I hesitate a little to use the word “transformative” but I’ll put it out there in describing 2008 from a personal perspective. There’s just a whole lot that happened:
- My move to Dallas took hold over the course of the year. After three months of non-stop flying around the country during the period I first relocated from Atlanta, I finally settled down and got to spend some time in Dallas. I threw myself in and worked hard at making myself at home here. I think I’ve succeeded. I now consider Dallas my primary home and I feel good and happy about that. I’m starting to branch out a make friends in a few different social circles now and that’s even better.
- I started blogging, and this year and I estimate that I’ve written something between 80,000 – 100,000 words here at Two Home Towns. That’s a very rough estimate, but I was up to 40,000 or so words by the end of March and I did a whole lot of posting after that. I’m pretty sure that’s a short novel’s worth of writing, which got me to thinking… What else might I write?
- I traveled to Mexico, Thailand, The Netherlands, the US Virgin Islands, San Francisco, the Muir Woods, Napa Valley, Pike’s Peak and plenty of other places besides. This year it was not all business, but a fair amount of pleasure too. I took a couple of days off in Bangkok and the Netherlands that were particularly cool, but the trips out west were entirely for me and they were the most fun.
- I went on a few adventures including some altogether new activities for me and also some old ones that I’ve enjoyed before. White water rafting, kayaking, mountain climbing, bicycling, hiking and camping. It was a very active and outdoorsy sort of year.
- I started dating again after being “off the market” for over two years. In the process I got to spend time with two really special women, one of whom I learned an awful lot from. Making the most of life every day is not something I’m sure I ever witnessed before having that relationship. I won’t deny it – the end of that relationship was a huge disappointment, but I am very grateful that we had the time that we did. I came out of those six months a different and better person and that’s no exaggeration. Despite the disappointment I feel confident that an even better is in store for me sometime in the future.
- I got some very special “dad time” with my little girl this year. We started 2008 with her visiting me in Dallas and doing some neat touristy stuff here and in Fort Worth. We went hiking in Cloudland Canyon in north Georgia, on a long field trip with her fourth grade class in south Georgia, a two week vacation at the beach in South Carolina, a couple of home games at Georgia Tech and a bunch of other smaller activities. It’s hard to beat being a dad to such a great little ten year old.
- I became much more physically active. Whether it’s been recreational stuff like hiking and biking or just plain working out, I’ve pushed myself way harder than ever before and found that I greatly enjoy it. It was truly a breakthrough – frankly opening up a whole new look on life. I’ve lost about 6-7 pounds now (I figure I’m “halfway there” at this point) and I have every intention of finishing 2009 in much better shape than I’m starting it. And the process is going to be fun and rewarding, which is really cool.
- At a time when a tragically large number of people have lost their jobs, I’ve been given the opportunity to show what more I can do for my employer and win a promotion. It’s a big investment of trust on their part and I feel both humbled and honored. Despite the uncertainty that we all continue to face in today’s times I should and do feel thankful for where I find myself professionally at the start of the New Year.
So…. I can’t look back on all of that and think of it as being anything other than a really full and positive year.
Here’s to an even better one in 2009!
