This is a tradition we have, right? Focus: 2012: How was it for you? What were your highs and lows? Alt-focus: What's your outlook for 2013, if you survive the apocalypse? What are you hoping will happen or will change?
The high? I spent 4 months living abroad. That one thing I had wanted to do and was worried I'd never be able to do without fucking up my career. The low? Well, going to Boston, sorta. But the real low is how much I let that particular misadventure get me down.
Highs: Bali, baby. Lows: Starting over and student loans. I survived the apocalypse (again), so I'm looking forward to finishing school in 2013, finding my way to Oz, and continuing to lose some of the pizza fat that has plagued me.
High: Early this month I found out that I'll be getting promoted into the bank’s fraud department. I’ll still be sitting on a lot of education, but the new position will lead to greater opportunity. Low: Reached a boiling point with a childhood friend. I do value a good friend, but I feel like I’m outgrowing this one and don’t know where things will go in the future. 2013: I want to get back to my French studies and try to become fluent. I’m also setting up an elaborate/aggressive financial plan to come out with a significant savings this year.
My year was overwhelmingly average. Really, the only thing of note that happened was that I started working at Planned Parenthood - that's basically what defines the year. No big adventures, no big changes (either good or bad), overall nothing really happened. Because of this, I would consider it bad. But, what was much worse was that there were a ton of times throughout the year where I got the feeling like "This is it. [Fill in the blank] is finally happening." And I'd be teased with the idea of something great about to happen and then it either fell through or ended really negatively. This happened maybe twenty times with career-related things (not an exaggeration - it may even be an underestimate), a couple times with boy stuff, and a few other various moments. There were a few good things littered throughout the year and some things that I'm proud of (mostly writing-related), and I wouldn't go so far as saying that I dislike how my life is going. I'm just not very happy with it. Boredom and disappointment are my two least favorite feelings ever, so, good riddance to 2012, I say. New Year's is my favorite holiday because, no matter what, I always feel really optimistic and hopeful about the upcoming year. This is especially so about 2013. First, 13 is a very lucky number in my family. So, obviously that means something. But, on a serious note, this whole year has felt like trying to get an old car going - that time when it chugs and lurches forward and then rolls back a little, then chugs and lurches forward before rolling back again. I think it's finally going to just start fucking driving next year.
High: is how I spent most of my year. But seriously I've lost 50 lbs this year most of it in the last 3-4 months so fuck yeah. Low: Gotta say ending my four year relationship, though it really needed to happen with me wanting a family and her hating my best friend and wanting to ride her roommate.
Highs: - Big raise in February - Engaged in May As far as lows are concerned, nothing happened to me that wouldn't just be considered a first world problem, so 2012 was pretty good. 2013 will hopefully be the same.
High: getting my masters and embarking on a new career. Low: more health issues related to Cushings 2013: looking forward to passing the NCE, getting my LPC-I credential, and starting a limited part time private practice. Also, I'm turning 50 next month. Gadzooks!
Focus: 2012: How was it for you? What were your highs and lows? Highs: Started dancing lessons and I'm loving it, got my BJJ blue belt and my game is starting to look decent, Master's progressed well, and finally started working on a paleo blog and instructional videos in French with good results so far. Low: Getting separated with the wife in January. The defining moment of 2012 for me, and it's still a struggle to get over it. At least I don't cry by myself when I'm alone as much as I used to. It beats all the highs put together. Alt-focus: What's your outlook for 2013, if you survive the apocalypse? What are you hoping will happen or will change? It can't really be worse than 2012, so I'm optimistic. I really hope I can start investing in real estate. It will depend on the parents' will to help me, since the scholarships I have don't count towards getting a loan from the bank.
Highs: New job that I love, girlfriend moved in, sister was cancer free. Lows: Cousin got murdered, Dog died
2012 Highs: -Getting engaged -Being the best man in my best friend's wedding -Losing 60 pounds -Getting strong again -Big raise and new bonus structure -Going to Asia -Going to Vegas Lows: -Going to Vegas as an engaged 29 year old and not a single 21 year old. -Blowing three years worth of cash savings on the ring and trips (not just the two listed) Things could have been worse 2013 Besides the wedding it's probably going to be pretty stagnant, I blew most of my cash savings this year and we want to save up for a house so we'll probably do a lot of knitting or some other boring bullshit.
Focus: 2012: How was it for you? What were your highs and lows? 2012 was a pretty big snoozer for me . . . which, is actually a high. I'm old, so "excitement" usually is a tragedy of some kind. Business was down a bit, so that's a low. Are we just doing our highs and lows? Because if this is the TiB yearbook, I'm throwing these out: High: Watching the construction and final display of Roxanne's Halloween costume. Low: Disappearance of NettDaddy, locked in DCC's basement somewhere.
