM

engaged, masters, job, met ddd


2011 needs more retirement.


[Edited on November 22, 2010 at 10:24 PM. Reason : ]

11/22/2010 10:10:04 PM

Money: A- Have a good job and got a sizable raise. Had some unexpected expenses come up, including a new HVAC system and water heater. Got a roommate though so it helps to cushion the blow. Would like to purchase a new car but will probably just ride the wheels off of the current one.

Career: B In the same field that I've been in, but don't feel like I'm learning or progressing my career as much as I would like. Have a goal to make that a much more important part of the projects I take on this coming year.

Family: A My immediate family is great. Have a great relationship with my brother and parents. Family gets along great with my fiance. My grandfather passed away, but I definitely think it was for the best as he didn't have a great quality of life anymore.

Social life/Friends: A Have a great group of friends that has become a mix of HS friends, college friends and their significant others. We don't hang out as much as we should, but still manage to get together once or twice a week. Also went to California and Germany/Switzerland. Hope to continue traveling well into the future.

Love/Sex: A+ Got engaged to my girlfriend in June. She's awesome.

11/22/2010 10:27:36 PM

^^

11/22/2010 10:33:55 PM

Got accepted into Army JAG

Graduated law school

Took & passed the NC bar exam

No more studying/exams for me

11/22/2010 11:01:34 PM

Spirituality: A Not where I am wanting to be b/c I am still a bit lazy at times but I love how I've grown this year in my Faith. I hope to continue to do so. A

Family: A I love my family and they were super supportive of me in every aspect of my life when I made some big decisions. A

Friends: I love my best friends, but they are all in N.C. so I miss them alot... I like the friend's I've made here but it will just take time. Plus now that I am older making friends seems harder when you are new. People are more set in their ways and people i find are more selfish. Doing things on their time and when its convenient to them. B

Love: Nonexistent. More bad than good, I would like to finally meet the one and hoping that person is out there somewhere...but I rather wait then deal with bs. C

Job: I still love my field. I didn't get a job with the organization so i renewed my contract. I don't want to stay with it though if I had the option. the money is WAY not there, its non-profit. I also realized after a year that non-profit is NO different that for profit life. So I may as well try to get more money out of it. C-

Other: Well move to the city of my dreams and I did buy a Condo but i didn't loose the weight that I wanted to although I was on the right track till i suffered a bad gym injury and haven't been in the gym in 3 months. I hope to return to ocean water swimming and to my gym. B+

So looks like overall: B



[Edited on November 23, 2010 at 12:12 AM. Reason : l]

11/23/2010 12:11:21 AM

i swear i posted in the 08 and 09 threads but i guess i didn't cause, my posts weren't in there haha. maybe i read them and thought about posting or something

anyway

2010: markedly better than 2009 but not fantastic. i guess i'd give it a C+/B-.

graduated from law school on time after losing a semester (in 2009) - yay

my mom didn't die again, so that was a plus - yay

my grandmother did die -

had a couple of friends die -

failed the bar exam (least of my worries though) -

went to vietnam/hong kong/china = BIG YAY

ran my first 1/2 marathon and raised over $3000 for the leukemia and lymphoma society. that felt good.

my dad might have prostate cancer - negative. big time. why do we always find this shit out around the holidays? so over it.


family = C- (i have felt alone all year. cut off from my mom's side without my mom and grandmother. cut off from my dad's side because...well i don't know why, i prob did that to myself because i am angry with them. don't get along well with dad. etc)
friends = C+/B-
job = well i don't have one in my field, but for what i have, i like it, so B
love = B
other = B-

basically some good shit happened, some bad shit happened. just like every other year. i think i was just still feeling the aftershock of 2009 a lot this year, so that brought me down. so looking forward to 2011 for sheezy.

11/23/2010 1:02:44 AM

i would say shitty to moderately shitty

11/23/2010 1:32:51 AM

2010, the year of the new job! It's going very well. I've been able to put a ton of money into my 401k, my work stress level is significantly lower, the potential for growth and advancement is much higher, and I work with a much higher caliber of person. I don't know why I waited until this time last year to quit my old job.

