Goodbye 2019... You've been...?
Discussion
For me, 2019 has been bloody rubbish - only 'bettered' by 2012 when my mother got ill with cancer and died.
Left my job after 12 years despite years of hard work ("put in the hard work and we'll look into your salary"), after getting f**ked over by new management. I've got a new job, but it's tough.. and less money.
Three friends lost this year - two to cancer, one to a heart attack. It's made me think a lot about my own mortality, too, so it's even more bloody annoying to be doing a job I have no real desire to do, but something has to pay for rent/food.
It's also made me value my time with my wife and friends, though, and I suppose that's the important stuff in life.
To make the year even worse, the Ford GT project finished and LMP1 has been a disaster in Sportscar racing.
Positives this year were a wild week in Ibiza at a rock music festival
and the Le Mans '66 film turned out thoroughly enjoyable. 
How's your 2019 been?
Left my job after 12 years despite years of hard work ("put in the hard work and we'll look into your salary"), after getting f**ked over by new management. I've got a new job, but it's tough.. and less money.
Three friends lost this year - two to cancer, one to a heart attack. It's made me think a lot about my own mortality, too, so it's even more bloody annoying to be doing a job I have no real desire to do, but something has to pay for rent/food.
It's also made me value my time with my wife and friends, though, and I suppose that's the important stuff in life.
To make the year even worse, the Ford GT project finished and LMP1 has been a disaster in Sportscar racing.
Positives this year were a wild week in Ibiza at a rock music festival
and the Le Mans '66 film turned out thoroughly enjoyable. How's your 2019 been?
Overall I would say tough but rewarding. Moved into our new home at the start of the year, bought a V10 at the end of its had a couple of great holidays in the middle, but my goodness I have worked harder than ever this year...
I took on a new job in October last year and less than a year into this job the other manager in the team is now on maternity leave, so I'm doing both jobs alone.
I took on a new job in October last year and less than a year into this job the other manager in the team is now on maternity leave, so I'm doing both jobs alone.
Great! One of the best for me.
I started with a goal of losing some weight. I was 86kg with a BMI of 30, so overweight by a fair bit. I lost 21kg and reignited my passion for cycling. That progressed, I joined 2 local Clubs, made some good new friends, ended up racing MTB for the first time (I raced road before) and got 22/171 and 5/54 (age group) in my first attempt - with the top two in my age category being ex-Pro's. Add in 33 Strava KOM's for road and MTB and a fitness level I've not had since my early 30's (50 now) and I feel wonderful.
Work-wise I had a relaxed year, 1-2 hours at most per day on average given I'm semi-retired. I have settled in nicely to my new home country (Portugal) and it's all peachy really. Wife has had a good year, kids have had good years - one finished Uni, the other still at Uni but going on to her Masters and has been accepted into the Max Planck Institute.
My Family generally did ok, Father is retired so continued enjoying travelling, one sister had health issues but showed great recovery progress this year and my other sister was interviewed by Forbes recently as one of the top 200 Realtors in the USA - just closed her 81st home yesterday for the year. At 6% for each, she ain't dong bad!
So yeah, all in all, good. I start training in earnest from the 20th for next years first MTB race of the season, planning on doing 7 and 2 road races.
I started with a goal of losing some weight. I was 86kg with a BMI of 30, so overweight by a fair bit. I lost 21kg and reignited my passion for cycling. That progressed, I joined 2 local Clubs, made some good new friends, ended up racing MTB for the first time (I raced road before) and got 22/171 and 5/54 (age group) in my first attempt - with the top two in my age category being ex-Pro's. Add in 33 Strava KOM's for road and MTB and a fitness level I've not had since my early 30's (50 now) and I feel wonderful.
Work-wise I had a relaxed year, 1-2 hours at most per day on average given I'm semi-retired. I have settled in nicely to my new home country (Portugal) and it's all peachy really. Wife has had a good year, kids have had good years - one finished Uni, the other still at Uni but going on to her Masters and has been accepted into the Max Planck Institute.
My Family generally did ok, Father is retired so continued enjoying travelling, one sister had health issues but showed great recovery progress this year and my other sister was interviewed by Forbes recently as one of the top 200 Realtors in the USA - just closed her 81st home yesterday for the year. At 6% for each, she ain't dong bad!
So yeah, all in all, good. I start training in earnest from the 20th for next years first MTB race of the season, planning on doing 7 and 2 road races.
48 weeks of the year have been great, holidays in Jamaica, Italy, Centre parcs and on a narrow boat, several trips to Germany, Iceland, Lithuania, weddings attended as best man, kids are great, wife got a promotion, everything going well.
Week 49, last week, Thursday, mother in law got knocked off her bike and has been in a coma since.
So, 48 weeks of brilliance cancelled out by 5 seconds of a white van man delivery driver not concentrating.
Week 49, last week, Thursday, mother in law got knocked off her bike and has been in a coma since.
So, 48 weeks of brilliance cancelled out by 5 seconds of a white van man delivery driver not concentrating.
Rather crap for me:
1. Aunt fell, hit her head and died - she was found days later
2. Sister diagnosed with a rare (and very agressive) form of leukemia, she was doing well until yesterday when she was admitted with suspected sepsis.
3. Partner had to quit her job before she had a breakdow and now im having to cover most of the bills.
3. IR35 is looming and is stressing me out
Cant wait to see the end of it.
