15
votes
What were your personal highlights for this year?
Rounding out my year in review posts with something not media focused: what were your personal highlights for 2021? This can be anything that was great for you: a success, a milestone, an achievement, a fond memory, a new love, etc. What were the best things that you did or that happened to you this past year?
I know this was undoubtedly a difficult year for many of us, but I do think there's worth in looking back and panning the past year for gold, even if it's hard to come by.
January-February:
March
April
May
June-July
August-October
November-December
Overall, a pretty boring year that was punctuated between random vacations and random hobby try-outs. Maybe one day I will win the lottery and get to try flying planes again. I would say this has been one of the best years of my life despite the pandemic. So I am making sure I appreciate it while I got some good times going, cause the rough times are surely ahead somewhere at some point. But in the meantime, I will keep enjoying myself and keeping to my bubble. Hopefully the move next year will go slowly and provide my partner with all she wants/needs out of a new town. Hopefully it doesn't break the bank!
Sounds like a fun year!
I love that you snuck this into May. My mom makes some amazing waffles, so I'm putting some unsolicited suggestion below.
For normal waffles sub in rice flour for the wheat flour (it makes the waffles crispier and lighter), melt the butter in the microwave before adding to mixture (not sure what the science is here but the outcome is completely different, again lighter), and substitute half of the butter for Meyer lemon olive oil (if you can get it, it adds a really nice subtle lemon flavor).
Check out Leige waffles if you haven't before. You need pearl sugar, which can be hard to find, but the outcome is well worth the search!
Yeah, it's unusual for a kitchen appliance to become a core part of my routine but I have eaten 30+ waffles this years so it deserved a mention. Nothing like watching my evening TV, checking my calorie forecast and seeing I have the ability to squeeze some delicious food in. In fact, I think I will make a waffle right now!
Thanks for the suggestions! Those leige waffles seem right up my alley. I have been pretty basic in that I only have been eating Krusteaz waffle mix so I am due to shake myself up right down to my waffle batter core.
Did you end up reading Proficient Motorcycling?
It's like a crash course in avoiding crashing.
I'm happy to send you a copy if that will get you into reading it.
Yes, I believe you have been the one to recommend it when I was posting about getting a motorcycle! I keep a PDF copy open on my computer and read while I am waiting for stuff to happen. It is a very good book and really over prepared me for the safety course I took.
That was me.
Have you practiced your quick stops? (ignore this if you have ABS)
After an incredibly rough 2020 (finished a graduate program, couldn't find a job, tore my achilles, painted houses to make ends meet, landlord sold the house so we had to move, wildfires... the list goes on), 2021 has been a much needed change. I had a number of highlights and I'll put them in chronological order.
March: Volunteered at Vaccine Clinic
The first real change was in March 2020 when I started volunteering with a vaccination clinic. After hearing everyone complain about how poorly the rollout was going I was so impressed to get to experience it first hand. I worked at drive through clinic that was vaccinating 1500-2500 people a day with only 8 doctors/nurses, 10 non-clinical staff, and 10-15 volunteers. The people working at the clinic were incredibly professional, patient, kind folks. Early on, the people getting the vaccine were by and large excited to be doing so. They would roll up with music blasting from their cars, dancing and thanking everyone. The atmosphere really felt like we would be on the other side of Covid soon. I made some good friends with the staff their that I still see and meet up with today. Unfortunately the low point of this experience was by June, July, and August those who wanted the vaccine had gotten it and all that was let were the folks who were mandated to get it by work. They treated every person working with distain and often refused to follow rules such as masking or keeping distance. I was yelled at pretty frequently by July and it was demoralizing for everyone, particularly the clinical staff that took the worst of the abuse. Support your local vaccine staff, they are carrying an undo burden in this pandemic. Overall a really amazing experience and I'm really glad to have participated.
May: Friends!
