It is time for a short look back on the year 2016, before I start to look forward on a new year.

A lot happened, but still my 2016 ended like it started. Both regarding me, my home, my work, my family.

In March, I went on a short trip to Greenland. It was wonderful to see this place in the cold wintertime, though it was not as cold as it could have been.

Summer came early in Denmark. The month of May showed  some decent temperatures and blue sky.

I do not travel often, so two trips in one year was very special. But in July I went on a short, but fantastic, trip to Iceland.

My trip to Iceland did not end as well as it started. Just before I was going home, I got a message, that my mother has had a blood clot.

Luckily I still have her. She still suffers from reduced mobility in one arm and leg. But it could have gone much worse.

In October, I could help celebrate my grandmothers 100th birthday. She is in a nursing home, but even though she is the oldest, she is also most well. A little hard of hearing, but still going strong.

Back in 2014, I sold my house. After that I moved to a rented apartment. My plan was to quickly find out, what kind of home I wanted, and then look for it.

I found out, I liked living in an apartment, it just had to be another place. So I started looking for an apartment. For some reason, at some point, I stopped looking, and just went on living at the rented apartment.

In 2016 I started once more to look for a new, permanent, home. And I found one!

With financially help from my bank, I was able to buy an apartment. Or rather: I am about to buy it. If all goes well, I get the keys February 2017. I am really looking forward to this!

It looks like there could be something to write about – next year.
Right now: Not so much.

Never Complain, Never Explain

These words, by the British politician and prime minister Benjamin Disraeli, are some I try to live up to.

But up until now, I have not succeeded.

A new year, with new possibilities and new adventures. But up untill now, my time has gone with work and not much else. I must try to open up for all the things that could result in an interesting blog post.

I think it is time for a 2015 year in review, before I start to look forward on a new year.

In some way, 2015 was special. Still, when the year ended, I was pretty much the same place, when I started – both literally and figurative speaking.

A highlight of the year was me finally gotten a chance to visit Japan, and found it even more fantastic than I had imagined. I almost found love there too, but it ended with being just a bit complicated friendship.

At the beginning of the year, I could have gotten me another job, when a job recruiter contacted me. It turned out, the job was not what I wanted – and probably I was not the right candidate for the job anyway.

Throughout 2015, I have been looking for a new apartment. Had I found the right one (affordably and the right location), I could have moved in 2015. I did not find the right place, so I am still the same place I was, when 2015 started.
So in short: I am still the same place, in the same job and still just me. Reasons be, that I am a little picky and other people are picky too.

A large part of the things I have mentioned here, have not been on my blog when it happened.
What I did write, was about a warm winter and a mild spring. In addition, a bit about me looking – not that hard – for a new place to live.

Off course, I also wrote a bit about my trip to Japan. Just not the juicy stuff.

I also told about me, trying to be a better version of myself. I did start to live even healthier than before, and have – until now at least – done so ever since.

In November, we got a lot of snow in a single weekend. I wrote about that. I did not write about a job that was beginning to take all my focus and energy. I did not find a work-life balance for myself in 2015, but I have to do that soon.

Throughout the year, I have been working on making me a better version of myself. I intend to continue do that in 2016.

Though I am quite busy these days, there is not much to write about. Mostly it is just work taking a lot of time.

I am on my way to create – or try to create – a new and improved me!
For one and a half month, I have been trying to get rid of excessive weight, and so far, it works fine. Besides eating less, I have primarily cut down on unhealthy food. So not only am I looking forward to be slimmer, but also healthier.
I am going in that direction, but I am not there yet.

For so long I have – almost blindly – followed the route laid out for me. Listening to good advices and done as told. And I have never felt so lost.

Today, at a walk through a nearby forest, I saw this arrow, pointing right. I walked left – and it felt so right.