2005 RECAP

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Okay so I'm a few minutes late with this 2005 recap blog. Sue me, I'm writing this while multitasking with a nationally syndicated radio program. If we're still on the air and this is remotely coherent, I can claim ONE major accomplishment of 2006 already.

I'm sorta not a fan of resolutions. I like the idea, and thinking up things I want to focus on for a new year is fun. But I don't have as much discipline as I'd like to have. (THERE'S a resolution: HAVE MORE DISCIPLINE!!) So I haven't always been good about following through on resolutions.

I'm going to spend some time this year learning the guitar (so far, I ROCK that E-chord!), learning sign language, improving my poker game, writing more (I always say that), expanding my career (gotta get my discipline together!), and committing myself more to my faith. (That includes a redesign of my MySpace site some time in mid-Jan.) I've got to get better about finding time for God's Word in my day, and focus on not just the reading and study and application of it, but also of really making myself a student of His Word and Will for my life.

I also REALLY need to be better about keeping in touch with friends and family. I'm not thrilled with the way MySpace handles comments because there is no flow to conversations...but at least I can use it to reach out to people.

Perhaps the most significant moment of my year was when I got baptized on Good Friday. Then I began to feel very close to the folks in my church and got really involved. Then I pulled away a little bit and now I don't really have a church home and am trying to figure that out.

Another accomplishment this year was that I got three friends to read A Prayer For Owen Meany. That's my favorite book and I'm glad they all loved it too.

I finished 'in the money' in 3 poker tournaments this year...9th place, 2nd place, and 6th place...two were big wins, helping me get out of debt. I paid off my car and my student loans...Woooo!

I dated ONE woman this year, which was back in Jan-Feb, and that lasted about a month...and that makes the total number of people I dated in the past 2 years...let's see...carry the one...yep, still just that one. Wow, so much for some of my friends joking about me getting women all the time. HA! Soooo not true. (Okay only a couple have made the joke, but one left me a comment about it earlier today and this is how rumors get started. )

Suffice to say that aside from not putting much effort into finding time to date, I'm looking for the right person and I feel I need to have a spark of interest first. I'm not just going to throw myself out into the dating scene and casually and randomly ask out every woman I find attractive. That's just not me...never has been. And I'm not on MySpace to do the internet dating thing...tho if I met someone here who sparked my interest, I'd not discount that simply because of the medium. I've already seen a profile or two that make me wonder about approaching someone here, but I plan to hold off a bit.

So I'm not into casual dating for dating's sake. If I ask someone out, it's because I'm truly interested in seeing if there's something there between us. And I believe God has plans for me, not only for a partner, but for some sort of ministry, and I know this year will bring more growth towards that calling. I am trying to find out who I am in Christ, who this new me is. Sure, I'm not going to have all that figured out by the time I meet someone, but I want to at least be able to express that to whomever I'm having a first date with.

So being single is a blessing; but I DO want to find someone, and DO want to be in a relationship. I enjoy that dynamic and look forward to those experiences.

Whoa...typical Rich digression...Moving on, I got an iPod in November, and am really digging it. I especially like that Alistair Begg's Truth For Life radio broadcasts are now podcasts, and I like taking that bible study with me. On the music front, my favorite new artists (in Country) this year were:

Why do I mention that? Dunno. Felt like giving them props.

Oh yeah...the other major thing that happened to me this year was getting suspended from work for a week without pay...my advice to you: don't say the F-Word on national radio, even by accident. Oops.

I'm sure there's more that happened to me this year, but I'm blanking on it.

So here's to an eventful and spiritual 2006!

Grace To You ALL!