My partner and I moved in 2020 as our landlord sold the house we were renting. Like so many others, we headed to a more remote area of our state. Through the winter and early spring we met a few neighbors, but in May were invited to our first Covid social event post vaccine and met 15 other neighbors that lived within 2 blocks of us. It was incredible! So many of them have a similar life ethos, love of the outdoors, and live very active lifestyles. Since that party we have become an incredibly tight knit group and has really changed my Covid experience to a net positive. This was probably the most meaningful highlight of my year. I am so grateful to have these folks in my life.
June: My company got funded!
I've been working on a start-up for about 3 years with an incredibly good friend of mine. We have been testing our tool with clients for 2 years and this year we landed a large government grant and were able to hire an additional 4 employees. The change to how the company feels has been night and day. We have larger projects, development of our main offering has really taken off, and we've been able to create a really great, respectful culture with our team. The hiring process was tough but we ended up with a really talented group that I am in awe we were able to attract. One of the new hires recently said "our company" on a call with a partner. It seems small, but after doing this for so long by ourselves, I actually teared up on the call that our little team feels ownership and pride in what we're making.
August: Mountain Bike
I gave my dad my mountain bike in January of 2020 so he could rehab his knees (he's torn his ACL 3 times over the last 20 years). The linear motion is great for strengthening without fear of tearing stabilizers. This meant I was hunting for a new bike and didn't end up pulling the trigger before the pandemic. Enter the insane bike shortage we have been experiencing, gouging prices of used bikes, and unemployment. Here I was with nothing but time and no bike to enjoy it with. I looked everyday to see if new stock was coming and finally in August I saw the bike I had wanted for the entire pandemic had finally been released as a 2021 model. I bought it on sight and it was sold out within 4 hours. I am so freaking happy to have it. I ride nearly every day and a very good friend of mine was also able to upgrade. While he lives 2 hours away, there is a small MTB mecca right between us so it has also been a great excuse to see him on a nearly weekly basis. 10/10 I am so freaking happy to be back in the saddle.
September: Sailing
We were able to join the local Navy "yacht club", which is basically 2 small beat up keel boats at the local harbor but I means we can take them out whenever we want for $5 an hour. It's an amazing way to explore the bay and lets us take out all our friends and family.
Entire Year
I've had a pretty great year, especially on the heels of 2020. I was able to do the activities I love. Meet an absurd number of new friends (even if it had been a non Covid year). Get to work at what I find most important and interesting. Build a nurturing company culture. Spend lots of time with family and my partner. Covid has been great for self exploration and finding what really brings joy. My diet is dramatically different, I have a bunch of new hobbies I'll be carrying into post-Covid (whenever that is), some really useful communication skills (thank you couples counseling), and a new ability to say "no" sometimes (I am too much of a yes man).
Thanks for the prompt @kfwyre.
For context, in 2020 I won a fancy-schmancy government fellowship that funded my PhD research for one full year (2021). Prior till then my funding had been secured by a 50/50 split between teaching and my advisor. While I found teaching rewarding (often more rewarding than research, in fact), teaching became a time sink that was delaying my graduation date. This research grant, therefore, was a welcome reprieve. Moreover, the award amount was substantially more than my salary as a graduate student (think a nearly 100% pay raise), which was especially useful given that my partner lost her job during the pandemic.
Thus 2021 became the year of research, and now I can confidentially say that 2021 was my last full year as a PhD student -- I'll be graduating in the spring! But graduation, for a PhD student, brings some amount of existential dread; we study a single subject for so long that we fold it into our identities: I do not merely study physics; I am a physicist! But academic prospects aren't guaranteed after graduation, so graduation often delineates the death of one identity and the beginning of one uncertain. But fortunately for me, I can kick that can of worms down the road, for I have a job lined up -- I will be a postdoc at a university in Germany for three years! I've dreamed of living abroad for so long, and now I finally have the perfect excuse to do so.
