About A Year In Review

If there was ever a good year, 2011 was the one!

Now, don't get me wrong, I've had a pretty good run and I have very little, if anything, to complain about.  I have the most wonderful family a man could ever ask for; a lovely, beautiful, caring, adoring wife, two magnificent daughters that any father would be proud to have and what has to be the most amazing grandson ever.  The good Lord definitely knows into whose life to drop these blessings.

I am not any different from anyone who wants to accomplish great things in life and is willing to work hard for them.  I am focused, determined and most of the time on target.

As I entered 2011 I knew that one of the biggest items in my bucket list would, God willing, come true.  That is to become an Ironman.  I had signed up for Louisville which was to be held August 29th.  The training had begun and baring a major catastrophe, it would be completed as planned.  And that it did.  That day, I did become an Ironman. (read the race recap here)  But as we all well know this did not happen over night.  This was a journey that took almost four years to complete.

What I did not know at the beginning of the year was that two more items, both large by any account, would also come true.

The one item that is fairly common amongst anyone who actively works a bucket list is "to retire".  This item could have been found in my list as well.  Another item that is also frequently found is "to start own business".

As luck would have it, things worked out perfectly for both goals in 2011.  A situation presented itself that allowed me to take early retirement and on July 1st, I did.  I would no longer be a slave to the time clock; to deadlines imposed on my time by others; to the responsibilities of having someone, anyone to answer to on a daily basis.  I would be my own man.

In comes the second goal.  Due to the aforementioned event, now that I had some time in my hands, I was able to concentrate on starting my own business.  I became a Registered Court Interpreter for the Language of Spanish (thank goodness I paid attention in Spanish class) and on July 21st I landed my first assignment.  After that, it has been non stop.  I'm truly blessed.

I am busy, busier than I have been in years (hope my old boss does not read this), but a different busy.  Now "all" of my efforts are rewarded with direct benefits for my family and myself.  I am able to work as much (and this is now the case) or as little as I want to, when I want to.  I can take time off when I need to for as long as I need to.  You get the picture, don't you?

What's in store for 2012?  Hard to tell, hard to top 2011.  Said bucket list still has a lot of items in it.  Only time will tell how things will develop.  I have been struggling a bit trying to prioritize these.  So I have taken to the idea that I will let the year play its course. If 2011 is an indication of things to come, 2012 should be a doozy!

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