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2005 - It Was The Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

ScarletKnight41 Dec 12 2005 09:50 AM

As the year winds down, I thought it would be interesting for us to reflect upon the good times and rough spots of the past 12 months. I'll start - Highs - Starting graduate school My daughter starting performing arts high school A fabulous spring vacation with some girlfriends 4th of July in DC with good friends and a Mets win A memorable summer vacation with my family (that was, amazingly, baseball-free!) Lows - My father-in-law's open heart surgery (which, fortunately, was a success) Not having the power to truly help good friends who are in pain Playing defense against teenage angst Seeing my child unnecessarily struggle in school Seeing my son's friend struggle with an undiagnosed learning disability and a school that battles against testing him

metirish Dec 12 2005 10:14 AM

Highs - surviving the axe which claimed 400 + people at work the last 18 months. Spending the holidays with family in Ireland. Meeting my good friend Nick for the first time in 9 years last Christmas. making new friends here , getting a new apartment and moving to a better town. Lows..not becoming a Citizen ..again..thus having to re-new my Green Card, that money should have gone to Citizenship. all the natural disasters all over the World, the war in Iraq and all those that are lost to it. Doug Mientkiewicz, Looper,Bush, Rumsfeld,NY Times,Manchester United, Tipperary Hurling, Ireland soccer team, Ireland Rugby team,George Best, Roy Keane....paying bills,taxes, the religious Right, FOX News, terrorist bombings all over the world......I need to rest now .

Yancy Street Gang Dec 12 2005 10:44 AM

Hmmm. Not a banner year for me, but not a bad one either overall. Vacations were uninspiring. After a great trip to Italy in 2004, this year's Disney and Tennessee trips paled in comparison. (I have higher hopes for 2006 travel.) In the first half of the year the job situation got more and more miserable, but a switch to a new employer in August solved all that, and things are much better now. My 94-year-old grandmother died in March, and a few months later my wife's 93-year-old grandmother died as well. But my health was better in 2005 than in 2004. And the family has been happy and healthy too. And any year that has health, happiness, and prosperity has got to be considered pretty darn good, even if nothing spectacular happens.

sharpie Dec 12 2005 11:16 AM

Highs: Good vacations (Mexico, Italy) Daughter had a particularly good schoolyear. Generally productive year at work, no disasters Have made it to the finals of the CPF Parody contest. Lows: Had some health issues Son had a bad schoolyear (Jan-June, results inconclusive for Sept-on). Didn't get that kitchen re-done. Most of what Irish wrote at the bottom of his list.

Johnny Dickshot Dec 12 2005 12:22 PM

Completed numerous home-imp projects, including some difficult ones Non-crushing year at work: better office, commute and equipment New niece Overall fun Met season Vacation Impending dadhood Buddy got married Made playoff finals with work softball team, reversing 2-10 record of '04 Read a lot Not all home-imp projects succeeded Still have to go to work Unexpected death in wife's family Fatter and older Lost song parody contest That Friday-night game in Pittsburgh Despite fun Met season, never caught pennant fever Blew softball playoff final in last inning Impending dadhood terror

KC Dec 12 2005 12:58 PM

It's funny when something really heavy goes down in your life it brings to focus how unimportant some of the other lows of your year were. I guess my low and high are the same thing. My wife is very ill but the high is that it did not go undetected and get worse and that it's being treated.

Centerfield Dec 12 2005 01:37 PM

[u:9ee7bbd0e4]First the bad:[/u:9ee7bbd0e4] *Not progressing as much as I would have liked professionally. Each time I make progress, I realize how difficult the next step will be. I know it's cliche, but seriously the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. This sucks. Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. *Despite some nice smoke-free stretches and cutting down to one per day, being unable to cut out smoking altogether. A new smokeless streak starts today. This is the one that does it. Wish me luck. *Not spending as much time with family/friends as I would have liked. This whole year has been a blur. I can't believe it's over already. I'm also starting to realize that some relationships with friends and family will never be what they once were. This makes me sad. *Not saving as much as I would have liked. *Despite eating healthier than ever, I still can't get rid of the weight around the middle. Plus I'm developing a double chin. I hate it. [u:9ee7bbd0e4]And now the good...[/u:9ee7bbd0e4] *As slow as it may be, I have progressed professionally. And progress is progress right? Plus, there are a few things in the works, and I have high hopes for next year. *While I've lost touch with some, my relationship with others have gotten stronger. I'm starting to realize that certain of my friends are going to be there for life. As I get older and my situation changes, certain friends have adapted with me. Drinking buddy became a golf buddy, and now will soon be a "take-our-kids-to-the-park-together" buddy. This is pretty cool. *Mets didn't suck *My wife handled pregnancy like a champ. Despite her husband basically being terrified for 9 months, she pulled it off without a hitch and gave birth to... *This guy. Little dude makes it all worthwhile.

Centerfield Dec 12 2005 01:38 PM

KC, All the best to you and your wife.

KC Dec 12 2005 01:44 PM

Thanks CF. Your kid is adorable. Good luck with the smoking thing. A number of my friends are trying to quit since KB's diagnosis - it's hard but worth it if you can somehow manage to find the will.