When we had in person classes I and 4 other people became acquaintances seemingly at random within the first 30 minutes, which was pretty neat.
I also went back to in person classes this year. It made a huge difference, physically, emotionally, and to my mental health. I hadn't realized just how much I rely on in person classes for making and maintaining friends.
I'll ignore anything pandemic-related.
Pay rise
My employer offered me a 20% pay rise this year. That's not a typo: 20%. And I'm a lowly office worker, at the bottom of the totem pole.
I know why: I told my manager I need to look for more money in the next few years, and she decided to be helpful and see if she could get me the money I needed without having to leave this company. And she succeeded!
However, I still receive top-up payments from our welfare system while working (because of reasons far too long and complicated to explain here). The vagaries of that system mean that the headline 20% pay rise would have left me about 4% worse off in my nett income each fortnight. This left me in the awkward position of having to refuse that 20% pay rise!
My employer is therefore looking into alternative ways to remunerate me.
New man
I met a new man this year.
Our relationship is almost entirely physical, but it's the most intense and pleasurable physical interaction I've ever had with any man ever. Ever! (And, considering my history, that's saying something!) And, from what he's said, I seem to be the best he's ever had, as well.
To quote Frank N. Furter from 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show': "He's good for relieving my... mmm... tension."
We've been meeting up regularly for the past 7 months, and I have no intention of letting him go any time soon.
Birthday present
For my birthday, a close friend bought me a T-shirt with Isaac Asimov's face printed on it.
One day, I was raving to my friend about Isaac Asimov (triggered by watching the abominable new 'Foundation' television series). In my friend's words: "You've got a bit of a man-crush on him, don't you?" Well, I can't deny that!
Long story short, I now have my very own Isaac Asimov T-shirt! It looks like this (I may have guided my friend to the exact design and colour I wanted).
Because my friend is disorganised, and because the global supply chains are in disarray, the shirt arrived the week before Christmas - just in time for Isaac's birthday this Sunday.
(If anyone wonders why I'm excited about this, check out my username and the bio on my user page.)
Some big highlights in no particular order (just when I remember them lol)
Obviously so much little stuff happened all throughout, but these were some of the bigger things. Overall, there's still so much I wish I had worked on and I look forward to the new year and re-configuring how I go about making and meeting goals. I have so many hobbies and side projects that it's just a lot that can add up easily. I'm grateful that I and my loved ones made it through the year and hope next year goes well if not better.
Hm... This is a good topic, thank you! I've been pretty down the past few days because of Omicron, but looking back there were some good things that happened this year. It's nice to reflect on them.
In January I started taking classes for a web development certificate, and they're still going well! My hope is that at some point I'll be able to transition to a job that pays more (important when you can only work part time).
In February/March my partner moved to town, and in April I moved in with them! We'd been long distance for the first 7 or so years of our relationship, so this has been a major highlight of the year.
In October I proposed, and we're getting married soon, probably in January. We don't need a piece of paper, but this way I can get on their insurance. Plus it is kind of nice, in a "we already committed to one another, but here's some proof" way.
I quit my first job to pursue an internship, and got what seems to be a pretty good job lined up (my only quibble is that it's salary, but honestly competitive for my area otherwise AFAIK, especially for entry level and the company seems to aim for good work/life balance). I need to mention it was very much a time and place situation, and I feel extraordinarily lucky for it.
In quitting my first job I realized how much it was holding me back. I am a shy introvert who just about lives in his own head, which is a horrible mix of traits when working in several theme park restaurants.
I took this job intentionally to force myself out of my comfort zone, and grew like crazy through it. I learned a lot about myself, people, and how I interact with the world. But it reached a point where it was holding me back (see para. 1)
I didn't backslide into a scared neckbeard (my first concern with quitting my job and a major avenue of socialization). In fact, because my existence isn't girded by this background of stress I've been able to grow into myself, which has been an interesting process. I'm finding new things, good and bad, along the way.