- I'm relatively debt free (student loans don't count).

- I'm in the best shape I've been in since about 2000. I've done a couple of sprint triathlons, and I'm training for a half Ironman. Weight has gone from around 215 at the beginning of this year to about 190 now.

- Family is all doing well. Dad has been out of work for over a year, but he's looking at a couple of different possibilities including a start up business with some other engineers from his old job, a return to NC to take what would have been his old boss's job, and the seminary (which is completely crazy in my book, but hey, whatever).

On the other hand:

- Still single, which is really neither good nor bad. There's potential for something to develop though, so who knows how the year will end.

- I still haven't won the lottery. This is frustrating given my stated goal of "falling ass backwards into a huge pile of money."

- Still renting. The plan is to buy something, either a townhouse or house within the next 3 years. Shouldn't be difficult, but in retrospect I've wasted at least 6 years of renting when I should have bought a property.

11/23/2010 4:43:36 AM

Money: B+ My financial situation is steadily improving each year. I'm planning on buying my first home in June.

Career: A- Got a new position within my company with a nice increase. Eventually I'll hit a glass ceiling within my company (with just a bachelors degree), but until then, I'm going to keep pushing the envelope.

Family: A I'm going to be an Uncle soon! My brother and his wife are having a child and they have chosen not to know the gender until birth. My dad has been cancer free for years now, after being diagnosed with melanoma, and my mom is doing great as usual. Ever since my brother, sister, and I left home, our relationships with each other and my parents have really grown.

Social life/Friends: C+ After college, it's funny how quickly your group of friends shrink nearly as fast as it grew when you entered college. Same applies to me. People move away, get married, and start lives elsewhere. So this area of my life needs improvement. I have made new friends at work, through mutual friends, and through dating. However, since I'm a social person by nature, this is the one area of my life where I will never be truly satisfied.

Love/Sex: B- I have dated a lot of nice people this year, and have made some friends too, but so far no one that really draws me in.

11/23/2010 8:10:36 AM

Money: C I guess I could list this as higher as I'm not completely broke but this has ended up being a very expensive year. It took me longer than expected to rent out my condo and then the HVAC unit broke on it in September so I'm busy paying that off.

Career: B+ Still working; got another promotion in July. Company is still holding tight with money in the economy but I'm hoping we'll get good raises in 2011. People need drugs - what can I say? Also, I got to go to Vienna, Austria for work plus some other cool work trips.

Family: A- My mother is still bat shit crazy, my dad is still awesome and my brother is now a cop What's nice is that I've gained an even larger family in the year of dating my boyfriend. His family seriously rocks. It's been wonderful having them around.

Social Life/Friends: A my friends are awesome. I know I don't get to see people as often as they like but the ones that understand are patient and realize that I have some other outside things that prevent me from seeing people as much as I like. Made some new friends and became better friends with some acquaintances from last year.

Health: C- What it should be is a big fat frustrating F but I'm alive and that's got to count for something. Doctors thought they finally found out what's been wrong with me for all these years to only now be stumped (again). I start the next round of testing next month.

Love: A+ My boyfriend and I moved in together in April and things are going quite fantastically. I couldn't be happier. We celebrated our one year anniversary in August.

[Edited on November 23, 2010 at 8:44 AM. Reason : add]

11/23/2010 8:43:37 AM

2008

Quote :

"worst year that i can remember. here's to 2009. I am thankful for 2 things 1. the carolina panthers 2. the new lady friend i met over thanksgiving. hopefully a good december will preface a great 2009."

2009

Quote :

"LOL. Both of those things fizzled out in January of 2009. 2009 has been a pretty decent year for me though. No love interest but that really wasn't what i was looking for. Had a good summer, spent a lot of time at the beach and lake. Didn't really take a big vacation, but I hope to in 2010. Overall 2009 was a 7/10"

2010
This has been another pretty good year. I can't believe how fast the time has flown by this year. It seems like Summer was a complete blur.

