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Amazingly, it's almost that time for new calendars. I thought I'd start a thread for us to look back over the past year. This is the place to share highlights from either our own experiences or world events that impacted us in some way. Sharing lowlights is ok...I guess. If you want to add what you're looking forward to in 2025, feel free to throw that in too.

Highlights
For me, the highlight was moving back to my home state and making a major step forward in my aviation operations career. I recently completed my new-hire probationary period and somehow managed to get glowing reviews. That means that now, instead of just ensuring compliance with security procedures, I also get to write the policy and procedures that were never properly codified or are in need of extensive revision. It'll be a challenge, but it's nice to feel like I'm contributing something rather than showing up and punching a clock as in past jobs.

Lowlights
Soon after I moved, I had to step up and take over most of my Mom's affairs due to her health. It's been a lot of work. I estimate that between work and her stuff, I'm putting in 14 ~ 16 hours a day, six days a week. I get to spend more time with her, so that's a good thing, and I can't imagine not working hard to make sure she gets the care she needs. The weight of the workload is heavy, but not one that I'd describe as a burden. I just wish it hadn't happened so soon and that the transition was easier. It is evidence of God's Grace that I was able to land a good job nearby just in time, though.


2025
It's hard for me to look ahead to 2025 with any sort of plans. So much of the past six months had been "maintenance mode" that trips, goals, etc are on hold. Nonetheless, the fight must be pressed and press the fight I shall.

ShyFlyer wrote:I thought I'd start a thread for us to look back over the past year. This is the place to share highlights from either our own experiences or world events that impacted us in some way. Sharing lowlights is ok...I guess.

Kinda hard to believe two prominent members of NAS passed, and in the same year (Zak and Mark).



I know I've posted some material in the past from Legacy.com concerning notable people who have passed here and there. For some reason the one that stands out in my mind right now from this past year is Carl Weathers. Pete Rose went quietly. Charlie Munger's been gone over a year now.



It's kinda something (and sad, but part of reality) to see the younger generations just turn the page on people that we saw on screen quite a bit. We do it, too, though.

The people I remember passing over the years are Mark, Zak, Schaefer (the guy who liked prime lenses, if anyone remembers him) and Dr...Kieran? I can't remember his name, sadly. I didn't interact with him much, but he was funny.

My year hasn't been that exciting. I got a number of raises for my employees (all make over $120K now), had my technical writing used as the standard by the FAA (i.e., they adopted it and are promulgating it as templates), and did the best of all the tower managers, which I suppose is nice. That said, it's a low bar—work hard as if the Lord and not men and you'll take it.

Most of the year has been great experiences with my bibbli, little Mini-VAN! Yue Little also did her first 4-day hike with me, and this year we'll be going on our first week-long one together. YL also got into a very nice private academy—her tuition would be ~$300,000 through high school, but thanks to us being relatively poor, we are only going to pay $37,000 for all of those years. We will NEVER go back to public schools. Of course, it will likely cost less as she has tested into 7th rather than 4th, once again thanks to not being in public schools.

My life is incredibly blessed.

It brings me joy to see that Shy is doing well, but I sometimes think of all the Blake's that I'm not eating...rumor was that El Pollo Loco was also heading out there.

Lucas wrote:Most of the year has been great experiences with my bibbli, little Mini-VAN! Yue Little also did her first 4-day hike with me, and this year we'll be going on our first week-long one together. YL also got into a very nice private academy—her tuition would be ~$300,000 through high school, but thanks to us being relatively poor, we are only going to pay $37,000 for all of those years. We will NEVER go back to public schools. Of course, it will likely cost less as she has tested into 7th rather than 4th, once again thanks to not being in public schools.

How old is the little one now?

2024 was a strange year for me. Here, we lost Stefan and later Mark, and I missed the HAM gathering through what would transpire to be far from the oddest thing to happen to me last year (though it was still bizarre).

Work-wise, I probably put in the most hours I have ever in a single year. Bouncing about the UK, bits of Europe and even the Southwest Caribbean with my trusty bag of toys was all-consuming, while great fun. However, with a couple of days left of the year the universe told me to slow down. I was injured in an incident involving a passing vessel that I had no right to survive. I've since seen the CCTV footage and a couple of old hands just hid their eyes, expecting the worst. Me being me, I walked away with what looked like minor injuries, only to discover a week later, after succumbing to what I thought was flu, that I was infact quite badly injured and needed urgent medical intervention.

Just like that, life changed. I can never go back to my job (even if I ever get to the point where I could take the physical punishment again, no insurer would touch me), and I'll spend most, probably all, of this year recovering and getting used to being a very different person, both physically and philosophically. Travel is off, with my main ambition there being a trip to the states for my son's 21st in October. We shall see.

Oh yeah, I have inadvertently done dry January. Somebody shoot me!

2024, what a shit year. Mainly due to shit spilled over from 2023, which has now spilled over into 2025.

