When I was a more active user on Twitter many years ago, at the end of every year, I would write a few tweets about my year-to-date and my hopes for the next year. This continued in a similar fashion with my "best-of" blog posts at the end of the year. It is that time of the year for me to reflect on what went on in my life in 2022, and to think about what 2023 will look like for me as well. I think 2022 was overall a good year for me. It had the highlighted hallmarks for me in a year: the big job changes and the big vacation. There were also other memorable moments for me in 2022 that I have also highlighted in my blog. I will talk about all of that and more on this post.
Before I get into my 2022 retrospective, I noticed that I did not write one for 2021. I did not write many blog posts in 2021, but if there was one post worth looking back on, it would be my thoughts surrounding the Euro 2020 Final at Wembley Stadium between England and Italy. I found it interesting to contrast the generally negative experiences from the Euro 2020 Final to the relatively trouble-free experiences of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It is safe to say that the alcohol ban in the stadiums (and keeping the consumption of alcohol in certain areas) played a part in creating a safer experience for fans, whether you agreed with the implementation (and questionable timing) on the ban on the sale of alcohol or not.
Probably the biggest moment for me in 2022 was my job change, and I wrote a whole blog post detailing my time at my previous company. To summarize in one sentence, I went from a company that treated me like a child to a company that treats me like an adult. My previous company micromanaged seemingly every minute of my employment, and there were many other things that were contributing to my poor health and burnout, including a neurotic co-worker, working outside of my job duties, and extremely poor communication between my previous company and other customers. I am extremely lucky to be working at a job and a company that was an improvement for me in every single aspect. I get more vacation time, more sick/personal time, higher salary, better benefits, great co-workers, and an overall appreciation of the work I have been doing since I started.
In 2022, I also went on a big vacation; this time to Hawaii. The trip was great, and I had a lot of fun exploring the various landmarks and beaches. Highlights include climbing up the Diamond Head crater, reaching the summit of Haleakala National Park, and driving the Road to Hana. It is also worth looking at all the other things I did while on the islands of Oahu and Maui.
I have continued writing reviews on many of the video games I have played in 2022 (and 2021). Reviews worth revisiting include my reviews of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Horizon: Forbidden West. I will write my post on my top five games I played in 2022, and I still need to write my review on Elden Ring. Games I am looking forward to playing (and reviewing) in 2023 include God of War: Ragnarok and Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Other blog posts that I want to highlight in this 'best-of' post include my time at the Bob Marley One Love Experience, my terrible time at the Dole Plantation in Oahu, and my experience in applying for an in-demand position at a public service institution in the city. My random weekend in Tampa Bay for a wedding was lots of fun as well, as I was able to see family I have not seen in decades.
What do I have planned in 2023? Hawaii was my most ambitious vacation yet, but I may be going somewhere even more exotic in the late summer. Imagine myself in places like Italy and Greece for a couple of weeks? Who knows! I am continuing to work hard in my job, and I will continue to put out video game reviews of what I have played. Here is to some continued good times in 2023!
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