Thoughts on 2014

The holidays were busy, and now I’m back from a 2 week trip to the USA to visit family and friends over Christmas.  The redeye from Chicago on New Years Eve gave me a lot of time to think about how the past year has gone and how many things have changed.  A year ago I didn’t know I’d be moving to England.  I wouldn’t have thought 2014 was the year I’d run a marathon either, or that I would pass the PE exam and get my license to practice engineering (in the states, not the UK unfortunately).  So it was a big year and a successful one, with the move across the pond being the most life changing event.  Accomplishing all these things hasn’t been easy, but I’m glad/proud to have completed them.  I also traveled to four new countries, England, Scotland, Ireland and Iceland.

I’m not very good at making New Years resolutions, but I do have a few things to look forward to in 2015, and a few goals.  I’ll be starting my first UK job in just over a week as a structural engineer.  It will be quite different than what I was doing in the US, but I look forward to the challenge.  I’ll be training for the Edinburgh Half marathon at the end of May, for which a few friends are flying over from the states for.  (fortunately, it is mostly down the hills of Edinburgh, not up).  A goal is to make it to mainland Europe, which I’m hoping we will accomplish multiple times.  I’m currently trying to plan trips to Italy and Greece.  Maybe another goal should be to work on my photography skills, since I’m traveling so much and would like to take better photos. And to walk some of the high fells this summer. And to get better at cooking with UK ingredients/measuring.  (All the recipes seem to have most of their ingredients by weight, and I’m not confident in the accuracy of my food scale…)  So here’s to 2014, and to 2015 being even more full of adventure and travel!

Best wishes to everyone for a happy new year!  Do you make new years resolutions/goals?