... it's time for my (5th!) annual "best of" list now that 2014 is about to become 2015. And, as before, the list of 14 things I'll recall fondly for the year that is ending will be presented in alphabetical order, so as not to play favorites.
1.) Bekins Moving Company ... The early weeks of this year were spent in the throws of the big move from Chicago to southern Florida. So let me just kick off this list by mentioning that the best investment made for that task was with Bekins Moving Company. To the extent that I can enthusiastically recommend them to anyone facing a similar situation, I wholeheartedly do. Not a thing went missing ... not a thing was broken due to what they did ... not a promise from them went unfulfilled. For that, they deserve the first reference in this 14 best things of '14 list..
2) Burgers ... Specifically, numbers 6, 7, 8 and 9 in my ongoing quest. Unaware of my Burger Quest? For the last two years, I've been overlaying my travel plans with the Zagat 25 Best Burgers in America list, and I added four more experiences in deliciousness to my listings: from establishments in Miami, Philadelphia, Austin and Houston. You can check out pictures in the first link to my public Facebook album below (warning: do not do so on an empty stomach, as I believe strongly that viewing the images will cause uncontrolled salivation-style hunger)!
3.) Challenges ... Some years, it's all easy-peasy ... and then some years are 2014. Of course, I do as I always have and fully embrace my challenges ... after all, I feel like my life shaped me to do quite well in crisis situations ... and so kicking off the year with a move across the country, and ending the year with the double whammy news that my role in my company isn't being funded next year AND that the landlord plans to move back into her house in a few months, is just the luck of the draw. I've been posting inspiration for the day on Facebook since Nov 4 of this year, and I have a feeling that I'll be seeking out the same well into the year ahead.
4.) Chicago ... It was a bitterly cold February night with almost all of the belongings already en route to the new homestead, just me and little Murder (the cat) sleeping on an air mattress (note: cats who were never declawed and air mattresses actually aren't a good match). Well, trying to sleep I should say ... seeing as how our shivering kept on waking us up. That's my departing image from over a dozen years in the windy city ... an unbelievable chapter in my life that wrapped in the early weeks of this year. I said goodbye as only I know how (with a countdown ... see the link below) ... and, if all goes as planned, I'll soon start counting down the days until I return to visit this upcoming Fourth of July weekend.
5.) Florida ... There have been no bitterly cold nights here in the Sunshine State, unless you count that one time it dipped below 60 not that long ago. And that's just one of the many many many things that are wonderful about life down here in southern Florida ...pulling the trigger to move, a trigger that was first floated as an idea back in 2008, was most definitely the *right* thing to do this year. So many people commented as to how well Florida was clearly treating me (I do look even that much cuter with some sun). Added bonus -- now I'm in the same state as my sister Sherry G!
6.) Good Karma Rescue Agency ... Around this time last year, two pit bull puppies were born to two different litters ... one light brown and white and one black and white. The light brown one was abandoned (along with his two littermates) and sent to "death row", where an animal officer contacted a local rescue agency (the Good Karma mentioned above), who managed to spare two of the three puppies (and get them to fosters to try to restore their health). That same agency had also recently rescued the black and white one from a Craig's listing, where it was being given away because it only had three fully formed legs (and one appendage we lovingly call a "wing"). Because, sure enough, over the course of a few short weeks, *both* puppies ended up in *this* forever home ... and you can find out more of the story of Casanova James and Octavius (Ozzie) Julius at the link below.
7.) Going Home ... There sure was a lot of travel in 2014 (and I haven't even gotten to all of the trips yet), and I couldn't have been more pleased that some of those experiences took me back to my hometown of Lebanon PA, primarily for my high school 25 year reunion. Kind of. The actual main event got cancelled at the last minute, but I still got to see many of my out of town friends who had already made plans to be there (made possible by the planning for a separate pre-game style social activity by the talented Kerri [G]E) ... and, since I hadn't been home in about 2.5 years, I purposefully jam-packed the long weekend with activity after activity -- many of them captured on film and posted on the Facebook -- including the traditional meal with Kristi [H]B (joined this year by Cheryl M), catching up with Erik S, revisiting the LVC campus with Andy P, visiting with Judy W and my sister Bonnie B and with the Laura W family, and drinking with my best friends at a get-together hosted by Eric F.
