Another year in the tank.
2022 has come to an end, and every year I like to do a little retrospective on my favorite moments of the year. Who knows, maybe you were at some of these things that happened! But first, a little 2022 overview of Ned.
2022 was a hell of a challenging year…mentally and financially. My daughter was the ripe age of 1 year old and growing like a weed, seemingly countless trips out of state…it was a good year, but a very draining year. Normally this is a great thing as I do like to stay busy, but this kind of busy was a whole ‘nother beast. It got to the point where I felt like ‘Ok, what did we even do this year?’ I felt like this was my first year of actual PARENTING! See the first year is where the kid is just a lump of kid right? It’s year 2 when they start becoming a yelling, running, screaming, human….and whether you see it coming or not? Nothing really prepares you for it…because of the ‘busy busy busy’….things kept falling behind and the stress started to climb….BUT….aside from that? Here are my favorite moments of 2022.
-Seeing Mudvayne for the first time in 12+ years.
Upheaval Festival 2022 was excellent. I reconnected with an old college friend and set out to do what I do at a rock festival. This time though, I was treated to the long coming reunion of Mudvayne. Seeing them onstage again after so long in their classic outfits and makeup belting out tunes like Dig, Not Falling, Dull Boy, was intoxicating.
-Family Chicago Trip
Katie, Lily, and I finally took some time to ourselves and enjoyed an extended weekend on our first REAL family vacation. Lily got to experience the aquarium, zoo, massive buildings, and some really good food. The weather was perfect and the whole family just had a great time.
-24 Hour Livestream
You know it, you love it, or you have no idea what I am talking about. This year though, we raised over $6000 for the kids at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City simply by staying up for 24 hours straight and playing video games! Every year it is a blast and I have a ton of fun…whether you watched or donated…maybe see you this year?
-Tattoo REALLY filling out
Of all the ‘just me’ things happening (where there ain’t much)…this sleeve tattoo of mine has been a nearly 3 year journey that I love every minute. As of this writing, I have yet to spend $1 of money earned from my job on it, it’s all side hustle and jobs. Stuff I added this year was Super Earth Defense Force, Star Fox, NBA Jam, ToeJam and Earl (I think that was this year?)
-Wife telling me I’m gonna be Dad again.
Katie and I planned that we wanted at least one more kid, and after our Chicago trip? We started the process…little did I know how quick it would happen. I still don’t feel like it’s happening cause the first kid is SUCH A BIG DEAL right? At this point with Lily we had like 900 baby showers, but this one coming is like? Well…here’s another. Ha ha ha! I think it will all make sense when once again I get to hold another one of my kids and give Lily the sister she deserves. I just hope it’s a little warmer in our delivery room.
–Converting my families home movies to digital
I have been meaning to do this for years….I’ve had the tapes, all I had to do was IT…and for Christmas for my mother this year? I did exactly that. It took hours, but in that time I got to see family members that I will never see in my presence again like my grandparents….it brought a smile to my face, make me laugh, made me think of how things have changed so much in that time. I think my mother appreciated the gesture as we immediately watched them when she received them for Christmas.
-I still have a pretty neat job
For some reason they haven’t fired me yet! HA HA HA! But I have now been on Rock 108 for 7 years and here I am, still rockin’ with you everyday. What’s odd is that I never imagined myself as the guy who is ‘longest staff member’ currently. I mean, Brian was out for some years, Russ came in during my 3rd year….so currently? I am the guy who has been here the longest of the staff. I owe it to you all…you tune in, you listen, and you have fun, and that’s all I really care to do for you, is to have fun and maybe laugh a bit…so thank you.
Bring on 2023.
