My Love-Hate Relationship With 2013

Via con Dios, 2013! And don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!!

2013 was a very odd year for me, probably the oddest in many, many years. There were some truly huge changes and change is never that comfortable in the short term.

One of the really huge changes was really bad — the company I had worked at for 27 years closed its office last January and I’ve been looking for a new job all year. That has obviously had some serious economic impact on us. It was something that I saw coming and was terrified of. Yet… In some ways it has not completely been the utter, complete, and total disaster I thought it would be. In the long run, I actually think there will be some real good coming from it. I have real faith that I will find not just a job, but a job which I enjoy going to with people I enjoy working with.

One of the really huge changes was really good — I started this blog and started writing again. In part, this is an offshoot of being unemployed. I’ve had time on my hands. I really wanted to avoid ending up sitting around watching soap operas and downing pitchers of margaritas all day, so I forced myself to stay busy, stay focused, and stay on a regimented schedule. Writing and being creative has been an important part of that schedule.

It’s been gratifying to see how the blog has been received. I just got a notice today that I’ve now reached the “500 Likes” mark. I’ve got just under a hundred people following the blog every day, plus all of the people who see it through Facebook and Twitter. This will be the 283rd article posted here in 247 days, including 30 days of NaNoWriMo postings.

I wrote 90% of a novel, 67,431 words! Which I will still finish, starting next month, stay tuned. Then I will edit, and I will continue to write on a couple of other projects. I’ve been allowed to join a great writer’s critique group that meets weekly and I’m getting some fantastic feedback on my work. I’m writing weekly entries in Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenges and getting valuable experience in writing things that are outside of my comfort zone.

My daughter graduated from UC Davis! My son got to come home on leave for a few days in March and we went to Angels’ spring training in Phoenix! We went to a hockey game! We went to Angels games! My wonderful kids sent us to San Diego to see my beloved Chiefs!

In addition to writing, I also got more involved with the Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. Starting tomorrow, I’m the Finance Officer for (at least) a year. Something else to keep me from getting rusty or bored or slug-like.

Ronnie and I remodeled and repainted our bedroom — without killing each other! Ronnie, my three kids, and I all have our health. My wonderful wife hasn’t kicked me to the curb even in my deadbeat, on the dole status. (Just kidding, dear! Love you!)

That isn’t necessarily a year that sucked.

There were other problems besides unemployment (the 800-pound gorilla in the room). In the fall, Ronnie’s mother passed away after a long illness. I had car issues and got trapped in Coalinga for four days, then found out that Chrysler wants $2K to fix a $25 part (another long story for later). Our very old cat, Oreo, needed to be put to sleep. I didn’t get to fly at all again this year.

So, in summary, one huge problem plus a few other issues both major and minor, all offset by some new growth opportunities, trying to make lemonade out of lemons.

In many ways, it’s truly hard to see past that 800-pound gorilla. Yet, if my gaze can be torn away from it and I can peek behind and beyond it, 2013 wasn’t half bad. The quick thought about 2013 is that it was a disaster because of the job thing. A detailed review of the facts shows that, despite that, it wasn’t my worst year by far. And it’s really important to recognize that a lot of what pulled a “victory” from that potential “defeat” are things that I did myself, proactive refusing to give in and accept that fate.

It’s sort of like that old joke, “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” But unlike Mrs. Lincoln, my major disaster can (and will) be reversed and eliminated.

That will be 2014’s job!

Happy New Year to one and all!