We can all hope, huh?
Thinking back to 2002, it started pretty bad. I spent NYE home, in NY, in my Mom's basement, jobless, prospectless, motivationless (is that a word?), and just plain not happy.
I headed up to Boston on the 2nd of January to try and re-find my life that I left when I moved to NY. I planned on being up for a week or so, trying to find a job and a place to live. Well, without an internet connection and having been away for a while, I spent the initial week partying, seeing friends and just plain having fun. I hit a break when a buddy mentioned he was going away for a week and I could stay at his place and watch his cats for the next week. That sounded like a good plan. I continued my fun having, but with Internet access was able to send some emails, look for listings for apartments, etc. I struck good luck in both my attempts and had a place lined up a job interview lined up when I left.
I arrived in Boston for good on February 1st. I spent much of my first month, settling in, getting back in to the swing of things, etc. I got a job offer and took it, so things seemed to be getting good. I spent a little too much money before I had started a job again, but was thinking I could get it all taken care of once I got the job started.
I started my job and bought a new car in March. The job was going well, the car was fun to have and things seemed to be going well. When I first started, I was very good about not going out often and was just really hanging at home and working. It was working ok.
Over time, I started heading out more and more again. I learned very quickly that all the money that I was spending on my car was causing my going out habits to become major cash issues. They still are there :(
The rest of the year pretty much just went along. My dad retired from his teaching job after many years. Good for him (though he is back to working 3 or 4 days a week already). I continued my goings out. I started going to see Central Basement all the time, I slowed down on my Sissys time. Continously having cash issues, but kept making it by.
I headed out to San Fransisco twice for work. Once for OracleWorld, and once for LinuxWorld. Good shows both of them. It was nice to get away on the company's dime. I continue to learn I need to keep better track and actually file expense reports. I'm bad like that. Not that I was spending ALL that much money, but money is money.
I turned 27. It was an ugly few nights, but I had fun.
I went to 5 weddings (out of the 6 I was invited to). It's sad for me to see my buddies all getting married, but I'm happy for them. (Side note: one friend's wife called me the other day, using her married last name and I didn't even realize who it was at first, woops). One wedding in LA, one in NY, the other 3 in the Boston area.
Mom went to Ireland without me :(
I started blogging! It's been fun. It's a good way to get shit out, as well as to comment on random things that are going on in the world. I'm enjoying it. I guess I proved that with over 200 posts in pretty much 6 months. I would not be suprised if I had over 500 this year. Reading lots of other blogs were involved in this process as well. I am very much enjoying reading what other people are saying as well. I seem to add more and more evyer day to the list I read. I wish I could get an aggregator I liked. I think I may just write one. That's one project for 2003.
All in all, it was an ok year. I continued to suffer from depression a lot mostly derived from money issues. I have finally written out a budget, which I think will work. The only problem right now, it is written from the point of view of actually being caught up and I am definitely not :( Hopefully with a little extra income (and maybe a raise?) I will get this under control this year. I would really like to try and buy a place when my lease expires next year (I just renewed).
Hopefully this will be a year of accomplishment and prosperity. I really want to get my life in general organized. Slowly but steadly I think I am getting there and that is going to be a big issue for 2003.