Career: I'm still at my same job, and that's just it right now, a job. With the recession my wages froze. I still make decent money, but i'm underpaid for my position and it's really hard to give 100% knowing that. But then again for the most part it's low-stress and i'm able to leave it behind when 5:30 hits each day. I'm satisfied that i'm allowed to enjoy the lifestyle I do with it. C+

Money: This is what sucks, I thought this year would be the year I bought a house. But after wage freezes and a lot of research I learned that I really do not make enough to support myself and own a home. The last thing I want to do is become house poor and a slave to a mortgage. So that kind of put me into a funk for awhile realizing that. I hate renting, and most of my friends are paired up with significant others so my roommate pool is low. I'm just going to bide my time for a few more months and see if I get a raise in the first quarter. Other than that i'm spending a lot, saving a little, and enjoying what I can. B-

Friends: I had one of my really close friends get married this year which was a lot of fun. his wife is really fun and fit in very easily with our core group. I got to take an amazing trip to Ireland with three of my closest friends which was a great bonding experience and just an amazing time overall. But my best friend and I aren't as close as we used to be since he started dating his girl around this time last year so it's been tough. I'm doing my best to get over that and embrace it but it's hard at times. I didn't make it up to Raleigh as much as I like but thankfully with TWW and facebook and stuff I get to keep up with what's going on with my close friends there which is nice. B+

Family: No complaints here. Everyone is healthy and happy. My niece and nephew are growing fast and things are steady. A

Social: As said I had a great vacation to Ireland and also got to see Philadelphia and NYC this year too. I spent a lot of time at the lake, but did not get to see the ocean this year. Hopefully that changes next year. Had a lot of group nights out uptown and at the bar, a couple weekend trips to different races and cities around, and quite a few concerts and festivals have kept me active. A couple friends and I started a weekly tradition of going out for pints at the Flying Saucer every Wednesday night to complain about work and women and just hang out for a couple hours. As mundane as it may sound it's usually the highlight of my week and it's where i met my current lady friend. B+

Sex/Love: no real relationships this year, although one is blooming but it's still too early to tell. Had a few wild one nighters and some quick trists to keep me satisfied on that end. As for a relationship it's been quite a while since i've really wanted one. After getting burned in a few i'm usually pretty guarded but i've been spending a lot of time lately with someone and it's early but I like the direction it's going. Still just going to take my time with it, enjoy her company and see how it develops. Here's to hoping I can look back on this next year and smile. B-

11/23/2010 8:46:26 AM

2010: overall A

School/Professional: B+, did well in all my pre-requisites for nursing at NC Central and Durham Tech (all As), but had to repeat some expired classes. I start my bridge courses in January. Plans haven't changed to get my RN license by early 2013. Still working part-time as a lab tech in my old job. I'm handling the whole full-time school/part time work thing well.

Money: A- Of course I'd like more, but as a college student working part-time, I have enough to cover tuition, living expenses, health insurance and other stuff I want to do. Bf is picking up the living standard slack a bit.
I have no debt besides student loans from NC State- we even had enough for a used pickup truck.

Love: A Boyfriend and I will celebrate 3 years together in March. Family is starting to badger us about getting married.

Health/Athletics- B+ I got Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in July this year, but I recovered in time to do a metric century bike ride a few weeks later, even though I spent two weeks barely eating and vomiting. I didn't get down to my goal weight, but I still cut half an hour off the Olympic-distance triathlon I did this year. I picked up yoga and spin classes again, and tennis. I'm aiming to complete a half-Ironman in the spring next year.

Hobbies: A+ Chickens are laying, garden is still producing, my friend got another Walking Horse so we
can trail ride now, and quilt is coming along.

Community: B+ I'm still doing outreach with the bike co-op. We moved to a bigger, new space after a lot of internal drama and are now thriving. I'm planning on doing some sustainable agriculture with another group next year.

11/23/2010 9:13:56 AM

I'll just have you know that eraser is going to cry himself to sleep tonight.

