Looking back on another year gone by...

I have the same feelings every year about this time.  I can't believe how quickly another year has gone by. But then again, memories tend to have a much shorter half-life than actual events.  For example, I recall sitting on my patio in mid July when we were having the umpteenth 100-degree day in a row thinking "when will this damn scorching summer ever end??"  I need to remind myself of days like today when I'm failing to appreciate how quickly the years really do go by.

2013 was a pretty good year for me in many ways.  Here's the highlights:

• I realized a career milestone by being promoted to Vice President at my company.  This is just one more piece of evidence that moving to Boise was one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

View from top of the
Space Needle in Seattle 



Hofburg Palace in Vienna

• Got 2 sets of stamps on my passport (Victoria, British Columbia and Amsterdam, Netherlands).  The latter as a EU layover on my to Vienna, Austria.  The former was part of a week-long graduation trip for our amazing niece Jordan.  We had a great time exploring Seattle and Victoria quacking like a duck, climbing Space Needles, and managing to hold down our cookies on the 'Vomit Comet.' 

• I decided to go to grad school after 19+ years to work on an Executive MBA at Boise State. Hopefully graduating in May 2015.  It took a great program like BSU's to tempt me enough to take the plunge and make the commitment.  I'm one semester into the program and already feel I've gotten a tremendous amount out of it.  My friends joke that I'm working on Joe ver 2.0.  The funny part is there's a lot of truth to that. 

Fenway from on top of the 'Monstah'

• I flew more miles than I ever have in one year, yet it felt like I spent less time traveling than usual.  Try & figure that one out...

• Added 2 new baseball parks to my list of ones visited.  Fenway Park in Boston and Safeco Field in Seattle. Both were amazing in their own ways.  Perhaps the best examples of how great 'old' and 'new' parks can be.  Even better was the decision to buy tickets on top of the Green Monster in Left Field.  The experience is nothing short of magical for a real Red Sox fan.

Safeco Field

• The Red Sox won the World Series again with perhaps the best TEAM they've ever had.  Definitely not the most talented group, but one that exemplified team in every way. One of the most deserving team wins ever.

• Continued to love riding and customizing the V-Strom.  My season was cut short by early snow but hope to get back in the saddle as soon as possible. 

I lead a blessed life in many ways and try to appreciate everyday all the things I have or have been given. Here's hoping that 2014 leaves as much of a mark on me as 2013 did.