2022 review / 2023 plans

[dinny_g]

2022 has been a mixed bag here...

Work

Despite many assurances that my "temporarily taking responsibility for X" (despite x not being my role or skillset), there is no end in sight for this. I have given myself 4 symbolic lines in the sand for this and each have passed. There's always just one more thing or one more decision point needed but unfortunately for me, while I'm in place, there's no imperative for them to formally fill the role.

I'm caught between a rock and a hard place really because I don't want to grasp the nettle and sort it all out because then "I'll be the best person for the job". I need to stick it out to September and then re-asses. Really annoying thing is I turned down a chance to work with an ex-manager elsewhere in December of 2021 because I trusted that 2022 would be back to normal. Lesson there - Never Trust Anyone about Anything at Any Time EVER !

Money

We bought our new house in Sept 2021 and built in a significant amount of wriggle room into the budget to allow ourselves to live a little while still buying our forever home. We're fixed to September but I suspect our mortgage will rise by £300 or £400 per month which, added to rises in energy (£150 to £200/month) and food costs and my other half's salary dropping a bit after a recent redundancy, means a significant chunk of that wriggle room is now gone. The house or the mortgage is not at risk but the helicopter's to the villa in Cannes will have to stop for a bit. We've saved a good chunk to overpay off the capital so that will mitigate things a bit. We were hoping to reduce the term but that may have to wait until next time.

Health

Unfortunately, my mental health has taking a bit of a hit this year. I had made great strides in my recovery in 2021 but some of my specific issues were re-triggered by events in 2022. Things aren't as bad as before as I now recognise the issues and am equipped with techniques to deal with them but it was an eyeopener to be ever vigilant.

My weight, which soared in 2021 (After I literally stopped consuming myself with depression and anxiety) is slowly coming down but it's slow progress. I am also going to need to start Blood Pressure medication in Jan. My BP's been an issue for a long time - a combination of genetic predisposition, weight and lifestyle and significant life pressures. But I'm not beating myself up. I won't be the first guy nearing 50 to need the meds.

Family

Mini-Dinny is doing his GCSE's this year. I have no doubt he'll do well but he's a little lazy and I'm sure that if he only applied himself a bit better, he'd have 8's and 9's across the board. He's going to do A Levels so I'm confident he'll get the required grades.

Mrs Dinny was made redundant at the tail end of last year which was a Godsend - She had been unhappy for a while and the environment had got Toxic but there was a lot of talk of redundancy and having 20+ years of service, she didn't want to walk away just yet. She got a decent payout and is now actively searching.

Plans for 2023

More of the same really - want to get our heads down and save as much as we can this year. Global company performance is such that a bonus is still likely in April but while we still have most of the buffer I described above, we want to put as much of it away.

We're still probably going to have our holiday in America in July. We have separate money put aside for this and have been planning it for a few years. And it's probably the last chance to go as a family as the nipper would probably prefer a Free Gaff than a holiday with his parents from next year.

I need to get away more hiking and camping (I haven't been away since before Covid) and would like to climb Ben Nevis in the summer after 3 failed attempts

I have to complete my MSP exams which means, if I'm honest, relearning all the content. I was just about to sit them before COVID so I'll need to re-learn a lot for the Foundation Exam (as it's closed Book). I'm less concerned about the Practitioner exam to be honest.

Get to September, take out new Mortgate and then look at the Job Market. At this stage, if the circumstances are right I think I'll go back contracting.

[Gavster]

I need to get away more hiking and camping (I haven't been away since before Covid) and would like to climb Ben Nevis in the summer after 3 failed attempts

What was the reason for the failed attempts? I've got zero knowledge of climbing but am genuinely interested in visiting more mountains and hills in the coming year.

[Jobbo]

I don't think I've posted in one of these since the end of 2019 thread. Fuck. Bit of catching up to do then...

Work: the COVID traffic is definitely a distant historic memory now and I've been getting a bit annoyed commuting so far. So in the last quarter of 2022 we found a second office, which is up and running from today. Now I have a shorter commute (for the days I'm in the new office) and we have the space to expand. And that has been the story of the last year/18 months; trying to find decent employees and not being able to. I'm keen to be in a position to take on the decent people who are made redundant by big firms in response to the tales of recession; half our business is fairly counter-cyclical anyway but since we've been turning work away during 2022 we still have the business need.

