11013160_10153353768629396_8627176075243092114_n2015 surpassed 2014 with ease. Not a particularly high bar, but I’d go so far as to call it a good year. Nobody too close to me passed away and everyone generally seemed to get healthier.

Goals

Again, I didn’t really set any, but had a few in my mind. I attained all that were within my power. Still digging this private goal setting so it’ll be a thing likely forever. As always, the measurable (exercise infographic to back it up):

  • Ran 200 miles. Considering I took the last quarter of the year off from running, that’s pretty good. I didn’t get any slower, and I even ran 17 miles at sub 10k pace in a day. Total mileage is up slightly from last year.
  • Biked 5000 miles (up from 3900). A significant leap. Got a lot stronger as this kind of mileage is clearly a level above what I was doing. Participated in 31 races, won twice (I’d never won any sort of race prior to this year), 2nd twice, and 3rd twice. Moved up a category in every discipline (road, mountain, and cycloross) so I don’t expect to see these kind of results next year.
  • No swimming again so we’ll go ahead and assume it may not happen again after two years of zeroes.
  • Hiked 31 miles. Would love to build on this even more and explore more of the Northwest.
  • My weight stayed just about the same (yearly average of 175), but the heavier months were in the summer as opposed to winter last year. I think I can attribute that to beer intake, which I’m making a point to reduce.
  • Burned 280,000 calories (80lbs of body weight!), which is a 60,000 improvement over the previous two years. Since my weight stayed the same, I guess I have more muscle? Not a fully scientific conclusion, but a likely one.
  • Read 24 books. A slight reduction from last year, but I’m perfectly pleased with the number. My favorite was probably The Martian. Why We Ride is a close second and Fevre Dream was also excellent.
  • Netflix is always messing with their presentation of data so I can’t get any solid numbers, but we watched a ton of stuff. Our total queue is no shorter than it was last year, which bums me out – I eventually want to see everything I want to see. Mad Max was movie of the year with Star Wars a close runner-up.
  • 22 reviews on Yelp. Down from 36. I’m kind of getting over it.
  • Increased my Xbox GamerScore by 2775. I don’t have any previous metrics, but my gaming is definitely reducing with age. It’s not that I’m less interested in it, but that I’m more interested in doing more constructive things with my time. The only title I really spent time to beat was Massive Chalice. Fallout 4 and NBA 2K14 got the most playtime. Star Wars: Battlefront was the most beautiful disappoint ever.

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Events

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Other

  • I took on a new role at work. After being in quality assurance since leaving college, I now work as a product manager. The work is a lot more difficult, but I’m enjoying learning new things and having more responsibility. It would have been easy to get pigeonholed into QA forever, but this has given me a way out.
  • We had guests pretty much every month of the year. Was loads of fun. I’m pretty sure nobody left not thinking Portland is awesome. Could you be sleeping in our guest room in 2016!?
  • We didn’t do much with the house this year other than make it feel more homey. My long list of little maintenance items was mostly ignored, but we’ve definitely made the place feel more ours with furnishings and decoration. We did get some siding and trim repaired, but that’s the extent of improvements. Roof is coming very soon (already estimated, just need to sign). We did refinance – money is good. Edit: I forgot out garden! We reclaimed it this year, had herbs galore, fresh lettuce for a short period, and attempted Brussels sprouts, but they didn’t work out.
  • The cats were very healthy so not much to report there. They continue to be awesome. I know it’s passé to say your cats are awesome, but other folks tell other people it so I’m pretty sure it’s true. They’re like little dogs you don’t have to give too much attention to.
  • Heather had some health stuff go down. All is well, but we found out she’s allergic to coffee. How terrible is that?
  • My back has been bugging me for a few years now. I’ve seen everyone under the sun now and an MRI from my recent crash makes it clear it’s nothing with my bones. Included in the numerous people I’ve seen for help is an awesome physical therapist who gave me homework. As it was the heart of racing season, I didn’t do the homework. I plan to get on that wagon and make a great effort to improve the near constant pain I’m in. Most of the pain is in my neck and where a single rib connects to my spine. Stupid.
  • After winning my first and only season of fantasy basketball, I wasn’t invited back this year. Peculiar, but the folks were kind of lame (coworkers of a friend) so no big deal there. Fantasy football was a rollercoaster. In the league I’ve been in for ten years I drafted CJ Anderson and Alfred Morris in the first three rounds – they were both absolute duds. I struggled at RB all season and a mid-pack finish was to show for it. I entered a new league with Virginia Beach friends and was slightly above average all season, but pulled out some miracles in the playoffs to take the championship. Seems to be a recurring theme – beating people I don’t know too well in my first season. These folks I do know a bit better than the basketball ones so I’m hopeful they’ll invite me back.
  • I had been neglecting the blog and my camera since Mom’s death. I realized that around the middle of this year and really hope to improve next year.

Previous years in review: 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006.