11/23/2010 9:54:17 AM

Overall a good year: got married and my brother got engaged

Less exciting: first year living in Jersey/NYC area, gave up on mathematics as my career (still don't know what to do), published a math book, bought a new car.

11/23/2010 10:18:55 AM

Health: Got into a car accident in February that busted me up pretty bad. The silver lining in that was it made me really appreciative of all the things I could do when I healed, and when I was able I decided I was going to get in really good shape.

Money: Because of the wreck, this year has been a huge drain on my savings. I have still added nicely to my 401K, but in terms of liquid money I'm definitely well under where I was at the start of the year. Sucks, but I am working on turning that around.

Job: I still like the place I work and what I do. Small frustrations are mounting, but nothing that makes me hate coming to work. There has been talk of lifting the salary freeze we were put on in 2008, but it hasn't happened yet. Would start entertaining other options, but I decided this year that I do want to change industries. However I have no clue what industry I actually want to change to. So I feel a little stuck there, and that's annoying. I am starting to get some ideas, though.

Love: Started dating my boyfriend in January, official in February, moved in together in October. Really happy in that respect.

Family: Parents' health is on the decline. That is hard to deal with but even more frustrating because they don't do a lot to be proactive about things. Brother found out his wife was expecting their second child and everyone was excited, but she unfortunately had a miscarriage. Otherwise things are pretty much the same.

Social life: I have found a better balance of scheduling things with other people and saving enough time to take care of myself and relax. Last year I had something social scheduled pretty much every day, and that wore me out. This year I am still very social, but not to the point that it makes me crazy. Met a lot of good people too.

Misc: Got two cute kittens, so now have three cats with very different personalities that I love. Foster kitty died a few months back, which was very sad, but also he was extremely old and it was nice to know I gave him a happy place to live. Have a great new car. Love the townhouse I am living in now and am extremely glad to be done with my old apartment. Took some pretty great weekend trips.

A lot of bad things have happened this year, but I think overall I am happier with myself and the big picture of my life than I was in 2009. So averaging events with outlook, I'd give the year a B.

11/23/2010 10:22:36 AM

I realize that there are definitely people here who've had a lot worse things happen to them, and that I should be grateful to be alive, have a decent paying job, and a warm pillow to lay my head on...and believe me, I am.

But if there's a God in Heaven, I don't want to have another year like this ever.

11/23/2010 10:41:53 AM

My year started pretty high (a vacation in Saipan will do that ) but so far it's ending pretty shitty

11/23/2010 11:29:29 AM

Good:
------
-Great first year with the wife!
-Awesome belated honeymoon in Costa Rica that ended in January
-Had an awesome 1year anniversary vacation in Asheville
-My band released our 3rd album to awesome reviews and much better sales than our previous 2
-Bought our first house and got the $8000 credit
-Started playing soccer again for the first time in 7 years
-Wife got a job

Bad:
------
-Been a little rocky lately at work as far as new project awards go
-Dad's mom got diagnosed with cancer
-My wife's job is contract so no paid vacation so we haven't done much traveling this year like we wanted

Overall a pretty awesome year though.

11/23/2010 11:54:16 AM

Quote :

"engaged, masters, job, met Pecky 2011 needs more retirement. "

Nu uh.

11/23/2010 12:11:13 PM

I was gonna say, that was a pretty well-placed use of script. gg

11/23/2010 12:14:30 PM

Social: B+: I had a bunch of friends, lost all of then gained a bunch more. These things seem to happen and I'm fine with that. My great friends stick around.

Health: A: I have been kicking old habits that I formed over the years and picking up solid constructive hobbies. I'm really happy to see where I am going now.

Relationships: C: I have had several hookups this year, dated one or tow but nothing really amounted to anything. I am trying to avoid women for a while and build myself more.

Job: good solid steady job that let's me appreciate my hobbies and social life and leaves me stress free.

This year o have focused on doing tasks that I thought were previously impossible. I have become very introspective. I make sure that I make the most of my time here. Compared to last year I hav come a long way. So I'd say this year has been a great one and I'm excited for the next.

11/23/2010 12:57:17 PM