Goodbye 2022!

2022 kind of came and went without a lot of fanfare.  I finished my fourth year with CDOT.  My wife is still with Department of Interior and is an Air Force reservist tied to the US Air Force Academy.  My first born started 10th grade at D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School.  My second born started 8th grade at D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School.  My first born started viola lessons this summer and continued through fall.  She also started with the Dakota Ridge Civil Air Patrol and has been enjoying it.  Both girls were part of the 3A Colorado State champion marching band.

My dental health continues to decline.  I had another tooth extracted and one more at risk.  My first born is out of braces, but my second born still has some time.  My first born also got a pair of glasses this year as she was having difficulty seeing from the back of the classroom.

Both of my daughters decided to host birthday parties at the house.  It seems like our finished basement is a pretty entertaining spot.  Not sure where my wife's birthday meal was held, but I opted for French Press.

We traveled quite a bit this year with road trips to Crested Butte in March, Royal Gorge in July and Grand Junction in October.  We also flew to Orlando for my wife's conference in April, Texas for my nephew's graduation in May, St. Louis for Scott AFB in June, and back to Orlando for Horseshoe Bay Resort in September.  I also went out to Memphis to help with my Mom's cataract surgery in September.  Visitors included the Bhavsars in March, Namisha in August, Sangeeta in October, Thanmay in October, Telatis and Mom in November.

Professionally, I continue to enjoy designing and running ITS projects, but I applied aggressively starting in late October and landed a job with Traffic & Safety at CDOT which I will start in a few weeks.

My community involvement has stayed low.  I have attended some D'Evelyn Marching band functions.  I attended 82 AA meetings, but need to get more involved with an actual home group and a sponsor.

In terms of hobbies, it continues to be all about the Garage Gym Build.  I eclipsed 2021's $1100 net investment by piling on a net of $3200 in gym equipment plus another $2700 in vintage equipment.  This doubled my lifetime spend and I also kept a membership at Crossfit Golden.  The vintage equipment collecting has been a lot of fun and I have focused on York Roundhead dumbbells and Deep Dish weight plates.  I returned to endurance racing with two foot races and the Littlefoot Sprint Triathlon.  I also took up recurve archery and have practiced indoors and outdoors.  

My fitness was also highlighted by joining the US All-Around Weightlifting Association. I participated in some Garage Gym Competitions (powerlifting and random).  I got to try some Highland Games events with the Rocky Mountain Scottish Association.  I tried to offer online coaching, but did not get far.

I joined an online Bhagvad Gita study in the Spring, but did not stay involved.

We only had (3) ski days this year during a trip to Crested Butte for Spring Break.

I had (3) days in the Coral Sea including the 4th of July bash.

I was out at the golf driving range quite a bit in the Spring and played one round during the ITE golf tournament at Arrowhead golf course.

I bought (3) capped bust dimes, but unfortunately could not add any Gupta Dynasty coinage. I also added a book on Lescher Dollars to my numismatic library.

I read (4) books this year.  (3) Amor Towles novels and a self help book.  My favorite was  "A Gentleman in Moscow."

In terms of purchases, it has been harder to keep track without the benefit of my credit card statement.  I did buy a pair of running shoes and my archery equipment.  In terms of gym equipment, my favorite purchase was the Quicklee collars and my favorite vintage item was the Billard 25 pound custom painted Bronco's logo plates.

In terms of home improvement, we poured concrete for a walk way, had new fencing installed, had blinds installed, window inserts installed, and bedroom canned lighting.

Finally we bought a 2011 Subaru as my first born is learning to drive.

The LA Rams won the Superbowl and the Astros beat the Phillies in the World Series.  Justin Medeiros and Tia Clair Toomey won the Crossfit Games.

Political strife continues and the US Supreme Court has joined the fray by overturning Roe v Wade in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, reinforcing the second amendment in New York State Rifle & Pistol v. Bruen, and dissolving separation of church and state in Kennedy v Bremerton School District and Carson v. Makin.

On a general note, Covid continues to run rampant along with our old favorites, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.  The girls did a couple of camps at Colorado School of Mines, USAFA and AUMC, but otherwise had a low key summer.