Christmas 2023: A Mixed Bag of Blessings
Christmas is when I often like to reflect on what I was thinking and doing in other years at this same time. Last year, I was pretty depressed. I dug up my post from Christmas 2022, and it was a bit sad. I even titled the post “Christmas Blues in the 413.”
Wow, I was sad a year ago. I can’t say I am as sad today; in 2023, it’s just slightly unsettled and unclear. In 2018, I was much happier as I looked back on my old Gazette advertising days at Christmas.
One thing that I am re-evaluating is my constant travel. For some people, it’s the ideal getaway, being able to take weeklong trips about once a month. But now I wonder how this meshes with a desire to settle down with the right woman.
Being away that much isn’t good for the other side. I remember asking my wise younger sister Caroline…she said she wouldn’t like that at all to have a partner gone that much. Other partners, I have adjusted to the regular trips I took. But the whole way of life I am going to evaluate. I might just be cutting back.
So many things feel slightly different now that I’ve crossed the Sixty-Five mark. I got on Medicare in October, and then I began to slow down. I’m down to working about 3 hours a day now, keeping my stories going but no sweating the whole thing too much.
In fact my talk at TBEX in July will be about assuring your legacy is intact and tips on passing along your business and keeping it going after you depart. Interesting topic. I’m going to write this out and try to memorize it. This will be a big deal when I do this presentation at TBEX in San Juan Puerto Rico.
One year I decided to share all of the Christmas blogs I’ve written since I began this journey in 2004.
I am looking forward to taking the train next week down to New Jersey for a few days of New Years. Then I might or might not be taking another trip on the Acela high speed train to Wilmington and to DC.
But if it doesn’t come together, I’m fine. Like I said, the travel is winding down a bit, for good reasons.