Just before Christmas of 2022, having finally got my worthless tenant out of my UK flat owing me somewhere in the region of £2000, I got a phone call to say that there'd been a burst pipe and the fire brigade were in there shutting it off. Phoned the insurance company, made a claim, all sounded very professional... Took them FIVE MONTHS to get into the place and start drying it out. They'd apparently tried earlier, but found the lock damaged (probably by my worthless tenant, who literally moved across the corridor) and, rather than phoning a locksmith, or phoning me and asking if they could kick the door in, shrugged and went home. Must've smelled wonderful when they got in there...

Turns out to have been quite the leak. Four flats each side of a common stairwell, mine's on top. The pipe burst in the attic, which almost certainly makes it the hot water pipe for the flat underneath (because Barratts built it). That brought my ceiling down, which flooded my place badly enough to trash the flat underneath, and somewhere in the FIVE MONTHS it was left alone, it all soaked through the dividing walls and trashed the flats behind. Somehow the ceiling over the central stairwell (where downstairs' hot water tanks live) also flooded, bringing THAT ceiling down. And I'm 1/4 responsible for the top landing.

So, finally, they get in there... ah. Shit.

Asbestos.

Months waiting for a specialist to come and rip all that out. (Meanwhile, the people on the other side of the building are breathing that shit, because of course the central stairwell's riddled with asbestos too. But one of them's my worthless tenant, so it's not all bad.)

Months more to smash it back to bare brick and dry the place out.

Pick paint colours and bathroom tiles. ("I don't care, just white the fucking lot and stop pissing about.") Months more waiting for a contractor.

They're literally putting the tiles up in the bathroom when they realise that, oh shit, we're redoing four flats out of eight, therefore this is a "substantial renovation" and we can't get away with just restoring it to 1985 fire code. Dividing walls have to be fire-rated for an hour. Bring in the big hammers and smash it all back to bare brick again.

This is the point where someone looks at the newly-repaired ceiling in the stairwell and decides that the beams look a bit dodgy. (Because why would we have noticed that 18 months ago, when the ceiling was on the floor and the beams were exposed?) Down tools, health and safety. Months more waiting for a chartered surveyor... and I've just found out that that entire section of roof is going to need five figures' worth of work done that, they say, wasn't caused by the flood and therefore isn't covered by the insurance. Can't fix my flat because it's dangerous to walk under that ceiling on the way in. Have you evacuated the other half of the building? Uhh...

Meanwhile, the council tax people claim that it's habitable (because the brick look is in, and there's a working shitter) so no, I can't stop paying that. And now that it's been empty for two years, the council tax doubles. Financially, I'm all but destroyed, and it's far from over.

And while all that's going on, the freeholder keeps demanding that I send them photos of the work (from Finland... OK mate) and threatening legal action if I don't fulfil my responsibilities and get the place fixed. That's why I have insurance, and you lot made me take this particular policy, so please, sue me. That'll go well for you. I tell them I'm suicidal (I was) and to leave me the fuck alone (in exactly those words).

I did get away for a three-week kayaking trip. Which was fantastic (albeit rather heavy on the Type 2 fun), right up until a trip- and nearly life-ending accident on the third day.

Other than that... yeah, I can't think of a single good thing that happened in 2024.

I'm not going to say that 2025 can't be any worse, because I'm utterly convinced that it can. But I'm going back for another crack at that kayak trip.

Jesus... my 2024 was distinctly 'meh' in comparison. Work ticked over, I managed a couple of trips which I enjoyed and generally things I considered a big deal didn't come close to the issues Ed and John have dealt with.

mhodgson wrote:Jesus... my 2024 was distinctly 'meh' in comparison. Work ticked over, I managed a couple of trips which I enjoyed and generally things I considered a big deal didn't come close to the issues Ed and John have dealt with.

You need to take a nice trip to ol' Jackson Hole!

ShanwickOceanic wrote:And while all that's going on, the freeholder keeps demanding that I send them photos of the work (from Finland... OK mate) and threatening legal action if I don't fulfil my responsibilities and get the place fixed. That's why I have insurance, and you lot made me take this particular policy, so please, sue me. That'll go well for you. I tell them I'm suicidal (I was) and to leave me the fuck alone (in exactly those words).

If you need anything you know where I am. Not sure I can do anything about officious freeholders, but if you do need anyone nearby to intervene in person I'm not far from your flat. I currently have the voice of an Eastend gangster, so I could just growl at them.

mhodgson wrote:Jesus... my 2024 was distinctly 'meh' in comparison. Work ticked over, I managed a couple of trips which I enjoyed and generally things I considered a big deal didn't come close to the issues Ed and John have dealt with.

It wasn't all bad. I had breakfast with a seal, sailed a brand new £7m catamaran across the Irish Sea, and had Christmas with all my children (and a variety of assorted waifs and strays) for the first time in many years. I'll miss that seal.

JLAmber wrote:2024 was a strange year for me. Here, we lost Stefan and later Mark, and I missed the HAM gathering through what would transpire to be far from the oddest thing to happen to me last year (though it was still bizarre).

