- Whatever happens, don’t change your amazing + epic plans for the year. Don’t settle.
- No matter how close to perfection you play, you still gotta finish strong.
- Fuck you, carbon monoxide poisoning.💀
- Weekend trips far & wide are good for my soul.
- My dogs are crazy but I love them.
- Being the best at something brings more than its fair share of critics.
- And yeah, I don’t have any respect for critics. Come chum some of this shit and then we’ll talk. In the meantime, fuck off.
- Life experience makes getting through all kinds of so-called tough times that much easier. 😎
- This too shall pass. And pass it did!
- It’s worth it to fly somewhere for a donut. And yeah, attend the conference too. Whatever.
- Eldafest makes me stronger. No matter what I put myself through! 😝
- I really need to make time to get a haircut more often. I mean, it only takes like 15 minutes…
- Good dentists are a life necessity. 💯
- Sir Winston was right, no matter the strategy, occasionally you do have to look at the results.
- If you spend more time hating what I love than you do loving what you yourself supposedly love…good luck with that.✌️
- Find a way to balance what works for your own wellness + gluttony. Even if it takes a lifetime. Never give up!
- Oktoberfest was a blast! 🍻(I recommend holidays that are focused on beer.)
- People need to chill out. Maintain perspective. And grow up.
- No matter though, I will still love people. 😘
- Also, being surrounded by loving people makes all the difference.
- Reading will always make me happy.
- 2023 may be the last year I don’t need reading glasses. Stay tuned… 👓
- Whether at the top of Texas, or the top of the UK, or wherever I’m going…whether climbing alone or with someone I love, no matter the pain or the hardship, the journey and the view still make it all worthwhile!
So, a little context? Yeah, I’ll give you some.
Whatever happens, don’t change your amazing + epic plans for the year. Don’t settle.
People will do all they can to stop you, mock you, belittle things that you love or do. Don’t let them, and don’t let them waste space in your head. Let them be and do your thing where you kick ass and live your best life.
No matter how close to perfection you play, you still gotta finish strong.
While this is such a great metaphor for so much in life and I’d love to expound on some philosophical lesson I learned in 2023 but what this is really about is that I still haven’t gotten over my Boston Bruins being almost perfect in the regular season only to bomb in the first round of the playoffs.
Sigh.
Fuck you, carbon monoxide poisoning.
This happened to me at work this year so all I will say is that I am very grateful that it wasn’t worse and that I was able to walk away.
And in the future, I will pay more attention to almost passing out and not credit it to low-carb detoxing after a month or so of gluttony the month before the poisoning. I am in my 50’s now and I need to pay more attention to what is happening in my mind and body. Thanks for that lesson, I guess.
Weekend trips far & wide are good for my soul.
While I already knew this, I took a weekend trip to Europe in 2023. Was a quick jet-lagged weekend in Amsterdam worth it? You bet it was!
I’ll be adding across-the-pond weekend trips to my travel repertoire moving forward. Thanks, 2023!
My dogs are crazy but I love them.
This doesn’t need any explanation. And if you do need an explanation, you may as well stop reading my blog posts. You won’t ever get me. XO
Being the best at something brings more than its fair share of critics.
Yes, it does. All I have to say is, “stay strong.” Keep being the best and striving for better. The world needs more people who are willing to win, come in first and take the grand prize. Even if the inevitable second part of those things is not winning, possibly coming in second (or worse) and leaving with no prize at all.
Better to have tried and failed then never to have tried at all.
And yeah, I don’t have any respect for critics. Come chum some of this shit and then we’ll talk. In the meantime, fuck off.
Oh, the critics. They think they can do your job or live your life or walk a mile in your shoes. They can’t and never will. They take pleasure from criticizing because they are small and petty and at the end of the day, they are cowards.
While ever so tempting, don’t give in and explain yourself. As long as you can look at yourself in the mirror and know you did what needed to be done – knowing everything you know where they know nothing – then that is all you need.
And well, maybe karma will settle it for you… 😉 XO
Life experience makes getting through all kinds of so-called tough times that much easier.
It’s true, and no matter how hard you try or want to, you can’t force your own perspective on others you love dearly. They have to figure out for themselves.
Give them the space to do that. And love them through it.
This too shall pass. And pass it did!
Here we are…in 2024! Proof that it all did pass.
It’s worth it to fly somewhere for a donut. And yeah, attend the conference too. Whatever.
Sorry to be cliché, but what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
Eldafest makes me stronger. No matter what I put myself through.
While not as epic as Kilimanjaro or Everest Base Camp, I did climb some mountains in 2023.
Eldafest in July saw me reach the top of the UK on Ben Nevis, while I also reached the top of Texas, summiting Guadalupe Peak in April.
Not sure how many mountains I have left to conquer but I’ll come up with something.
I really need to make time to get a haircut more often. I mean, it only takes like 15 minutes.
Either that or I should just shave my head and be done with it…
Thoughts?
Good dentists are a life necessity.
I had a dental emergency in 2023 and I still haven’t resolved it. I appreciate you not saying anything when you see my smile in pictures. XO
Sir Winston was right, no matter the strategy, occasionally you do have to look at the results.
The best intentions, a hundred lists no matter how well organized or written, all the expert planning, etc. only mean something if you actually do the damn thing.
Also, are you reading this, Mike McCarthy?
If you spend more time hating what I love than you do loving what you yourself supposedly love…good luck with that.
Let people be, people. If they aren’t infringing on your freedom, why do you care who or what they love or what brings them joy. Why boo my team when you can just cheer for your own team?
I really don’t get it. And while it obviously bothered me in 2023, I am going to try be more zen about this in 2024.
Or maybe I just take my own advice and let them be. Okay. Hate away, small people and as it states above, good luck with that. XO
Find a way to balance what works for your own wellness + gluttony. Even if it takes a lifetime. Never give up!
My journey with this continued to take detours in 2023. Good thing it’s 2024 now! 🙂
Oktoberfest was a blast!
There is a blog post in my queue…stay tuned!
Prost!
People need to chill out. Maintain perspective. And grow up.
Myself included but really people. It’s just a job, there are others (especially now – everyone is fucking hiring. Literally, everyone!) It’s just a car, it’s just a house, and no, you haven’t hit rock bottom, you have a lot to be grateful for so get up and grow up.
We are not in Ukraine or Gaza or dealing with true tragedies here.
P.S. You may also want to look at my photos from my visit to Dachau in September. #perspective
No matter though, I will still love people.
It’s true. It’s in my nature. XO
Also, being surrounded by loving people makes all the difference.
This is also true. I am forever grateful that I have been blessed with so many advocates, so many fans, so many people who know the truth and have my back. Love y’all mucho y chingos.
Reading will always make me happy.
My goal for 2023 was 100 books. I did not finish the year strong and ended up with 93 books.
Still pretty badass, AND I have already started a new epic reading goal for 2024.
2023 may be the last year I don’t need reading glasses. Stay tuned…
We’ll see. Or rather, I’ll see. (Or not.) Again, stay tuned…
Whether at the top of Texas, or the top of the UK, or wherever I’m going…whether climbing alone or with someone I love, no matter the pain or the hardship, the journey and the view still make it all worthwhile! .
What’s more to add other than a loudly yelled “Amen!”
Maybe once more, a little louder for those crying and whining playing victim in the back? As Dak Prescott has been saying, “Here you go!” – Amen!
Thanks for the love + lessons, 2023. You for sure made me stronger. And to fall in line with what my theme of the year was, you were indeed random.
XO
