There’s a reason we still hear the famous words that open A Tale Of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
I’m convinced it’s because those words still seem to describe every, single year we live.
For for details on my year, as usual, here’s my list of rapid-fire memories:
- Staying at the Great Wolf Lodge for Meagan’s birthday
- Playing chess with Ted with the timer
- Updating the WordPress theme on MarshallJonesJr.com
- Finding out that Shaun was leaving Sonitrol
- Playing that last game of chess with Shaun in my office right before the meeting where I found out he was leaving
- Going out to eat with Shaun at El Torazo and talking about New Year reviews
- Writing, singing, and recording a song for Shaun… and then sending it to him
- Starting the book project for How To New Year
- Building the website and quiz for How To New Year
- Taking author photos for How To New Year beside the Dollar Tree
- Finding The Online Course Show and listening to almost all the episodes
- Logging back in to my Chess.com account and playing people from work on it
- Playing the Chess.com app in blitz for hours
- Getting my first iPhone and revamping/minimizing my new app set up
- Getting the wallet/cell phone cover combo and then finally finding the compact one that worked
- Downloading the Cozi app to schedule with Meagan
- Sliding on the hill at Springdale Community Church
- Walking to Starbucks from the house
- Taking Lachlan and Rosalie to Malibu Jack’s
- Finding out about the promotions at Sonitrol
- Hiking Harrods Creek Trail
- Telling Poppy I wasn’t coming back to Calvary Chapel
- Telling Bryce I thought he was going to hell because of what he believes
- Bryce telling me he’d remember what I said for the rest of his life
- Posting about releasing How To New Year on October 31, 2021 but then not releasing it
- Buying a keyboard for Gage and then adding an electronic drum kit on a whim
- Walking out of the house and spending the night in the car
- Flying kites with the line all the way extended at the park on Easter
- Getting a new bathtub (installed by Daniel) in our bathroom
- Renovating our bathroom drywall after realizing our drywall was too thin
- Filling up the slip-n-slide blob and trying it in the backyard
- Hiking to the pinnacle in Berea, KY
- Getting one of Meagan’s favorite pictures of me with Rosie in Berea
- Vacationing in Florida in Meagan and Gage’s favorite hotel on Fort Walton Beach
- Go carting with Gage in Florida
- Sailing on the pirate ship in Florida
- Slurping down milkshakes at Graeter’s Ice Cream
- Getting driveway paved
- Buying a new refrigerator when ours died
- Getting Meagan’s 23andMe results back
- Talking with the guy at Barnes & Noble
- Going weekday vegetarian
- Coming up with the idea to write a book about friendship
- Talking with Meagan about her doing a friendship experiment/challenge and write a book about it
- Trunk or Treating at the Louisville Zoo
- Making the Smart Intercom commercial for Sonitrol
- Switching bedrooms with our kids
- Putting up the chandelier in our bedroom
- Going to the zoo in Columbus, OH
- David canceling on us for the Columbus trip
- Learning about better posture on the Online Course Guy podcast and standing up taller as a result
- Meeting up with Chris Palmore at the Starbucks on Bardstown Road
- Adding a tank top to my wardrobe, the first time I’d worn once since I was a teenager
- Going to The Great Wolf Lodge again with Ted and Zach
- Visiting Rock Vineyard for the first time
- Meeting Kevin at the smoothie place
- Playing cajon at church
- Teaching with Tori in the children’s ministry
- Having Brian and Dindi over for the first time
- Opening up about so many topics on Cucumber Talks
- Switching Cucumber Talks to focus on Christianity and beliefs with guest interviews
- Attending the Kentuckiana Calvary Chapel Men’s Conference
- Checking out the Christmas lights synced with music in the different neighborhoods
- Potty training Lachlan
- Getting the COVID-19 vaccine
- Making tie dye shirts for July 4
- Going to Brian’s Backyard Burgoo Bash
- Making egg nog to bring to work
- Talking with Poppy, Momma, and Meagan at Heine Bros.
- Starting Marshall Monthly
- Finding out that Calvary Chapel sold the building at Belmar Drive
- Camping in the “glass” tent in North Carolina
- Buying $1,000 worth of Bitcoin right under $50k/BTC
- Kayaking with Gage and Lachlan for the first time
- Speeding back to Louisville in the middle of the night during a camping trip because Lachlan was having another seizure
- Hiking up the mountain that had cows on top and along the way
- Finding a mouse in our house
- Friday bringing another mouse in the house in his mouth
- Running the Color Run with Meagan and Gage with Lachlan and Rosalie riding in the stroller
- Going to Kentucky KIngdom when Gage was at his dad’s
- Seeing Adam when he came through on his drive to Texas… twice
- Parenting Lachlan with his green mohawk
- Eating burgers at the Rec Bar for Burger Week
- Eating pizza with Brian and Dindi for Pizza Week
- Eating sushi with Luke, Sean, Ted, and Zach
- Going to the Patton Museum with Paul
- Trying the TikTok watermelon with mustard challenge
- Playing drums with Ryan
- Recording the Santa radio ad with Ken
- Writing at Panera
- Walking Rosalie to sleep to lullibye music from Alexa
- Carrying Lachlan into his room and tucking him in on the bottom bunk
- Talking with Bob about his 3D art at church
- Reading Wool
- Reading Stop Asking Questions
- Reading Published
- Listening to the Self-Publishing School podcast
- Renting the bounce house for Rosalie’s birthday
- Learning about NFTs on the Tim Ferriss Show and then finding out more about them later in the year when Bryce got into them
- Renting another bounce house for Lachlan’s birthday
- Trying not to eat fast food for a month
- Helping Gage tie his tie getting ready to graduate from middle school
- Gage walking to Eastern for his first day of high school
- Dropping off Gage at Oscar’s house
- Taking the family to First Watch after the Color Run
- Visiting Grandpa and Grandma Decker at StoryPoint
- Hanging out at the cabin on Scales Lake with Uncle Marty, Aunt Ursula, Grandpa and Grandma Decker, Will and Lauren’s family, Poppy, Momma, Ted, and Zach
- Shooting air soft guns with Gage in the backyard
- Playing Heads Up with Meagan’s family when they came over for Thanksgiving
- Trunk or Treating at the Boys and Girls Haven
- Playing guitar at the last service at Belmar Drive
- Finding out that Luke was moving to California
- Going Black Friday shopping with Ted and Zach and our family (and finding the Christmas present then)
- Going to Soccer Shots with Lachlan and seeing the Fords
- Playing laser tag with Zach and Gage at Main Event
- Seeing the Millers at Calvary Chapel
- Guessing within two of how many M&Ms were in the jar at our work Christmas party
- Meagan saying she liked me the most this year
- Testing positive for COVID-19 on December 29
- Installing a TV in our bedroom
- Staying up late with Meagan playing CTR
Happy New Year!
