I typically do a "Year in Review" for the conclusion of each passing New Year's. I was crazy busy writing the last book so I have not been blogging, BUT better late than never.
So 2012 in review.
1. I spent 6 weeks in Hawaii. It was warm, but I don't feel like it is my type of place. Not enough going on. Which for some people is PERFECT. No hustle. No fast paced life. Just a warm place where people smoke a whole lot of pot, eat lots of fish, and drink a lot of Maui Brewing Company beer. I enjoyed Hawaii, but when my time was up there I was ready to get back to the mainland.
2. I gave up my apartment on the UES. I had been in the same building for 4 years. I was used to it, but in the end I simply couldn't afford to live there any longer. In all honesty I should have moved out a long time before I did. I was holding on to the place for a few reasons, but I think mostly because I liked the continuity it provided. It was a bedrock in my life. I miss that apartment. I miss its location. I do not miss the crosstown bus waking me up 3 times a night or cabs honking their horns at all hours. Give and take I suppose.
3. I began a new job. I started working at a running store on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has, by all means, been a very positive influence on my life. When I worked for that name-less, soul-less, heart-less, corporation the goal was to put as much money in my pocket as possible. No matter how much ass you had to kiss, no matter how many pointless (waste of time) conference calls you had to sit on, no matter how terrible you felt each morning about walking into a cubicle......it was all about moving up a ladder standing on the wobbly foundation of stock prices and investor sentiment.
The running store is a tad different. I am surrounded by people who are driven, but not toward money. They have passions. Goals. They work harder (some at work, some not so much at work) toward those goals than anyone I knew when I was at the huge corporation. Because as nice as money is (I'm not anti-making a ton of money by any stretch) there is more. Much more to life.
I have lost over 30 pounds, rediscovered the enjoyment that is a great run, and met people who inspire me to achieve my goals.
On the flip side, I do sell shoes for a living, but fuck it. You take the good with the bad.
4. Yet another friend got married. (That whole story is another book)
5. I did not get married yet again.
6. I did not travel outside the US. Disappointed about that. I want to see more of the world.
7. I published My Sober Year in January. Seems like such a long time ago now. It is my greatest achievement to date. I set a goal and I accomplished it. It has not sold a ton of copies, but those who have read it seem to have enjoyed it for what it is, a story about change. I think it is a pretty easy concept to embrace and I hope I told it in a way people can relate.
8. I have had the opportunity to spend more time with my little sister. I'm not what you might call "good with little kids" (she is 5) so it has been an experience, but it has been nice to get to know her. I'm glad I'm not just her big brother who she saw once every three months.
9. The people who matter most in your life are the people who stick with you when you need their help.
10. Forrest Hills in Queens was a nice little place to live for a few months. I mean, not amazing, but a nice little spot.
11. I'm not even going to get into my relationships/love life. That's a fucking book right there. I think the title would be: How Exactly Does One Go About Life Like This?
12. I trained for the NYC Marathon. That went well. And then there was the whole Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy thing. So that didn't quite go so well. The anger and outrage by people who wanted to have the marathon cancelled was horrible. Truly the worst in human spirit. Threatening to harm people running a race. I was disgusted by the hate I saw.
At least I met some great people and I have some running buddies. Always nice to not have to run alone. In Central Park. At night.
13. Started a beer Company with two of my best friends. We were at a beer festival. We have t-shirts. We make great beer. We are a work in progress. It is sort of cool to own a beer company. I like beer. Park City Brewing Co. Makers of Wild Birch Ale. Coming (hopefully) soon to a pub near you.
14. I met my boy the Shoe Elf. That is very noteworthy. He is my running coach. We plan on taking over the running world. And by that I mean I am training to place top 25 in a half marathon. All about having goals.
15. I voted for Obama. I couldn't bring myself to vote for a man who made a living chasing capital at the expense of the little guy. A guy who "donated" his money to a church that's sole priority is expanding membership in order to produce more revenue. Also, I'm glad the election is over. I am pretty much over all the crap I see on Facebook about how one candidate is so horrible. Had Romney been elected would the world be a worse place? I'm not sure. I didn't vote for him for a reason, but we are still standing after 8 years of Bush, I'm sure we could have managed 4 years of Romney.
16. I saw The Gaslight Anthem three nights in a row in November. Those were three of the top ten nights of 2012. One of the other nights was this summer when I saw them (the best show I have ever been to), got so sweaty I took my shirt off and walked around the East Village shirtless. What a great band.
17. I cut my hair. All of it. I think I'll stick with the aerodynamic look in 2013.
18. I got an iPhone.
19. I did not dunk a basketball.
20. I went to the Indy 500.
21. Someone adopted a Panda for me. I happen to really like pandas.
22. I think I found some balance.
2012 was an interesting year. I did a lot. I experienced a lot. I learned. I think I grew. (and I shrank a bit too)
Cheers to 2013!