House: still not started the extension yet. That's definitely on the cards this year, if I can get any time when I'm not thinking about work to get on with it. I'd already toned down the grand design a bit to something which will give us as much space in a less elaborate way, and therefore cost less to build. After thoroughly enjoying the cheap above-ground swimming pool in 2022 because I got a heat-pump for it, I would really like to create a slightly better space and access to it with some garden landscaping; realistically that can't happen until the extension is done so probably more a 2024 plan, but it's down here to make me get on with things in 2023.
Also house related, I stopped renting out my old house in late 2021 so it's been ours to use in 2022 while decorating etc to Airbnb. It's ideal for that purpose, the thatched roof has been mostly renewed in 2022, I've had a gardener coming regularly last year doing the outside and I've furnished it appropriately. Just want to replace the front door which has some rotten bits and it'll be ready to take paying guests.

Family: my stepdaughter (last child living at home) went to university in September 2022 so most of the time it's just my wife and me at home now. That suits us; my wife missed her for half the term and is now keen for her to go back next weekend, so she's definitely appreciating her leaving the nest. Her still living with us was part of the reason we haven't moved house; the others are that I like our house and we haven't even really started improving it yet; I've been looking for a couple of years and not seen anything I like even ramping up the price to over £1m, and I'm pleased we didn't commit to a mad mortgage to move anyway. Which in a circular way feeds back to the new office.

Holidays and animals: we now have 12 cats, 2 dogs and a tortoise living at home. We're not planning any more cats though we're keeping two of the fermale munchkin kittens born last March intact so we can potentially breed some more in future. They do get in the way of holidays, so we have found a nice lady who will come twice and day and sit with them, feed them, clean out the litter trays etc while we go away. Ignoring the cost of so many staying at a cattery, we probably wouldn't be able to get them all in the car to drop them off without multiple journeys. I would prefer the ability to just disappear off on holiday, or to a nice hotel for the weekend, but I do like the cats. The two rescue kittens we got have fitted in so well and seem so happy that I guess overall it's not too bad having to make arrangements well in advance for holidays. And my work is just as much of a hindrance now anyway.

Plans: get extension done, get Airbnbing, change my wife's car (a topic for the Cars forum later), take some holidays, get some extra employees and grow my business. Not much, really

ETA: forgot to mention that it was good to meet Gavster in person for the first time in 2022, and I want to do some slightly further afield cycling (Wiltshire and Wales) in 2023. Plus there are a few of us round Cheltenham and Gloucester so maybe arrange a forum drinks thing...?

[Gavster]

@Jobbo with all the animals it could be worth trying https://www.trustedhousesitters.com, especially for any longer breaks. Uli managed to do three weeks in NYC for free by being a housesitter for people with dogs. I mean, with 12 cats you could probably sell it as a 'therapuetic cat immersion experience'

[Jobbo]

Gav, that's a possibility if we're ever let down by the cat sitter we have already tried. She likes us and our cats, and uses pictures of them to market her services, so I think there's some goodwill there already. The dogs and tortoise go to our favoured kennels anyway; the dogs love it there.

[dinny_g]

I need to get away more hiking and camping (I haven't been away since before Covid) and would like to climb Ben Nevis in the summer after 3 failed attempts

What was the reason for the failed attempts? I've got zero knowledge of climbing but am genuinely interested in visiting more mountains and hills in the coming year.

All weather related - twice with my other half, the weather turned and rain and strong winds came in. "We" decided to turn back. Once at Red Burn, another time about 1/2 way up the switch backs leading to the plateau.

One other time I was on my own and maybe not as experienced. It was in Winter and high winds were forecast so I went skiing on Aonoch Mor instead.

I have collected small stones from the summits of Snowden, Scafell and Carrantuohill so when I get this last one, I'm going to frame them alongside pictures I've taken from the summits.

[JonMad]

Looks like I skipped a year. Here's end of 2020:

I'll come back to this thread, but for those that posted last year, see link too see how you got on: Clicky

Well I was fairly non committal for 2020. Haven’t learned the guitar yet. Long term project came to an abrupt end before Christmas so ‘21 might be more varied in that regard. Bought myself a watch to celebrate 25 years at the Big Blue. Sold the Megane. Bought a Swift Sport. Bent the bumper of the Fabia (see sig), bought a spare for 99p.

Paid off the main house mortgage so that’s nice. Wife already has patio plans for any spare income. I don’t think there are any serious holiday plans going to be made.

I guess ‘21 will be about carrying on trying to stay healthy, trying to avoid being made redundant on the worst possible terms and hoping the kids are at school because the home schooling was hard work - mainly for my wife whose hairdressing business has been somewhat more affected than my public sector IT job.

So, '21-'22:

• Work - a couple of interesting projects picked up, one short term, the other longer term. Still at Big Blue, 27 1/2 years now. Did nothing towards getting promoted. Again.

