Adios, 2023!

As 2023 draws to a close, I've been thinking about how the year went for me personally. Not bad, although it started on a bad note. I had Covid at the start of the year. Thankfully, my symptoms were mild because I'd been vaccinated. After that, the year was largely okay. I traveled within the country to see family and friends in Alabama, Michigan, and New York. I worked my day job. I bought a car (because I was tired of sinking money into my 11-year-old Volkswagen). I took German classes and tap dance lessons. I lived my life. As 2024 approaches, I'm going to make an effort to do more reading this year. I keep track of my reading on Goodreads and I finished 35 books this year, better than the 29 I finished last year. I'd like to improve my numbers for next year. I also want to get more exercise in and eat better. I'm not making resolutions, but I'm just going to try and work on those goals. One thing I really want to do in 2024 is travel out of the country and I'm going to try and make that happen. I took German lessons over the summer with plans to travel to Germany this year, but I don't see that happening. I can't find a trip that I can make work in terms of the time and money, so I'm considering other locations and hope to get that nailed down early next year.

I'm looking forward to 2024 and hope I don't have any major health problems in the coming year. I also feel like something might change with my day job and that may not the be the worst thing in the world. I'm trying to prepare myself mentally and financially if my day job decides to reorganize and boot me out. I've been at the same company for 17 years now, my unit has been downsized significantly since I started, and I could see them cutting me loose. If that happens, I'll just have to roll with the punches and get something else. I'm too young to retire, so I have to keep working. I also need health insurance. I do feel that I've downsized my life to a point where I can get by with less if I have to. I will say that leaving New York in 2013 was good for me. If I was still living in Brooklyn, I wouldn't be able to get by with less. Moving back to the Midwest and buying a co-op here were great decisions for me. I miss New York, but I can always go back and visit. It's not going anywhere!

So adios, 2023 and welcome 2024!