Now that I’m a week and a half into 2009 I feel like taking stock of my life.
My life is pretty awesome.
I’m married to the coolest woman. We have a blast together. I love her. She has a kickass career, likes most of the stuff I do, is happy to let me do the stuff she doesn’t, and challenges me.
My family, including my in-laws, are super. They’re all well and doing well. It’s gratifying to see them happy and know they’ve all got their own plans and their own joys.
I have awesome friends. I have some great people back in Ottawa whom I’ve know for a very long time, and who know me really well, and who I email regularly and see every year or two. I’ve got super friends I’ve made here in the UK, too: some through living arrangements, some through online endeavours, a few through work, and even some through a younger relative I got to know as an adult.
Although my workplace has some difficulties right now – the economic downturn is only the latest challenge – my personal job, and my career as a whole, are thriving. I feel really good about the professional life I’ve developed. I’ve done things in the last 6 months to make my skills more transferable, which is never a bad thing.
I’m taking care of my health. Sure, I like to indulge in food and drink. Sure, I’m a big guy. But I’m 40 and I can still run 10km three times a week and do 200 pushups and ski all day if I want.
I do things outside work: we socialise quite a lot, we travel a fair bit, I go to a good number of gigs, and I’ve been blogging a lot and getting involved in London’s social media scene.
We’ve got plans, too. We’re travelling in the spring for a friend’s wedding. We both have our eyes open for next career moves. Most of the people reading this blog will know that there’s a good chance we’ll be moving to Australia in the next year or so: that’ll be a whole new adventure if (when?) it happens.
There are certainly ways I could improve my life. I could lose some weight. I could volunteer. I could start playing the trombone or bass guitar again. I could sing again. I could improve my French. I could take a night class again. I could see my friends and family more.
But nothing in my life is rubbish. And it’s not like I haven’t had some shit moments in my life to know the difference: I have. Through a combination of good luck and making good choices and getting past the bad bits I’m in an excellent place at the start of 2009. That’s something to be happy about.
Thanks to everyone who’s been part of making my life excellent.