1. Aunt fell, hit her head and died - she was found days later
2. Sister diagnosed with a rare (and very agressive) form of leukemia, she was doing well until yesterday when she was admitted with suspected sepsis.
3. Partner had to quit her job before she had a breakdow and now im having to cover most of the bills.
3. IR35 is looming and is stressing me out
Cant wait to see the end of it.
...horrible.
Brother diagnosed with brain cancer at start of year. Died at end of July aged 47.
Mother fell and broke her arm in March. Not nice for her and has caused sister and I to start questioning her independence.
Business has been crap.
On a positive note I went abroad for the first time in years and have rediscovered the desire to travel a lot more in future..
Brother diagnosed with brain cancer at start of year. Died at end of July aged 47.
Mother fell and broke her arm in March. Not nice for her and has caused sister and I to start questioning her independence.
Business has been crap.
On a positive note I went abroad for the first time in years and have rediscovered the desire to travel a lot more in future..
very strange year but was going very well until a few weeks ago
Good points
birth of little girl in june
few nice holidays
savings has increased
work has been solid
but then in November my mother sadly passed away which has made it all very strange. like nothing else matters?
Lucky we have the little one to keep us going
Good points
birth of little girl in june
few nice holidays
savings has increased
work has been solid
but then in November my mother sadly passed away which has made it all very strange. like nothing else matters?
Lucky we have the little one to keep us going
hacksaw said:
48 weeks of the year have been great, holidays in Jamaica, Italy, Centre parcs and on a narrow boat, several trips to Germany, Iceland, Lithuania, weddings attended as best man, kids are great, wife got a promotion, everything going well.
Week 49, last week, Thursday, mother in law got knocked off her bike and has been in a coma since.
So, 48 weeks of brilliance cancelled out by 5 seconds of a white van man delivery driver not concentrating.
Hell. That's bloody sWeek 49, last week, Thursday, mother in law got knocked off her bike and has been in a coma since.
So, 48 weeks of brilliance cancelled out by 5 seconds of a white van man delivery driver not concentrating.
t - sorry. 
Hope things get better for her, hacksaw.nealeh1875 said:
very strange year but was going very well until a few weeks ago
Good points
birth of little girl in june
.....but then in November my mother sadly passed away which has made it all very strange. like nothing else matters?
Lucky we have the little one to keep us going
The older I get and the more people I know pass away I realise stuff like that are the most important things. Two days after my mother passed away I had to deal with a screaming customer who was furious that we hadn't washed his car very well. The death of a loved one puts sGood points
birth of little girl in june
.....but then in November my mother sadly passed away which has made it all very strange. like nothing else matters?
Lucky we have the little one to keep us going
t like that into perspective. I nearly throttled the fker, but realised he wasn't living the life I was at that moment and it was still important to him,Edited by MikeT66 on Thursday 12th December 18:50
Rubbish here too.
Mum died. Her brother died. Cancer everywhere it seems. Work far too busy. Never been so stressed and tired. Wanted a decent holiday to sort me and Mrs out..... work caused it to be a non starter. Eldest son away all year so not seen him. Best friend from many years ago calls me from Australia to tell me he has cancer and will die next year!
Struggling to come to terms with the fact I am middle aged and people I know are dying.
Good things though..... middle son finally given a positive all clear from cancer and has all of a sudden grown into a very decent young man.
Daughter has grown up too ...... from a child into an imminent teenager. Has her moments like they all do but is a fairly nice person to veg out with! I am very proud of my kids.
Cannot have a holiday yet but am treating me to a new tv!!
Mrs is a great cook!!
roll on 2020.
Mum died. Her brother died. Cancer everywhere it seems. Work far too busy. Never been so stressed and tired. Wanted a decent holiday to sort me and Mrs out..... work caused it to be a non starter. Eldest son away all year so not seen him. Best friend from many years ago calls me from Australia to tell me he has cancer and will die next year!
Struggling to come to terms with the fact I am middle aged and people I know are dying.
Good things though..... middle son finally given a positive all clear from cancer and has all of a sudden grown into a very decent young man.
Daughter has grown up too ...... from a child into an imminent teenager. Has her moments like they all do but is a fairly nice person to veg out with! I am very proud of my kids.
Cannot have a holiday yet but am treating me to a new tv!!
Mrs is a great cook!!
roll on 2020. My old man croaked in April, I’d not actually been in touch with him for 30 odd years, so it was just a mechanical process of asset liquidation, for me, with no real emotional attachment. Other than that, nothing really noteworthy happened in 2019. It was a fairly standard year in that respect.
GOATever said:
My old man croaked in April, I’d not actually been in touch with him for 30 odd years, so it was just a mechanical process of asset liquidation, for me, with no real emotional attachment. Other than that, nothing really noteworthy happened in 2019. It was a fairly standard year in that respect.
Your business of course, and not ours, but that is a really sad post, and somehow feels more wilful than the other tragic but more unselfish ones. CharlesdeGaulle said:
Your business of course, and not ours, but that is a really sad post, and somehow feels more wilful than the other tragic but more unselfish ones.
I’m not sad at all, a real bonus is that his estate has just got through probate. That’s rocket ship quick by their standards. Just in time for Christmas as well 
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