2013 -- A Year in Brief

This was an interesting year.  It was also an expensive year.  I did some fun things, and I had some times when my mood was all over the place.  Largely, it was a recovery year from the emotional stress of last year.  I had to recommit myself to the goals I had accomplished in 2011 that had broken in 2012.

• I experienced freezing rain for the first time.
• I went to Boston on business three times, one week each.
• Hiked around Walden Pond
• I think I understand dating better now, but just need more experience so I don't keep getting inexplicably shy.
• Went to a speed dating activity for the second time, but this time got zero dates out of it.
• I realize it was probably due to a clerical error, but still can't help but think I must be weird looking and/or boring.
• Went on some fun dates anyway with some beautiful women.
• Saw a comet for the first time.  Well, my camera could see it, anyway.
• I saw in theaters: Lés Miserables, Oz: The Great and Powerful, The Croods, Star Trek into Darkness, Man of Steel, Free Birds, Ender's Game, The Day of the Doctor, and Frozen.
• For the first time in my life, I gave a transient a ride.
• My last roommate moved out of my house.
• I turned 30.
• I got this weird rash on my face near my eye that just wouldn't go away for a long time.
• Used the excuse to see the dermatologist to also get this cyst removed from my back.  TMI, I know, I'm sorry.
• I got and played several excellent new board games this year:  Power Grid, Catan: Explorers & Pirates, Forbidden Desert, and 7 Wonders.
• Rode my bike all the way down the Legacy Parkway trail for the first time.
• Successfully fried an egg unsupervised for the first time in my life.  I was so happy, I decided to do it more often.
• I got back in the habit of going to the gym 2-3 times a week.
• I got back in the habit of going to the temple monthly.
• My old lawnmower broke, so I bought a new one.
• My old TV broke, so I bought a new one.
• Paid off 2/3 of my house.
• Government sequestration led to me having 6 unpaid Fridays off in a row.
• Our specific project was cancelled, so I was moved to other projects.  A few times.
• It's good that new projects want me, but I would rather have stability.
• Got a new Bishopric in the Singles Ward.
• My sister moved into my ward.
• I got a new calling as the finance clerk.
• I went with the Roy Singles Ward to Nauvoo.  This was the second time I've been there, but the first time since the Temple was built.
• At the same time, first time I saw the Nauvoo Pageant.
• Second time that I've been through a temple outside of Utah.
• Went to Glacier National Park for the first time.  There, with my family, I saw some of the most beautiful scenery I've seen in my whole life!
• Saw a bear for the first time.
• Saw a mountain goat for the first time.
• Went to Pineview reservoir with the Singles Ward.  Doesn't sound like much, but I was just happy that it wasn't Bear Lake like the last 4 years in a row.
• Lost my glasses in the bottom of the lake.  Fortuitous timing, though, as I had already been to the eye doctor and was going to get new glasses anyway.
• Bought a 3DS so I can play Pokémon X, which I also bought.
• Except how I never actually get around to playing, but whatever.
• Well, I did use the Pokémon Dream World a lot for my Black game when I found out they were shutting it down.  I don't nearly have all 8 gym badges, though so I couldn't get to every area.  Looks like I'm not catching 'em all.
• My phone died, so I bought a Smartphone.
• Had fun shotgun shooting with the Elder's Quorum.
• Had fun dancing at the Union Station in Ogden.  I hadn't been there since 2011.
• Had fun walking through Haunted Hollow.  I hadn't been there since, like, forever!
• I rode a horse for the first time.
• I watched all 800 episodes of Doctor Who, 98 of which I watched with some great friends!
• I didn't shave for a week, something I haven't done since High School.
• My sister received her Endowment, so now my whole family has been through the temple!

I can't tag everyone, but for those that I did, you were important in one or more of the above bullets.

Looking back on this year, there certainly is a big pile of good things and bad things.  But as the Doctor would say, "The good things don't always soften the bad things, but vise versa, the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant."