If you are reading this, then you too have survived yet another year on planet earth.  This was one of the best and worst years of my life.  I suppose you could say that for every year, they all have their ups and downs.  This past summer, right around the time I quit posting, my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, we picked up a $7,000,000 project at work and I quit smoking.

I don’t want to dwell on my mother’s illness much except to say that it turned out to be operable and she has made a complete recovery.  The big project at work has been an all or nothing deal that threatened to break us as much as make us.  There were several problems with inspection, testing, and quality control that threatened to shut us down completely.   Just in time for Christmas.  Thankfully, we have resolved most of those issues and our continued employment seems secure at least for the immediate foreseeable future.

I am currently celebrating my 6 month mark on the smoking cessation.  For me, it always comes back to a great cigar or a pipe.  I love the smell, the taste, and the buzz.  But from there it’s a short trip to cigarettes for those times when there’s no time to enjoy a pipe/cigar.  I *LOVE* smoking cigars on the bike!  But no more.  I am six months nicotine free and I intend to stay that way.

One of the side effects of the events of the year has been the refocus that comes with mortal reality.  My mother had plans that she was afraid she would never get to do, a bucket list or “Things to do before I die”.  We have all taken a closer look at what’s important to us and, for now at least, we are attending those lists.  Mine is to write, draw, paint, film, sing, dance, play music and endeavor to be a more capable artist.  That means more time spent practicing and participating and blogging about it.