Work-wise, I probably put in the most hours I have ever in a single year. Bouncing about the UK, bits of Europe and even the Southwest Caribbean with my trusty bag of toys was all-consuming, while great fun. However, with a couple of days left of the year the universe told me to slow down. I was injured in an incident involving a passing vessel that I had no right to survive. I've since seen the CCTV footage and a couple of old hands just hid their eyes, expecting the worst. Me being me, I walked away with what looked like minor injuries, only to discover a week later, after succumbing to what I thought was flu, that I was infact quite badly injured and needed urgent medical intervention.

Just like that, life changed. I can never go back to my job (even if I ever get to the point where I could take the physical punishment again, no insurer would touch me), and I'll spend most, probably all, of this year recovering and getting used to being a very different person, both physically and philosophically. Travel is off, with my main ambition there being a trip to the states for my son's 21st in October. We shall see.

Oh yeah, I have inadvertently done dry January. Somebody shoot me!

Holy cow, man! I am glad that you are still with us. Sounds like you need to...fly to Jackson Hole!

But really, glad you are ok. What percent of function will you regain?

ShanwickOceanic wrote:2024, what a shit year. Mainly due to shit spilled over from 2023, which has now spilled over into 2025.

Just before Christmas of 2022, having finally got my worthless tenant out of my UK flat owing me somewhere in the region of £2000, I got a phone call to say that there'd been a burst pipe and the fire brigade were in there shutting it off. Phoned the insurance company, made a claim, all sounded very professional... Took them FIVE MONTHS to get into the place and start drying it out. They'd apparently tried earlier, but found the lock damaged (probably by my worthless tenant, who literally moved across the corridor) and, rather than phoning a locksmith, or phoning me and asking if they could kick the door in, shrugged and went home. Must've smelled wonderful when they got in there...

Turns out to have been quite the leak. Four flats each side of a common stairwell, mine's on top. The pipe burst in the attic, which almost certainly makes it the hot water pipe for the flat underneath (because Barratts built it). That brought my ceiling down, which flooded my place badly enough to trash the flat underneath, and somewhere in the FIVE MONTHS it was left alone, it all soaked through the dividing walls and trashed the flats behind. Somehow the ceiling over the central stairwell (where downstairs' hot water tanks live) also flooded, bringing THAT ceiling down. And I'm 1/4 responsible for the top landing.

So, finally, they get in there... ah. Shit.

Asbestos.

Months waiting for a specialist to come and rip all that out. (Meanwhile, the people on the other side of the building are breathing that shit, because of course the central stairwell's riddled with asbestos too. But one of them's my worthless tenant, so it's not all bad.)

Months more to smash it back to bare brick and dry the place out.

Pick paint colours and bathroom tiles. ("I don't care, just white the fucking lot and stop pissing about.") Months more waiting for a contractor.

They're literally putting the tiles up in the bathroom when they realise that, oh shit, we're redoing four flats out of eight, therefore this is a "substantial renovation" and we can't get away with just restoring it to 1985 fire code. Dividing walls have to be fire-rated for an hour. Bring in the big hammers and smash it all back to bare brick again.

This is the point where someone looks at the newly-repaired ceiling in the stairwell and decides that the beams look a bit dodgy. (Because why would we have noticed that 18 months ago, when the ceiling was on the floor and the beams were exposed?) Down tools, health and safety. Months more waiting for a chartered surveyor... and I've just found out that that entire section of roof is going to need five figures' worth of work done that, they say, wasn't caused by the flood and therefore isn't covered by the insurance. Can't fix my flat because it's dangerous to walk under that ceiling on the way in. Have you evacuated the other half of the building? Uhh...

Meanwhile, the council tax people claim that it's habitable (because the brick look is in, and there's a working shitter) so no, I can't stop paying that. And now that it's been empty for two years, the council tax doubles. Financially, I'm all but destroyed, and it's far from over.

And while all that's going on, the freeholder keeps demanding that I send them photos of the work (from Finland... OK mate) and threatening legal action if I don't fulfil my responsibilities and get the place fixed. That's why I have insurance, and you lot made me take this particular policy, so please, sue me. That'll go well for you. I tell them I'm suicidal (I was) and to leave me the fuck alone (in exactly those words).

I did get away for a three-week kayaking trip. Which was fantastic (albeit rather heavy on the Type 2 fun), right up until a trip- and nearly life-ending accident on the third day.

Other than that... yeah, I can't think of a single good thing that happened in 2024.

I'm not going to say that 2025 can't be any worse, because I'm utterly convinced that it can. But I'm going back for another crack at that kayak trip.

Reading this, I am enraged on your behalf. Photoshop yourself into the movie cover of Falling Down, because that would put me past that point.

vikkyvik wrote:
How old is the little one now?

Sweet Vicca is now 13 months old and zipping around faster than I can keep up with. She's a TOTAL troll, BTW, and loves physical-injury comedy.

Complete love, too! Most joyful creature to ever exist.