2020 is the future

Sometimes lots of time passes and nothing big happens.  2107 and 2018 feel like that in my memory.  If I could remember those years better, maybe I would tell some tall tales from them.  Or not.

2019 was a year of a different sort.  Jill's dad's health had been in a slow decline for several years and then fell off a cliff.  He passed away early in the year.  Our first Christmas without him just passed, and he was greatly missed.  No one took more joy in giving random items (sticky notes, toothpaste, lube, peg board hooks, windshield washer fluid, ...) as stocking gifts than Rick.

We made a couple of big decisions at the end of the year.  Maybe we are simply getting older and tired of dealing with nonsense?  Or maybe we were just tired and sad due to Rick's end of life struggles?  The upshot is that I have a new job that begins on Jan 6, and we attend a new church.

We're still serving in the youth group at our long-time church for now, but have started attending Stone Creek Church.

My job has been pretty good for several years.  I really enjoyed working for my customers, but getting new customers was a struggle.  During the summer a friend called me up to ask if I would be interested in joining his company.  I started to think about the things I didn't love about my job.  Voila, a new job for me.

Once those very big changes happened, a series of small changes have cascaded down on us.  We have a new car (thanks Mom and Dad!  We sold our trusty 2000 Mazda Protege for a stack of $20s).  I bought a new bike (more on that in a later post; this is still a bike blog, right?  I still have my 1982 Trek 610, but might pass it along to the right person.  Interested?).  I own a smart phone (I love texting.  Look up my # in the phone book and send me a text).  I bought a new laptop (our Toshiba died years ago.  Jill bought a chromebook to sort of replace it.  I missed having folders and files).  I grew a beard (I have a small amount of hair on the rest of my head).

My head continues to spin as a look at all these changes.  Am I no longer a luddite?  Am I in a mid-life crisis?  How much nonsense should I try to pare from my life?  So, I'm going to give blogging another shot (I hope).  Maybe I can sort thru these ideas and find some foundation in my life again.

I'm still a rebel!  Shortly after taking the above photo, I saw a sign that forbade photos.  Too late, 'the man'!  Also, Dad, note the magnolia trees growing right next to the wall, using tree supports to pin the branches.
Another tender Tennessee Christmas.  Here's to 2020, where we're now for real living in the future.