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Well, it's not quite new year's eve yet, but I figure what the hell... here's a wrap-up of 2010.

2011 has been a bit of a mixed bag for me.  At work, it's been one stressful project after the next.  I've managed to deliver each project to spec, on time and on budget, but the stress levels are out of control.  I'm not a project manager, but I've somehow fallen into the role.  In between projects, I've done a lot of business travel, which has been disruptive for work and home life alike.  I think I'll stick at it for another couple years, then take my long service leave and move on.

I met Comedian on one of my commutes and he's turned into a semi-regular commute buddy.  It's been nice to have someone to share the ride with when I need to go into town for work. 

MaxBabe and I celebrated our seventh anniversary in June.  We had a nice sushi dinner, then came home to the news that her brother had died earlier that day.  He was 49.  That whole week is a bit of a blur for me.  Travelling to Gladstone for his funeral, being with the family under such difficult circumstances, trying to give MaxBabe whatever support she needed.  The whole thing was really sad. 

In September, I once again rode in Cycle Queensland.  This was my second CQ, and I felt much stronger than on last year's CQ.  What a difference a year makes.  I attribute the improved performance to the fact that I did much more bicycle commuting this year than last.

I attended my high school 20th reunion this year.  It was nice to see so many nice people again, and to see how so many of them have changed.  I'm told I haven't changed a bit, which I don't believe, but which was nice to hear anyway.

I missed 20FLT (now 220SQN) AIRTC's 50th anniversary celebrations.  Very unhappy about that.  Learnt about it after joining facebook (in aid of the high school reunion).  But also managed to find some of my old Cadet buddies, so it's not all bad.

I got myself the commuter bike I'd been promising myself for the last twelve months.  It's everything I wanted in a commuter, and I'm really happy with it!  I'm looking forward to more commuting in 2011. 

MitchellMutt had pancreatitis earlier this year.  He was so stoic about being unwell.  By the time we realised something was wrong, he was very sick indeed.  He spent a week in hospital in April.  He recovered, and with a change in diet, really improved.  The vets were a little concerned about some abnormal results on an ultrasound.  They saw swelling of his liver but couldn't identify whatever was causing it.  In early December, I travelled down to Sydney for work.  During that week, he was out of sorts and started coughing.  MaxBabe took him to the vet, who suspected pneumonia.  I came home that weekend, and went to see him.  He was happy enough, but obviously unwell.  The vet couldn't keep him over the weekend, so we took him to the local specialists for hospitalisation.  They took one look at his lung x-rays and said it wasn't pneumonia.  Ultrasound confirmed he had growths in his spleen, liver and lungs.  He had cancer, and the prognosis was 3 months at best.  We said our goodbyes and put him to sleep.  He was six weeks shy of his 13th birthday.  I miss him like crazy. 

This was the year that MaxBabe finally realised I'm not like her exes and won't run off with a floozy or steal all her money.  She's finally realised that maybe buying a house with me isn't a bad idea.  We're on track to have a deposit saved, ready to buy late next year. 

The day we had Mitchell put down, MaxBabe's dad had a heart attack.  The twits at Gladstone hospital told him he was fine and sent him home.  Two days later, he ended up being flown down to Brisbane for treatment.  The problem was atrial fibrullation, which the doctors resolved by way of a cardioversion.  However, in the process they discovered that his aortic valve had reached its use-by date (it had been replaced 7 years earlier) and needed to be replaced.  He had surgery two days ago for the AVR and is doing really well.  He's in good spirits and his outlook is good.  MaxBabe is a theatre nurse in a cardiac surgery unit, so she knows and understands every little thing about his condition and his treatment.  She's been on the phone non-stop to his family ever since he's been down here.

So... 2010 has had its share of ups and downs.  I'm in a bit of a downswing at the moment, and I really feel like I could take a bit of a break from everything.  I'm looking forward to 2011, purely so that I can officially see the back of 2010.  Here's hoping for a few more ups!