• Health - no complaints. My Mum had a bowel cancer op in March '22 which had some complications so she was in 4 weeks instead of 4 days, mostly in isolation apart from video calls. Touch and go for a bit but she pulled through and is a lot better now. Rest of them doing fine.

• House - following on from the above, the house has a shiny new patio and front and garage doors. Should have got a remote controlled garage door years ago. Also got a new boiler to replace the 35 year old one. Thought about a heat pump, but maybe next time. Wife's rental place had a small water leak under the kitchen sink. Stopped and the damage is contained but the Insurers are making it very time consuming to get it all fixed. Her tenant is very patient/not bothered.

• Money - my endowment paid out, that I had kept up from my original flat purchase 25 years ago, so that was nice. Put some into Premium Bonds but haven't really thought about where to invest the rest yet.

• Family - Apart from the above, kids growing up and enjoying new interests and still keen on school and all happy. Last years of infants and juniors so double change in Sept '23 to juniors and seniors. Wife still enjoying her hairdressing business and balancing that with doing the daily kids routines whilst I hide away upstairs working.

• Holidays - we discovered camping in '22 which was great fun for all. Will do again (handy as we spent a load on gear)

• Hobbies - wife has discovered crafting (sewing, and she's just got a Cricut machine so is making all sorts of cut out cards and iron-on transfer stuff), Having brushed up a bit on some music theory I've got into electronic music making but haven't had anything go viral yet. Guitar sits 99% untouched, though I did sample it for a recent tune I did on the iPad.

• Cars - Yeti, Swift and Fabia continue to all do everything I/we want of them (8, 2 and nearly 4 years of ownership respectively, which is previously unheard of for me). Yeti now has a towbar and tows my tent+gear-laden trailed nicely so no likelihood we'll be changing that any time soon. A few Targas and the occasional Autosolo in '21 and '22, not many trophies (sorry again Jobbo!) but lots of laughs.

Plans for '23.

• Like Broccers and maybe a few others, I turn 50 this year (albeit in 51 weeks' time). So at some point I might think about some sort of celebration.

• Do stuff towards work promotion, finally.

• Try and stay with the current client as it's a good team and some interesting challenges that could keep us busy for ages.

• Do a decent number of car events. Maybe win a trophy.

• Make a hit record (or at least have fun trying).

• Get some/any sort of exercise rather than sitting on my arse all day which I've done for the last 2 1/2 years.

• Do more of the stuff above that was good.

[Beany]

Gav, that's a possibility if we're ever let down by the cat sitter we have already tried. She likes us and our cats, and uses pictures of them to market her services, so I think there's some goodwill there already. The dogs and tortoise go to our favoured kennels anyway; the dogs love it there.

.....you can get paid? For looking after cats?

Well, tha'ts me jacking in 20 years of IT work

Actually related to the thread, I've bought a rowing machine. Arrives Monday. Hopefully it doesn't turn into an expensive clothes horse because that would be infuriating.

[Jobbo]

.....you can get paid? For looking after cats?

I think it's more of a lifestyle business She uses some of our cats in her marketing:

[Beany]

To be fair, your cats are photogenic in the 'bizarre cat behaviour' manner. Jimbo there looks like something out of an anime.

[240PP]

Looks like I didn't do this last year. I do like reading what you BOCs I've never met are up to though.

Car - Still have the Audi and no plans to change. In many ways it's the best car I've had. It gives me no trouble and I'm spending money elsewhere so not fussed about changing it. I might have another think if the second-hand market changes. Might be time for an SUV..

Work - a bit unfulfliing but I feel lucky to have a largely stress-free and flexible job with a great employer. I imagine I'll still be here this time next year unless the IR35 rules are changed again and I go back contracting.

Hobbies - Still running daily (on my own and now with a club too) and lifting weights 4-5 days. I've started boxing again which I love but it's clashing with a few other more important things and I need to be there at least couple of times a week to commit so I might be forced to drop it. I also have a nagging feeling that at 43 I should be preserving what brain cells and looks I have left. I'm still loving the piano so I've been doing a lot of that.

Holidays - two weeks in Italy over summer, weekends away in London, Amsterdam, Salcombe and quite a few festivals/concerts.

House - bought a new place in Sept which I love. I moved in with the gf while it was all going through after I sold mine and we still like eachother so that phase seems to have gone well, no plans to move in together yet though but I'm sure it will happen one day. BTLs and tenants have given me no issues but I doubt I'll be buying any more.

