Here’s my brief reflection on what went down during this long, rollercoaster year.

Dogs, Divorce, and Death

Black scruffy dog with red beard and white chest

Our sweet dog Edgar died somewhat suddenly, a cruel outcome given his age and the fact that we’d just lost Spencer in July 2020. The grief was overwhelming leading up to his death, and we filled the hole in our hearts with a new addition to our family: Pippa. She is full of energy, loving, and, most importantly, black and scruffy like Edgar. She has made our pack whole again, and we’ve fallen in love.

My parents got divorced. I’ve been reluctant to write about this publicly since it’s not necessarily my story to tell, but it did happen and it did impact me. I’m happy my mom is now free from what seems like a lifetime of servitude to children and husbands, and I hope my respective relationships with my mom and dad will grow individually despite the complexity and logistical challenges that come with having divorced parents.

My grandmother died. We weren’t particularly close and didn’t speak all that often, although that’s something I could’ve rectified in my adulthood if I had put forth the effort. Relationships of all kinds don’t last if their foundation is weak or if there is no nurturing. In my case, I was left to maintain and invest in this relationship on my own — without the help of my dad, my grandmother’s son, or the crutch of close proximity. I feel some regret that I didn't do more, but I’m happy that I took the time to visit with her within the last few years and that she had the chance to meet my partner.

Hips, Homes, and (Job) Hops

I had hip surgery in August, and while I’m overdue to write an update on how that’s going, the TL;DR is that I’m feeling much better! There are some normal tasks, like putting on socks and cutting my toenails, that still require extra effort on my surgical side, but daily pain is at a minimum as long as I’m not too sedentary. I’m back to working out and hope to jump back on my bike this year.

Nelson (left) and Minnie sun in the backyard

We bought a house and moved in September! Just a month after hip surgery, you ask? Indeed, the timing could not have been worse, and the physical pain and emotional upheaval pushed me to a breaking point. Now that we’re settled in a little more, we are in heaven. Our home, with about 60% more space plus a backyard for our dogs, has been one of our greatest joys of 2021.

Last but not least, I became part of the Great Resignation and left the company where I worked for almost eight years. I learned so much and found tremendous gratification in building something alongside a group of incredibly talented people, but I ultimately grew out of the lifestyle that a startup-like culture demands.

I started a new job that checks most of my boxes late this year and was incredibly fortunate to take a month off in between jobs. I visited my parents and high school friends in California; I jumped up to Seattle to visit an old college friend; and I traveled to Mexico for some rest and relaxation with my partner for our second real vacation together in seven years!

I’ve been basking in learning new things at work and relishing my newfound free time on nights and weekends exploring hobbies.

Cheers to friends and family for all the love and support in 2021! In 2022, I’m hoping for a little less pain, both emotional and physical, and maybe a little less covid in this world.