Merry Christmas: name one thing you're thankful for, highlight of 2018, and one goal for 2019!

2018: thankful for transitioning to a new career and starting a job that I really enjoy.

2019: figure out what career path to follow; lose some weight...I’ve started to adopt some more healthy habits (cooking more, eating more vegetarian/vegan meals) just need to get more committed and start lifting weights again.

Thankful for having being able to spend some last great moments with a couple family members that past. Love them forever 

Looking forward to seeing my kids continue to grow and grow 

One thing I’m thankful for: my new job, which I’m starting in two weeks. My department in my current company has taken a nosedive off the ugly tree the last year and a half, and has proceeded to hit every single branch coming down. Had been trying to get out for months, found a company a few months back that I got really excited about, interviewed with four times, got all the way to the final round, and then they decided last minute the role I interviewed for was to be re-organized into a completely different role. It was a total morale crusher and I’d almost resigned myself to the belief that I was stuck in my current company, in a role I’d outgrown, for the foreseeable future.

Then, the new company called me back, said the role opened up again and asked if I was still interested. Within a week of being called back, I interviewed again and got the job. And got more money than I would have if I got the job earlier this year. I’m not a religious person, but I believe things do happen for a reason. Getting out of my current company at the right time, as things have continued to get worse, and I also got the personal satisfaction of watching one of our directors, who before last week had never once given me the time of day, sit across from me in her office, tell me what an amazing, valued member of her team that I was, and then proceeding to beg me to stay. She just waited until I decided to leave to make sure that I knew how much she valued my work.

What else I’m thankful for: John Beilein

Goal for 2019: home improvements, plan a great “last hurrah” vacation for the wife and I, big trip just for the two of us, in April before we start making some additions to the family later this year.

2018 Highlight: Becoming a first time homeowner, just this past week.

2019 Goal: Live a happier, more fulfilled life.

I’m thankful for my wife and among a myriad of things I love about her is her love for M football. Thankful for my kids and SO, SO thankful for my grandkids.

One (thankful there were many) highlight from this past year was watching my grandsons play football and being fortunate enough in life to have brought them and our kids to a few home games this fall at The Big House. It was a fun year!

A couple of goals for next year... one, try to quit the Skoal thing. It’s a dreadful habit and two... watch those grandkids play even more football and get to a few more games at The Big House!

Go Blue & Merry Christmas to all of you!

Thankful for my family, and the opportunities to learn that I've been given. Highlight of 2018 is kind of to be decided, but I'm hoping it's the job opening that will get me back to Michigan with all my family and fellow Wolverines. Goal for 2019 is to stick to working out more consistently, which if I'm able to get back to Michigan will be MUCH easier because Florida gyms are so effin crowded that they are basically nonfunctional. 

This is dumb, but I've always been a huge music head without really caring much about hi fi equipment. Over the last two years, though, as some of my old stuff wore out and we built a sun room-cum-office, I spent quite a bit of time researching really good (not crazy top-end) speakers, receivers, etc., and--last week--finally also extended a nice pair of speakers to our bedroom. It is a huge pleasure, and one I'm very grateful for, that I can listen to some of my old favorite music again and catch so many little nuances that I have never caught before in tracks that I have treasured through the  years. It's also a great pleasure to share them with my familiy, esp. my fourteen-year-old daughter who absolutely gets it. Last night we listened to the Basie Band's Christmas Collection, which may just be the best Xmas album of all time, and to Benjamin Britten's choral/orchestral arrangments of Christmas Carols. This morning I listened to Paul McCartney's Ram, a Donny Hathaway best of and Miles Davis's Someday My Prince Will Come. I am about to embark on a collection of hambone music that my brother put together for me and have D'Angelo's Voodoo, which my daughter gave me last night, cued up and ready to go.

Best wishes to everyone during these holidays!

Thankful for: the journey.

2018 highlight: engaged!

2019 goal: don't screw it up, boy

- I'm thankful for a year of good health and a family that supports and appreciated true, authentic me. I sadly know too many families that have so much fighting and turmoil. I don't tell them enough but they're an amazing support network. 

- The highlight of 2018 for me was easily being promoted to our Director of Recruiting for the IT Consulting firm that I work for. It was a total shock and I wasn't sure I was ready but life has a way of making you ready for new challenges. (Our run to the Championship game in basketball was a very close second!)

- No huge goals for 2019 other than just improving myself and being grateful for the life I have. Maybe to just be more thankful for Michigan victories and not take the loses so to heart? Go Blue and Happy Holidays to all here!

2018 highlight-  getting promoted at work.

2019 goal- get in better physical health.  

I'm thankful for my 3 great sons.

Goal for '19 is to be a better father. I have struggled with connecting with them as they've grown to adulthood. (27, 25, 23).

I also want to get my health situation squared away. (Type 2 diabetes sucks when you aren't disciplined) and to finally break 75 in Golf.

Lastly, I'm thankful to see that I'm not the only warped old man in the world obsessed with Michigan sports. You're all 5 stars in my book.

Thankful for Pappy and Lagavulin! I will survive another XMas.

https://i.imgur.com/jP9qzJV.jpg

Highlight of 2018: meeting and getting to love our two little foster girls.

Wish for 2019: that all of this awful stuff with the child’s parents and the Macomb County court can be smoothed out and we can have the security and peace of mind of knowing that we can care for and love these girls forever.

Thankful for: Being Alive

Lifetime Goal: To live forever (so far, so good)

Thankful for our happy and healthy 17-month old girl, as well as #2 on the way next month. Also, Woodford Reserve. 

Thankful for my baby girl, born 4 days ago!

Thankful for and highlight of 2018 are the same: Found out we're expecting our first child (a boy due May 9th)

Goal for 2019: Healthy mom and healthy baby!

2018 was intense from an emotional standpoint. Made a big move in my career, dealt with some marriage issues ( we weren’t communicating correctly) and explored some behavioral patterns of mine that weren’t healthy. I’m actually thankful to have gone through this, and I am very thankful to have the love and support of my wife and kids. 

2019: be the best version of myself, and move forward!

Prime Rib

Not one thing, but three. Seeing my Nephews grow another year. It seems like they were babies just yesterday, and in a few years they will all be young men. And hopefully at least one of them will be a Michigan man.

2018 - my favorite letter is B, and my favorite number is 9.

benign

Get a physical every year. 

Doctor found something on right thyroid, so scan, then biopsy.

Actually fine needle aspa- something.

I was ready for benign; I was ready for malignant.  I was not ready for:

inconclusive.

Another month before the second one came back benign.

Truly changes your life perspective while you are in limbo.

Hope I remember that time and feeling, and have empathy for those in "awaiting test result" mode, and, those who get the opposite result.

Grateful that I celebrated by doing some charity work instead of tackling a bottle of Scotch.

2018 Highlight:  #1 daughter's wedding.

2019 - if you have your health, you have just about everything.

I am a person of faith, and hope that it grows.

- Thankful for my family and career

- Highlight was a trip to France and England. Saw so many cool things I always wanted to see like Notre Dame, The Louvre, Stonehenge, London, Bath, York, and many more

- Goal for 2019 is a trip to Italy

Thankful that my son is healthy and I have a job. Highlight of 2018 was basketball's run to the finals. Goal for 2019 is to break a 6-minute mile (which I haven't done in 20 years). 

Thankful that I'm reading this blog a lot less.

Goal is to read it even less.