Family - Dad had a cancer scare over summer, he had lots of tests which in the end returned no nastiness, big 'phew' moment. My favourite Aunt has also recently had the all clear from breast cancer so more good news there. On the flip side my older brother has, without reason or explanation, decided he doesn't want anything to do with me or my younger brother anymore. I'm torn between sadness at losing a brother and wanting to knock him out due to the upset this is going to cause my parents.

Overall, it's been a very good year and I don't really have much to complain about. Plans for 2023 would be a change in the work situation, holidays and weekends away, stay fit and healthy (need to stop vaping) and finish Bohemian Rhapsody on the piano!

[nuttinnew]

I turn 50 this year (albeit in 51 weeks' time).

Sneaky. BHBYOC

[nuttinnew]

.....you can get paid? For looking after cats?

I think it's more of a lifestyle business She uses some of our cats in her marketing:

[Beany]

I have bought a rowing machine (due to arrive Monday) and have worked out how to get PS2 emulation working in Linux, and have 'sourced' gran turismo 4.

I may never leave the house again.

[Pete_]

I normally end up writing a book in this thread so going to keep it short this year.

2020 was mostly uneventful thankfully. Had holiday plans cancelled and struggled a bit working from home in a small shared london flat, but thankfully still have a job so can't complain.

My main goal for this year is to come up with a firm plan for moving away from the UK - South America or Asia are where I'm thinking about at the moment. It's something I've wanted to do for a while but I've always gone with the safe options of education and work in the UK. I'm turning 30 next year which freaks me out a bit, especially as a lot of my friends are getting married and having children, and I really want to live a bit more adventurously before I find myself 'settling down'. I want to see through the project I'm doing at work (the first time in my career that I might be able to show some actual impact from the work I've been doing) which ends in summer 2022 and was thinking about moving after that... although having been working remotely since March I guess it doesn't matter whether I do my job from my flat 1.5 miles from the office or from the other side of the world, so let's see if there's any option of that.

Last year I said I wanted to look at investment options for my savings, I haven't made much progress on that but more convinced about property rather than investment funds, so want to do something about that before I move away.

Getting a one way ticket to a hot country didn't happen, but I have requested that work give me a three month sabbatical in the autumn. I'd like to go to South / Central America but haven't yet put much more thought into it than that.

I did get my finances / investments in order at the start of the year, mainly in index funds rather than property as I'd been thinking about previously, and for the most part the stick market has been very kind this year which is encouraging but I'm anticipating more difficult times ahead.

Work has been a mixed bag this year, I've probably learnt more and achieved more than any previous year but also been struggling with working from home in a small London apartment and been feeling a lot of anxiety about work, and life in general. The upcoming sabbatical, if approved, should help me power through at least until then.

Not much else of note. Had a great holiday in Croatia in October, been trying to intentionally meet new people, started dance lessons but gave up after two classes, been learning guitar on my own and am going to start classes in January.

It's now been two years since I last drove a car and I don't have any plans to do it this year!

Despite some very positive noises from my manager at the end of 2021, my sabbatical request was turned down (they can't afford to lose me for three months apparently), so I had to 'make do' with a three week holiday in India (basically Mumbai to Delhi through Rajasthan) followed by a further three weeks working remotely in a beach hut in Goa. It was a great trip, but even on a tropical beach I felt all the usual work related stresses and anxiety that I feel when working remotely in London. Mentally, I'm much better in the office, and have ordinarily been going in every day this year. On the job front, the project I work on got additional funding and was extended to June 2023. It's not entirely clear what I'll be doing after that - there'll likely be an opportunity to stay in some form, but I think it's time to get a new job elsewhere.

I don't yet have any plans for holidays this year - I'd like to go somewhere but it's likely to be a shorter / cheaper trip than this years.

Other than getting a new job, my main goals are about getting fitter and going to the gym regularly. Last year had some good patches in that regard but from August onward with the India trip, then feeling ill / being busy it went downhill.

I didn't drive a car last year either.

[JonMad]

I turn 50 this year (albeit in 51 weeks' time).

Sneaky. BHBYOC

TYVM

[Jobbo]

Add me to the 50 this year club. My wife has booked us a holiday to Gibraltar which gets me out of the country for it. I didn’t want to throw a big party anyway; we got married 5 years ago and no birthday party is going to match up to the wedding.

[Broccers]

Good Idea @Jobbo I'm the same, don't want a fuss or the stress involved.

[McSwede]

I'm 50 this year too. No idea what I want to do.

[Barry]

Another fifty candidate here, my plan is lots of events rather than one specific large one.