2018 After Action Report

It’s been a big year for Fin and me. Also, it’s been a positive year. After the past few, I know that we both have been feeling rather beat up. That’s been reflected in a lot of things, but mostly the lack of activity on this blog. I’m working to change that now though!

As I noted in September, we intentionally turned the mic off here so we could focus on getting things done and setting ourselves up to be in a better place. With the new year coming in, I plan to start reporting on our goings on here a little bit more.

Fin went out and rejoined the professional world. She’s making a bit of a career swap and engaging in something that’s long been a passion of hers – caring for dogs. It’s weird to come home and have her be at work, but I think it’s been mostly positive. On the flip side, she’s not had a lot of time for projects around the house she was interested in doing.

We got a new member of the family – a small corgi with a big personality. He’s a total cuddler and the only dog I’ve ever known obsessed with being under blankets.

I finished 2 graduate classes and started doing a small amount of consulting on the side. I’ve had some issues with time management and balancing grad school, consulting, work, and trying to keep some of my own projects going. Part of me realizes that there are just so many hours in the week and I’ve got to balance between them. A big thing is learning how to give myself time to relax so I don’t burn out trying to juggle too much stuff. My piano playing has definitely suffered – funny since the primary reason I started consulting was to try to fund a lifelong dream – getting a nice piano.

As is my yearly ritual, a review of 2018 goals:

  1. Complete 2 graduate courses with B or better – I finished the fall 2018 term with 4.0 and 2 classes under my belt. In Spring, I continue. Win.
  2. Obtain HAM radio license – I finally managed to contact a local HAM group, but haven’t had time to study and do the tests yet. I’m hoping this summer I can change that. Mostly Fail.
  3. Complete a composition and recording for the piano – I’ve made lots of little recordings during practice, but nothing worthy of publishing. This year, I’ve seen a fairly large lapse in my piano playing and getting it going recently, I feel like my skill has definitely degraded. Fail.
  4. Focus on my health – I’ve made some strides here. I plan on writing about this on its own later. Mostly win.
  5. Move (Or at least organize and pack) – This has been on my goal list since 2016 – and something Fin and I have talked about since at least 2012. We finally accomplished it. What’s more, we’re finally starting to settle in and enjoy the new place. There’s SO MUCH work to do, but it feels so much more rewarding. EPIC WIN.
  6. Find and Visit Some Kansas City Features – Fin and I have done a lot more exploring lately as part of the move. What’s more, I finally went to a show at the Sprint Center. While I specified two major items, I’m going to call this one a win since we did one major thing and many more smaller. Mostly win.
  7. Do Some Gardening – This is a tough one to categorize since we moved this past year, and that move happened during a time which killed any real ability to “garden” per se. I did, however, do a lot of work with Fin cleaning up the back yard of the old house and trying to get it ready for a buyer. This one, I’m going to leave at : Not Applicable.
  8. Complete a Major Home Project – Going to count this as moving and some of the work I’ve done at the new house. In the spirit of the goal though, I’ve not really done the sort of project I was thinking of. Kind-of a Win.
  9. Kick the Social Media Habit – I’m really struggling with this one, and I’ve got no idea right now how to accomplish it without loosing touch with many old friends. I’m working on a few ideas – but, this is tough. I’m definitely still on social media, definitely still addicted, and definitely need to get off of it. Epic Fail.
  10. Start Writing Again – Well, this is tough. I’ve actually begun work on a book, but that has only happened this past month. We’ll see if it goes anywhere, but I am trying. Score for this year? Meh. Calling this one even.

Eliminating the even / na goals, I see my record this year as 63%(5/8). This has been my best year so far for hitting goals. Past years – 2017(50%), 2016(20%), 2015(0%), 2014(40%), 2013(25%), 2012(10%), 2011(30%), 2010(50%), 2009(30%), 2008(50%).

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