So 2012 in review.
1. I spent 6 weeks in Hawaii. It was warm, but I don't feel like it is my type of place. Not enough going on. Which for some people is PERFECT. No hustle. No fast paced life. Just a warm place where people smoke a whole lot of pot, eat lots of fish, and drink a lot of Maui Brewing Company beer. I enjoyed Hawaii, but when my time was up there I was ready to get back to the mainland.
2. I gave up my apartment on the UES. I had been in the same building for 4 years. I was used to it, but in the end I simply couldn't afford to live there any longer. In all honesty I should have moved out a long time before I did. I was holding on to the place for a few reasons, but I think mostly because I liked the continuity it provided. It was a bedrock in my life. I miss that apartment. I miss its location. I do not miss the crosstown bus waking me up 3 times a night or cabs honking their horns at all hours. Give and take I suppose.
3. I began a new job. I started working at a running store on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has, by all means, been a very positive influence on my life. When I worked for that name-less, soul-less, heart-less, corporation the goal was to put as much money in my pocket as possible. No matter how much ass you had to kiss, no matter how many pointless (waste of time) conference calls you had to sit on, no matter how terrible you felt each morning about walking into a cubicle......it was all about moving up a ladder standing on the wobbly foundation of stock prices and investor sentiment.
The running store is a tad different. I am surrounded by people who are driven, but not toward money. They have passions. Goals. They work harder (some at work, some not so much at work) toward those goals than anyone I knew when I was at the huge corporation. Because as nice as money is (I'm not anti-making a ton of money by any stretch) there is more. Much more to life.
I have lost over 30 pounds, rediscovered the enjoyment that is a great run, and met people who inspire me to achieve my goals.
On the flip side, I do sell shoes for a living, but fuck it. You take the good with the bad.
4. Yet another friend got married. (That whole story is another book)
5. I did not get married yet again.
6. I did not travel outside the US. Disappointed about that. I want to see more of the world.
7. I published My Sober Year in January. Seems like such a long time ago now. It is my greatest achievement to date. I set a goal and I accomplished it. It has not sold a ton of copies, but those who have read it seem to have enjoyed it for what it is, a story about change. I think it is a pretty easy concept to embrace and I hope I told it in a way people can relate.
8. I have had the opportunity to spend more time with my little sister. I'm not what you might call "good with little kids" (she is 5) so it has been an experience, but it has been nice to get to know her. I'm glad I'm not just her big brother who she saw once every three months.
9. The people who matter most in your life are the people who stick with you when you need their help.
10. Forrest Hills in Queens was a nice little place to live for a few months. I mean, not amazing, but a nice little spot.
11. I'm not even going to get into my relationships/love life. That's a fucking book right there. I think the title would be: How Exactly Does One Go About Life Like This?
12. I trained for the NYC Marathon. That went well. And then there was the whole Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy thing. So that didn't quite go so well. The anger and outrage by people who wanted to have the marathon cancelled was horrible. Truly the worst in human spirit. Threatening to harm people running a race. I was disgusted by the hate I saw.
At least I met some great people and I have some running buddies. Always nice to not have to run alone. In Central Park. At night.
13. Started a beer Company with two of my best friends. We were at a beer festival. We have t-shirts. We make great beer. We are a work in progress. It is sort of cool to own a beer company. I like beer. Park City Brewing Co. Makers of Wild Birch Ale. Coming (hopefully) soon to a pub near you.
14. I met my boy the Shoe Elf. That is very noteworthy. He is my running coach. We plan on taking over the running world. And by that I mean I am training to place top 25 in a half marathon. All about having goals.
15. I voted for Obama. I couldn't bring myself to vote for a man who made a living chasing capital at the expense of the little guy. A guy who "donated" his money to a church that's sole priority is expanding membership in order to produce more revenue. Also, I'm glad the election is over. I am pretty much over all the crap I see on Facebook about how one candidate is so horrible. Had Romney been elected would the world be a worse place? I'm not sure. I didn't vote for him for a reason, but we are still standing after 8 years of Bush, I'm sure we could have managed 4 years of Romney.
16. I saw The Gaslight Anthem three nights in a row in November. Those were three of the top ten nights of 2012. One of the other nights was this summer when I saw them (the best show I have ever been to), got so sweaty I took my shirt off and walked around the East Village shirtless. What a great band.
17. I cut my hair. All of it. I think I'll stick with the aerodynamic look in 2013.
18. I got an iPhone.
19. I did not dunk a basketball.
20. I went to the Indy 500.
21. Someone adopted a Panda for me. I happen to really like pandas.
22. I think I found some balance.
2012 was an interesting year. I did a lot. I experienced a lot. I learned. I think I grew. (and I shrank a bit too)
Cheers to 2013!
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