Well, the year that was Two Zero Zero Seven is complete.
It was an interesting year, full of surprises, good times, some bad times and some sad times.
It’s one of those years that could, in the history of my life, turn out to be pivotal.
To recap on how things were looking half way through the year, check out my Half Yearly Report Card.
But now it’s time to rate the year as a whole and see how things have progressed.
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Work:
Mick was showing potential half-way through this year towards increasing his work productivity and becoming a valued member of the team.He was responsible for resolving 100′s of incident in the initial stages of the project and was duly rewarded with a $100 Dinner Voucher. Whilst this reward was justified, I feel that his attitude towards work in the last couple of months has become quite negative and his late starts and long lunches seem to indicate this change in direction.
One incident resulted in the loss of service to 100′s of users after a sloppy mistake. This just shows that his mind is not always on the job and he needs to ensure he gets to bed before midnight.
I think that Mick is seeking a new challenge and perhaps the new year will bring new projects, challenges and a renewed enthusiasm towards his work. We can only hope, as I hear the dole queues are a pain.
B
Home:
This year has been a tough one for the nomadic Mick. The fact that he has stayed in 4 different locations during the year has lead to a feeling of a lack of permanency and no feeling of ‘home’.
This was fortunately rectified in July when a more permanent home was located and the fellow house-mates proved to be very cool. Sharing a place has been a positive experience for Mick, not withstanding the fact that 3 guys in one townhouse can make a good mess. He has enjoyed the fact that there are people to hang out with and that the kids are welcome at any time.
I look forward to Mick maintaining his residency for 2008 and cementing his home life a little more than 2007. I am positive he won’t piss off his house-mates too much.
B+
Health:
Mick’s health has had an up and down year. It didn’t start well as indicated in the Half Yearly Report, but since July, his health has been remarkably excellent.
Turning 31 seems to have not hindered this young man who has pushed his body on boot camps, Indoor Soccer marathons and Indoor Cricket nights.
Ignoring the bumps and bruises that can occur through team sports, he has managed to keep himself in one piece.
The biggest area of concern has been his in-grown toenail that continues to plague him. After fighting off the affliction in July, it re-occurred in November and remains to this day. Seriously, people are sick of seeing the red, swollen and pusy toe that you seem insistent on showing off and picking at whilst at dinner tables.
Take the anti-biotics, fill the repeat and get rid of the pain, is my suggestion.
Not that you seem to listen to anyone, least of all your girlfriend that continues to remind you.
Rolled ankles have been an area of concern in the past, so it would be useful if Mick attempted to not wear thongs too much as they have a tendency to weaken the ankles. His new found love of thongs (aka Havianas) may have caused him to roll his ankle recently which he then proceeds to bitch complain about at length.
A forthcoming appointment with the Dermatologist is a welcome move as the plethora of moles on his body are an area of concern. Hopefully there are no suspect spots.
I notice that Mick has steadfastly refused to go to the dentist. I’m afraid that his mark has been adjusted to reflect this flagrant dis-regard for his dental health. His stubbornness is honestly getting quite annoying. I have reached the point of caring less about whether his teeth fall out of his head or not.
I believe that Mick has only missed a couple of days of work due to ‘real’ illness and this is commendable. Perhaps if he could show the same commitment to work that he does to sport and music, he would be commended further.
B
Love:
Mick has managed to maintain and improve on his mark from the first half of the year.
Despite the long distance relationship and the times of doubt and sadness, he has managed to build a solid relationship with LaLa and I forsee it being a successful and long lasting connection.
He needs to work on his ‘schmoopiness’ levels that have a tendency to increase when alone and bored. Just because she is not with you does not mean you need to get all mopey. Enjoy the times you have with her and look forward to talking and chatting to her when you can.
The recent holiday away with LaLa has done wonders for their relationship and being together for 2 weeks has proved that neither is about to run off screaming at the fact that the other person annoys the crap out of them. In fact it seems the times of long distance can make a relationship stronger in the end.
Efforts are to be encouraged around making sure that Family, Friends, Band and Life commitments balance successfully and that LaLa gets the attention that she deserves.
A+
Extra-Curricular Activities :
This new category has been added for the 2nd half of the year as it appears that Mick has had a very busy 2nd half of the year.
One of the bigger events in the last 6 months has been the band that Mick has joined. The Drop Bears have been taking up a lot of time for Mick, but it has been something that he has been hoping to do for a long time. The weekly rehearsals and frequent gigs have not only given Mick an excellent outlet for his creativeness but also contributed much needed funds to his wallet. The friendship between band members may also prove to be a positive influence over the coming months.
Live music is also something that Mick continues to maintain a presence at. The forthcoming Big Day Out and Foo Fighters concerts look to be keeping the entertainment levels at a commendable level.
Mick has also been quite involved in playing team sports at the Cricket Centre, as well as many drinking sessions at trivia nights. These activities, whilst commendable for his commitment should probably include less alcoholic consumption. I would encourage more watching of Liverpool matches and Eels games with his son.
B+
Family:
Unfortunately with all the extra-curricular activities that Mick insists on doing, his time with family has not been up to a satisfactory level. Mick needs to work on making sure that time with his kids is not jeopardised by his other interests.
Having said that, the time he spends with the kids has been enjoyable and the kids have taken advantage of living close by staying over on many nights, going out to dinner and spending time playing with their Dad.
Mick should remember to make sure that the boys interest in Rugby League, Cricket and Holdens is kept at a reasonable level.
B
Overall:
2007 was a tumultuous year for Mick, but as usual he appears to have come out the other side being stronger, more confident and a little balder.
2008 can only hold bigger and better things including more time with his family, lover and band.
The 2 pivotal things this year were the new love of LaLa and the re-introduction of music into his life. Both of these things could prove to mould the coming years of Mick’s’ life.
I think it will be another year or two before Mick will be able to move forward to the next stage of his life that will ultimately make him happy, but he is bridging that gap confidently as the days go by.
Mick needs to avoid his feelings of insecurity and doubt by grasping the moments that he has in life and enjoying what he has instead of lamenting what he doesn’t.
Resolutions for 2008:
- Ride to work 3 times a week
- Make my lunch 3 times a week
- Avoid schmoopiness
- Go to bed earlier and use the laptop less before bed
- Make the most of weekends with the kids
- Start a photo blog and pursue more photography
- See lots of live bands
- Save money for a potential OS trip in 2009
- Read books
B+