8.) Grand Canyon ... For the third year in a row, my company held its annual meeting live in Las Vegas, and for the third year in a row, I took advantage of the opportunity to turn it into a subsidized vacation ... this year adding in a day trip to the northernmost part of the Grand Canyon. As I previously described the magic in a post earlier this year ... "In that moment, I was experiencing the past and the present and the future simultaneously, opening up a portal of sorts into a crystallized clarity regarding my place in the world and the world's place in me. I wasn't dealing with my body that had climbed to the highest point I could find, nor my mind that was processing the images I was taking in. Instead, for the first time in a long long time ... maybe the first time ever ... I was communing with my soul and my spirit -- the part of me that was, that is and that will be."
9.) Kaplan ... As I write this, I'm a lame duck employee at my company, seeing as how I found out on election day that my job wasn't being funded in the new year. I'll wrap up nearly 11 years of what I consider my first real career employment this upcoming Friday (and, seeing as how I do love a countdown, I'm executing one of those as well [not yet available on the blog]). As I've previously shared, I actually tried to leave twice before (one time to go write and the second time to move to Florida in 2008), but life intervened both times and I stayed on ... so this time, the third time, it's out of my control and my departure is going to "stick".
10.) New Orleans ... When living in Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale was the go-to vacation spot at least once a year ... but often more frequently. Now that Ft. Lauderdale is the address of my domicile, the question was waiting to be answered as to what would be the *new* go-to vacation location. I can now affirmatively say that it is New Orleans, visited twice in 2014. Not sure if it's the overall vibe ... or the drinking atmosphere ... or the history seeping out of every crack and crevice ... but it is already calling me back to return.
11.) Orlando ... My job may be ending soon, but the move here to southern Florida did put me in the geographic proximity to scoot up the turnpike to Orlando twice this year to deliver some training at our company's call center. As fulfilling as that was, it also put me in the geographic proximity to visit with one of my dearest friends since high school, Holly A, who lives in that city. Reconnecting with her, whilst walking around and sampling all the nations' foods at Epcot, is one of the best memories of 2014.
12.) Tara ... Not every memory about reconnecting with old friends is a completely happy one. Mind you ... I really enjoyed reconnecting with college classmate Tara [K]H when her work brought her to my neck of the sands this past fall. We went out to eat, she came back to the household to meet the newly expanded family, and we made plans to go out again in a few months when she returned. Except she fell ill a few weeks later, and passed away unexpectedly of a staph infection that had entered her bloodstream. A somber reminder to remember to live within each moment, not knowing if the next will be yours to have.
13.) Texas ... For someone who likes to travel, there's little more exciting that adding a state in which you've never set foot to the list of places you've been. Admittedly, there's still *plenty* of the great state of Texas to be seen, but starting off in Austin and Houston this past November seemed like a good beginning. Add in the fact that the impetus for the trip was the wedding of my surrogate sister Wendy W, and rest assured that a good time was had by all.
14.) You ... Because whatever randomness I happen to be focused on each day, I get to share it with you. And because when I travel, I get to visit you. And because when faced with challenges, I get support from you. And because the real stuff of life is all about connecting with others, I so appreciate you.
With that, let's bring on my most favorite time of the year ... and let's close the challenging chapter of 2014 and bring on the exciting (if unknown) changes that will represent 2015. From me and mine ... here's wishing you and yours a prosperous new year, full of the love of friends and family, as I can attest that that's a great place to be! God bless!
A BOY ON HIS BURGER QUEST:
https://www.facebook.com/troy.neidermyer/media_set?set=a.4477027784149.1073741830.1843633569&type=3
SAYING GOODBYE TO CHITOWN, MY WAY:
http://capcognition.blogspot.com/search/label/50%20Things%20I%27ll%20Miss%20About%20Chicago
BECOME A FAN OF CASANOVA JAMES AND OCTAVIUS JULIUS:
https://www.facebook.com/thecasanovajames?ref=hl
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