Happy New Year 2023! 2022 in Review and Looking Forward to 2023

We did a lot during 2022. It was a jam packed year with traveling, some weight loss, eating, celebrations, and sadness. As I think about 2022, this is looking back at post posts from various months and looking to 2023.

I set out in January 2022 to read 20 books (see post) and I stuck to the plan. I recently finished twenty books and at the writing of this update I am at 24 books for the year. Officially the most books I have read in one year ever in my life. I am hoping to increase that number for 2023, but I am happy with what I accomplished for 2022.

Back in January 2022, we had plans to camp a lot over the warmer months. We were only able to fit in camping twice with one early in the spring and then our final camping trip in late October (see January post about upcoming trips, early spring post, and October post). With everything planned for the year, we were only able to get the two trips into our plans. Hoping to increase our camping trips in 2023 and possibly work in some other states to visit on our camping trips too.

I remained true to my plans for the year of working out and riding the bike. I kept it up throughout the year until our trip to Aruba in November at which point all working out has stopped. I plan to start it up again early in 2023. I looking forward to getting back at it and get back into the habit of riding, running, and going to the gym. Here are various posts from 2022 with updates of my working out, plans, and how it was going from month-to-month (see posts).

Carrie traveled down to Houston, TX back in June to visit our friend Corrie and her kids. She had a great time. While Carrie was away, I grilled out every night and had a good time myself (see post). After Carrie got back from Houston, we both came down with COVID (see post where we were both sick). During that time following being sick, I fell out of working out regularly but quickly started up again once I was back to 100%. That was our first time to get COVID and it sucked the life out of both of us. We were happy to be done with it and healthy again.

In July, I turned the big 50 and we had a big celebration in Fredericksburg, TX with family and friends. We had a great time. Read about our adventure in the August 7 post. On our way back from Texas at the end of July, we received bad news that Carrie’s uncle Robert passed away. He had been battling cancer and we received word that he had passed on our way back from Fredericksburg, TX. After we got back to Topeka, we had a few days and then headed down to Texas for his funeral.

I started Weight Watchers in August and it went well until November, but as I mentioned earlier, we are planning to get back on it and stick with it in the new year. I really do feel better when we are eating well, so anxious to get it started again. 

September 21, 2022, Carrie and I celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary (see post) and then in November 2022, we went to Aruba for the celebration (see post). We had a great time celebrating and looking forward to going back to Aruba or someplace with a beach, chairs, and the ocean. 

October 2022, the King Biscuit Blues Festival returned. Such a fun time with great music and good to see all of our friends. Read about our adventure in the October 2022 post. Looking forward to going again next year.

November and December seem like a blur. The days, weeks, and months flew by for the past two months. The whole year has flown, but November and December seemed like they went faster than all  the other months. Simply flew is all I can say. 

I appreciate you visiting my site to read my updates. I am happy that I have been able to post every Sunday for the past two years. I have not missed a week of posting with some weeks posting more than one post and others I get just the one post. I plan to continue this for 2023 as I find I like to go back and review what I have posted in past years. I also am going to try and take more pictures to use for these updates as Carrie and I do various things throughout the year. 

Have a Happy and Safe New Year! I will talk to you in the New Year!

Happy New Year 2022! Be Happy and Safe as the New Year Begins!

I said it last year and I have said it since, it is hard to believe that the year is coming to an end. As we say good-bye to 2021 and welcome in 2022, it makes for a good time to reflect on the past year. I found 2021 to be a busy filled year. We were able to do a lot of camping and we also did some traveling. I expect us to do even more camping in 2022. We already have some locations booked as the year is about to begin. We went to weddings, attended sporting events, and really things were feeling rather normal. Continuing to wear masks at work and in stores, but it was starting to feel better. 

The past few weeks as we close in on the end of 2021, we see cases start to increase. We are seeing sporting and theater events being canceled or postponed, so I can only hope that everything is not canceled as we start 2022 and look to continued feel of getting back to normal.

For now, I reflect on the past year and look forward to 2022. I hope you have had a rewarding 2021 and that 2022 treats you well. Stay safe and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, 2021!

 

Have a Happy and Safe 2021! May your 2021 year be much improved over 2020! 

Let us reflect a little on 2020 and what all happened this past year. We started 2020 thinking it was any typical year. The Kansas City Chiefs won a Super Bowl, college basketball was in full swing, and then we all had to quarantine. If we did go out of the house, we had to wear masks. We were stuck in our homes for most of the year which continued through the end of 2020.

It is time to look to the future as 2021 begins. The vaccines are being deployed which gives us hope to start the year. We can only hope that 2021 will return to our new normal where we can once again travel, once again see our loved one, and once again go to places to eat. Yes, the pandemic has changed us, but it has not defined us.

So, here I hold up my glass to toast to my family, friends, everyone I know, and those that I do not know,  to have a wonderful, safe, and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year 2017 and Review of 2016

Happy New Year Picture from 2011

Happy New Year 2017! Hard to believe that 2016 is over. This year flew!

As I look back at 2016 and think of what happened, I am left feeling  satisfied with my year. I look forward to 2017.

I had strived this year to post more on my blog. I did in part for a few solid months and then completely stopped posting for a period of time as other projects and work took the focus. I am back to trying to post on a regular basis.

I thought I would take this time to mention some of my favorite blog posts from 2016. Maybe some that were missed and also to refresh my memory of the past year.

January 2016

I found the post I made after finding pictures from when the Royals won the world series -- Videos from Game 1 of 2015 World Series.

I enrolled in my first class at Washburn in years... Beginning Piano... I loved it! I kept a blog of all my studying and even my final project. I recall the initial post Studying Piano Lessons and Remembering Childhood Piano Practicing as I started the process. Unfortunately, I have not been back to continue to play the piano. I still have plans to get back to it though. See all posts involving piano.

I started following YouTube channels involving giving up all your possessions to sail the world. Still a fascinating group of channels that follow a year later. New Found Addition Are YouTube Channels were the first group of channels that I started following toward the end of 2015 and continue to follow today.

February 2016

I recall the day I went on a swing in a park in central Topeka. It really freaked me out and I realized I am getting older in the post Freakout Control Diminishes as I Get Older... My Experience on a Swing.

The day the Kansas City Royals trophy came to Washburn University Brief Update on Royals World Series Trophy at Washburn University.

March 2016

The start of baseball with rings and banners -- Royals Opening Day is this Sunday

April 2016

I started running again. I have since stopped. I hope to get back into it though. Reading past posts on running helps to inspire for future runs. I started the process again on April 2 with Start Running Process Tomorrow and Get Run Bug Again.

May 2016

I wrote my first paper in years for piano class. I was almost done with practicing my piece and ready to perform. Read the paper and where I was at in the process in Paper on Johannes Brahms Done and Preparing for Final.

Final piece done and recorded -- Final Piece of Minuet in G by JS Bach for Beginning Piano Class

June 2016

By June, I only posted two times that month. More running and Father's Day.

July and August 2016

No posts at all from me during the month of July. We went on a vacation and it was a busy month. However, in August, I did post about our vacation from July down to Texas -- Our Summer Vacation in Texas from July.

September, October, and November 2016

So, essentially, no posts September or October with one post in August that was about a vacation we took in July. I was slacking a bit on posts. Although in November, I did post Catching up from August Post and New Stuff that detailed what had happened during those few months of no posts.

December 2016

Thanksgiving and reflecting on the year. It was a great year!

Happy New Year in 2017!