Year in Review (2017)

Wow, are we really staring down another year already?!  Seems like the older I get, the faster the sands of time move through the hour-glass.  In addition, older age has brought a greater appreciation to the status quo of routine.  Especially now that I hold down two jobs, I eat, sleep, and work, with little personal time for the few pleasures I enjoy out of life.  Of course I don't intend to sound so glum...life isn't as gloom-and-doom as I make it sound like.  During the course of 2017, I was able to visit family on several occasions, including a surprise visit by family as they travelled to Fort Worth on a weekend in August.  Another blessing is the securing of a second form of employment.  In the year and few months the cigar shop has been closed, I simply could not financially sustain myself on the one income working for TNG.  Severely under-employed, I kept an eye open for a second job.  After a few false hopes, I finally found a job as the baker for Einstein Bros. Bagels.  The schedule was quite an adjustment, but I have a good thing going with the two jobs.  In fact, I am going full-time with the bagel shop and scaling back to two days a week with TNG.  To most people, my life and personal routine would seem utterly boring, but I am content with the present state of affairs and the hobbies I pursue.  At the beginning of the year, I set out to read fifteen books.  In the end, I read twenty-four.  Other goals were met, as well.  As I look back on 2017, I can see more positives than negatives, even if it isn't by much.  Hopefully 2018 will be another banner year.  We shall see.  Happy New Year!

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