Welcome 2017

This January 1^st I’m in Japan once again, but this time just for a short stop on my way back to Beijing. I’m watching about 100 naked guys around me, walking to and fro from one onsen to the next, and I thought it would be a perfect time to reflect on life and the past year.

2016 was a good year for me. I had a good job, my wife was happy and healthy, there were no major deaths in the family, pretty much everyone retained their health and jobs as well. I travelled to Japan last winter, then to 10 countries in Europe this summer. My visited country total has reached 39 now! Yes, I count! I got to travel with my mom and also see friends in Europe.

I have continued at a great job, continued teaching online at another job I love, and this year I became the online learning director at my main job. Kind of cool as I have been pushing to get more involved with online learning since I got my master’s degree in it 5 years ago. Now I teach it, direct it, and a recent chat with my school’s principal leads me to believe I will be overseeing the expansion of the program from about a dozen kids this year to 50 next year.

Physically I am in great health, no major problems and my running game is still on, though slipping a bit. I wouldn’t call it a NY resolution, but I plan to run a marathon this coming fall. I’m in a good shape now, but certainly that will mean getting ultra fit by September. If that race goes well I may have another shot at the Tokyo marathon in 2018 as well.

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Who knows. Both of my parents retire this year too, so that will be cool as it will probably mean that I will get to see them more and may entice them to travel to see me a bit too. So the year was good and the outlook for 2017 is good too. Happy 2017!