A Boy Named Seo Dec 12 2005 02:12 PM

Cute little baby Air Jordan's. A friend told me the hardest part for him was filling the void during what he called the "smoking cues"; after a meal, or while drinking, or in the car. He would always say to himself stuff like "I'm healthier", "My clothes don't smell", "My teeth are whiter" to get him through. That cute kid can be a nice inspiration, too. My friend also created a hatred for the manufacturers that he would use when he had cravings. He wouldn't buy smokes because he was now piping hot that they were taking his money to kill him slowly. So far, he's not slipped yet. Good luck, CF. You can do it! KC, sorry to hear about your wife. I'll be hoping for the best for you and her both.

ScarletKnight41 Dec 12 2005 02:32 PM

On the topic of smoking cues, my friend worked as an office manager when she quit smoking. She totally avoided the phone while she was breaking the habit - there was something about sitting at the desk on the phone that was a major smoking cue for her. Best of luck CF!

cooby Dec 12 2005 05:01 PM

I'm kinda a private person, so I'm not gonna air my dirty laundry, but KC, all my best wishes to your wife, and I'll be praying for her.

Edgy DC Dec 12 2005 05:05 PM

Strangely, I'm a little shy also. I'd never post my wedding photos if I had any.

KC Dec 12 2005 05:32 PM

Thanks coob, and seo too. I didn't mean to hijack the thread. A bunch of people here knew what was going on and this just seemed like a good a thread as any to let the rest of you that I spend so much time with know. Everything is going to work out great in the end.

ScarletKnight41 Dec 12 2005 05:36 PM

For sure. KB is very special (even if she refuses to believe that). She has an incredible spirit, and she's going to be just fine.

KC Dec 12 2005 06:21 PM

I don't get the dirty laundry comment. In my mind, getting arrested for shoplifting or drunk driving might be considered dirty laundry. When I think of dirty laundry I think of scandal or something to be ashamed of.

Valadius Dec 12 2005 07:00 PM

Highs Turned 18 Graduated high school and gave the commencement speech Got into and went to George Washington University Worked on the Corzine campaign Corzine winning Joined the CPF Found a great girlfriend Mets had a good season Giants playing well Lows Lonely summer at home Stress of college Breaking up with my ex Not getting into a fraternity

cooby Dec 12 2005 07:02 PM

KC wrote: I don't get the dirty laundry comment. In my mind, getting arrested for shoplifting or drunk driving might be considered dirty laundry. When I think of dirty laundry I think of scandal or something to be ashamed of. I must confess...in real life, I am Tookie Williams

Yancy Street Gang Dec 12 2005 07:16 PM

Oh. Well I guess you won't be around much longer then, huh?

TheOldMole Dec 12 2005 08:20 PM

Highs: Every moment I spent with my grandchildren. Everything else is a distant second, but here are some. Serious work on "Nick and Jake," though it's not quite finished yet. "Banks of the Hudson" recorded. Back to teaching - at SUNY New Paltz - and good classes. Lows: My sister-in-law's illness.

TheOldMole Dec 12 2005 08:24 PM

Centerfield -- what a beautiful picture. And KC -- all prayers with you and your wife.

Willets Point Dec 12 2005 08:26 PM

The good Had a wonderful wedding to a wonderful wife Attended three good weddings of other good couples (including one on Long Island that was an experience in of itself) Good travel (honeymoon in Italy, hiking in NH, three trips to NYC, DC in July where I watched baseball with many of you and met up with lots of old friends) Got my MS-LIS from Simmons College. Yeah, I finished the coursework last year but I got the paper this year so it counts. After two years working in a windowless warehouse, they finished the renovation on my library and moved into spanking new offices. The bad My step-dad had bronchitis which led to kidney infections and congestive heart failure. He just got out of the hospital and is recovering, thank God. I'm still working at the same job I had before I started grad school. Still eat poorly, still don't get exercise, really did a number on my bicycle so it's unrideable. Treatment for my sleep disorders haven't made much difference. Overall I'm one happy guy though, the good things are momentous while the bad things are mostly irritants.

cooby Dec 12 2005 08:57 PM

CF, he IS a little sweetie. I wondered what everybody was talking about until I finally spotted your link.

Centerfield Dec 13 2005 12:57 PM

Thank you guys.

Frayed Knot Dec 13 2005 01:45 PM

But have you indoctrinated him into your Geisha culture yet?

metirish Dec 13 2005 01:54 PM

He's already wearing the Air Jordan's ..very cool pic CF...

Rockin' Doc Dec 13 2005 06:57 PM

The Best - My wife and children have been happy and healthy - My friends and their families have been healthy - My practice continues to grow and flourish - A great trip to the nation's capital for felllowship with some of my CPF brethren during the July 4th weekend - The Mets fielded a team that was fun to watch and showed significant improvement for the future The Worst - A serious car accident in Pennsylvania killed 2 relatives and seriously injured 3 others when they were returning from an August vacation in New York. - My head optician and friend of 17 years tragically died in September, leaving behind a wife and a 14 year old daughter. - The numerous storms of the fall left major sections of the southeast in shambles.