December thoughts

December always makes me pensive. December is the last month in the year. An ending. And I suppose that’s mainly why I tend to reflect on what I did with myself the whole year and if I accomplished much during that period.

2005 will always be remembered as the year Ed and I bought our first home. I guess that in itself is a big accomplishment, although I tend to view it as a culmination of years and years of saving money. Nonetheless, we became home owners this year (some people would refer to is as mortgage owners).

Ed and I went on two trips this year - San Francisco and Washington DC. So for new mortgage owners, being able to go on these trips is a big deal. It means we bought a home in a price range that still allows us to travel and do fun things. That was one of our goals when we starting looking for a place to buy because we felt very strongly about not wanting to be saddled with such a huge mortgage that our lives would be all about paying it off.

We dabbled in house renovations. We did some things well and also realized that some tasks are better off being done by a professional. I’m willing to pay just so it gets done fast and right. But it’s good to know that we’re not totally helpless when it comes to home improvement.

Dragon boat took up so much of our energy and time this year but no regrets. Ed and I are in pretty good shape because of it and we feel very proud to be part of a competitive team. It’s about hard work and discipline and proving to ourselves that we can take on this challenge is very satisfying. It’s always a battle though when it comes to time. Our training demands so much of my time and I start thinking about the “opportunity cost“ - I could be spending this time developing my professional skills by enrolling in business or technology classes, I could be learning how to play the piano or learning a new language, etc. All the other things I could be doing if I weren’t in the boat paddling. But there is also the possibility that I could be on the couch doing nothing because it’s so easy to be lazy.

One of my goals for 2005 was to stay in touch with friends and family and I was successful to a degree. Not a resounding success but I did enough to be satisfied. I visited Lizza who is very close to my heart, I spent time with my brothers Eric and Je, and I started a regularly scheduled get-together with my circle of friends. For 2006, I will work on staying in touch with my sisters and mom, and my nieces. It’ll be the female family connections this time.

There are always ups and downs, but all in all, I did accomplish a lot and I consider 2005 a good year. My marriage is solid, our home is a happy work in progress, I have family and friends who care about me, and my career is progressing well. And my cats love me. That’s the icing on the cake.