2013 Year in Review

2013 wasn't as filled with recreation as 2012. I didn't fly a plane or wake board... or even snowboard!. But it was a good year... 2013 was far more about personal progress and financial stability, traveling, and lots of change.

Got my first elk

Took my truck on some 4x4 trails

caught a fish and ate it
Katie came into my life

Went to the fair

Dressed up for Halloween

Found out I was a direct descendent of Christopher Columbus
Suffered through a whole month of inversion and below freezing temperatures and scarcely saw the sun
Bought a hunting rifle
Flew on what felt like 100 flights.
Visited Atlanta
Visited Denver
Visited New Mexico
Visited Boston
Visited Los Angeles
Visited Iowa

Passed through airports at:

Albuquerque
Atlanta
Boston
Cedar Rapids
Charlotte
Chicago
Columbus
Denver
Detroit
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Memphis
Minneapolis
New York
Phoenix
Washington D.C.

and of course Salt Lake City.

Visited the Pacific and Atlantic oceans within two weeks

Stepped onboard the U.S.S. Constitution (Old Iron Sides)
Visited Chaco Canyon and the Salinas National Monuments in New Mexico

Went swimming, shooting,camping

Left Diabetes Specialty Center
Started working for Packsize
Bought a house for the first time
Completed the largest structure cabling job I've ever done with Nick and Jess (306 runs)
Worked a 19 hour day and a 90 hour week
Tried to share my testimony of Jesus Christ
Strived to think more about others
Learned to play Bach's Cello Suite Prelude No. 1 all the way through
Visited all of my grandparents
Helped with Rachel's wedding


There were times this year when I was on cloud nine. There were times when I felt so sad I hardly ate or slept for a week. I worked until I was ready to collapse and my body ached, other days I slept until noon. I've been proud of myself, I've been sorely disappointed in myself. I've been praised and honored by coworkers and chewed out by bosses.

The Way I See the Days

Ten years ago I remember the greatest challenge seemed to be the tediousness of life. I despised having to have a job... I hated having to go to school... Paying bills, registering my car, waiting at a stop light. Everything seemed pointless and unnecessarily cumbersome. (So sometimes I just didn't do it.) Night came and I wanted to stay up late to enjoy the embers of free time. There seemed to be no point to all the demands of daily life.

Life was all about relaxing, having fun and not being bothered. Independence meant no one could tell me what to do. Writing, playing and listening to music was all important.


It's funny how things are different now. I care about my job, I pay my bills on time. I try to stay ahead of all these little things before they turn into problems. Life is still a battle, the difference is I now know that it must be fought. I wake up in the morning and set about my duties. The path of least resistance is no longer an option...

I look forward to mowing the lawn, wiring a light in my house, helping someone fix their car or move a couch. I'm learning to value character over physical beauty. I'm learning that events, conversations and accomplishments are only as precious and special as you make them.