Lows: Nearly leaving law school, finding a summer internship for 2013, had a falling out with a close friend and realized that another close friend is a semi-racist douche and that we really have little to base our friendship around other than proximity. Highs: Traveled to Vegas, went to MotoGP in Monterrey, found a new best friend, began dating a fantastic new girl, became better friends with my dad, and eliminated many of the distractions in my life.
High - Reaching a mutual truce with family members - Girlfriend is recovering from a number of things - Five mostly good years of employment with the same company. This is coming a long way from being an overall fuck up - Finally taking a proactive approach to cleaning up my credit and seeing real, positive results - Losing 50 lbs. Low - No advancement and nothing in the near future - Still in the same shitty apartment with the same shitty car 2013 is going to be interesting. I've realized that the nonprofit world isn't for me. There's a lot of talk about passion and love, but the same ruthlessness exists. In other words, they go beyond paying you as little as they possibly can and expect you to work for nothing. Then they're insulted when you won't do it. Fuck you. Pay me. Additionally, the for-profit world views a lot of nonprofit employees as Bush League, and for a number of good reasons that would fill up the internet with explanations. If I stay in the nonprofit world for too much longer I'll be so entrenched in nonprofs that this will be my only option. So, I'm reviewing my search and refining my values. I'm networking with for-profit industry colleagues and I'm moving in a good direction. I work in outer ring of a very strong industry. I just need to move a little closer to center.
Low: My best friend commited suicide. I don't know all of his reasoning for doing so but part of it had to be related to his struggles with the lifestyle we were both leading. High: Clean and sober nine months as of on Dec. 11. Also quit smoking a month ago. Other lows: - This year was fucked. I literally began the year by assaulting a former friend when he wouldn't give me a ride. Made it home and woke up several hours later to the police at my door. Fortunately the assault wasnt serious and left the door open to qualify for "Alternative Measures", a type of second chance program that allowed me to escape the charge without a record. - Early November brought a diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma for a friend, which has since been upgraded to stage 4, spreading to his lungs and liver. We went cross country skiing the other day (he was only one session deep into kemo, and feeling good in general) and it was good to talk. Other highs: - I came to the brink of losing my job, but getting clean, hard work and an understanding boss have helped to secure it again. - My close friends got married. They have been together for nearly a decade and it was a wonderful wedding in a beautiful place. - I went overseas for the first time. My mom and I did a tour of the UK and Ireland. It was awesome. Not sure: - Even though I've been clean over nine months, and I rarely think about using anymore, I am still standoffish and afraid of sharing at my NA meeting. Don't have a sponsor either. I know changing these things are necessary to continuing my recovery. - There's a new woman in my life whom I'm really into, but there are some red flags associated with her that I'm afraid to share with my therapist. Hoping for more good things in 2013, especially my friend's cancer going into remission.
2012 Lows: I gotta say, 2012 really didn't have any lows. Business was slow I guess. 2012 Highs: Moved in with the GF and that's going really well. People say I seem happier and less negative. All my friends like her and she gets along with them. So yeah... lot of my highs are tied into her which leads too... 2013: I think I'm gonna pop the question on our anniversary. I'm also starting a new career at the first of the year which should be more money, more experience and more opportunity for growth. 2013 will either be huge or an absolute bust if she says "No" and I hate the new job.
Lows: Not too many to be honest -Moved out of a great apartment I'd shared with 3 of my best friends for the last 3 years. Just kind of the end of an era. -Lot of professional stress and frustration that had me questioning myself far more than necessary. -Money was really tight at times Highs: -Graduated in November with my MBA with honors. Something I didn't think I'd do by this stage in life, and not with the academic success I had while doing it. -Despite looking for a new job, got a promotion and raise and some nice accolades at work. -Through the aforementioned lows, figured out alot about myself and matured alot in the process. -Overall just set myself up really well for 2013. 2013: -Find a new job. For the first time in my professional life, I'm in a strong place with both experience and credentials and now its just a matter of finding a position that interests and challenges me for hopefully a semi-long term period. I'm also excited to get paid comfortably and somewhat fairly for my skillset for the first time in my professional life. -Buy a place. My current apartment is amazing, I really love it. But my roommate situation is less than ideal and if it carries on for more than our current lease, I feel our friendship, which is strained at times, may be damaged. Couple that with my dad mentioning he's looking and willing to go in on a place with me makes it a pretty logical time and also would allow me to get a nice place than I'd be able to afford on just my own at this point. -Pick up a new hobby/play more music. I have a lot more freetime now that I don't have class and schoolwork, so I want to task myself with making better use of it. I'm thinking of cooking more seriously, maybe taking some classes. Additionally, I have a bunch of awesome music gear I need to become more proficient with, so its time to get motivated and inspired.