[Misc] How's 2016 going for you?

[pasty]

Started badly but getting better. Recent highlights include Mrs P getting a new job and quitting one she hated, and I have now gone 6 weeks (today) without a fag. Feel so much better (and significantly richer) to be off the fags and I've even taken to walking the mile and a half to the station each day. All I really need now is to get myself a job that doesn't involve travelling to a London postcode, and I'll be as happy as the proverbial pig.

 

[Cold Gettin Dumb]

It's been really tough but positive improvements are happening.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

After two years of working in a job I didn't enjoy and didn't get paid that well, I took redundancy in Feb and coincidentally signed a new contract with another company 9 days later. The new job is more money, a promotion, and a bigger & better company to work for. As [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] says, sometimes it takes a change to realise how much the previous job was affecting you.

Other than that, it's business as normal. Apart from the Albion of course - that's far from business as normal

 

[n1 gull]

Started badly but getting better. Recent highlights include Mrs P getting a new job and quitting one she hated, and I have now gone 6 weeks (today) without a fag. Feel so much better (and significantly richer) to be off the fags and I've even taken to walking the mile and a half to the station each day. All I really need now is to get myself a job that doesn't involve travelling to a London postcode, and I'll be as happy as the proverbial pig.

Good work on the fags. Its so tough I gave up 2 years ago best thing I've done. One day at a time and all that. Good luck!

 

[Wilko]

Good year for me so far but will be one of big changes too. Still living in Nairobi at the moment which has allowed me to continue traveling, been to Ethiopia in February and just got back from two weeks in Madagascar yesterday. Also really enjoying time with a lovely Kenyan girl.

In July though my contract here finishes and in August I will be moving to Madrid. Looking forward to a new job, new challenge and learning a new language. Only bummers will be saying farewell to the girl and the friends I have made in the last 3 years but I guess that is life!

 

[Rugrat]

Better than many, all very straightforward.

May retire this year which would be good but all the time I have a great 3 day a week WFH contract doing work I could do in my sleep it makes me carry on.

Spent all of Jan-Mar away in our new home in Tenerife which was fun and it'll be something we do more of.

Kids both doing well at Uni and number 1 looks like graduating in July with a 1st.

Only downside is I advertised my old Merc last week and haven't moved it, if you're in the market for a new motor 07 180 Estate drop me a note, comes with free BHA plate.

 

[BBassic]

Can't complain. Job is going well, bought my first flat, I've started writing again and the Seagulls are flying.

My goal for the next few months is to get myself into some sort of shape; this bloated, wobbly shape isn't for me.

 

[Biscuit]

Not really, no.

It's difficult to describe how unhappy my work was making me. I knew it was making me unhappy at the time, but I've only really appreciated quite how much in the last few weeks since I left.

It's all very well being paid decently, and I was, but there is more to life. A lot of people think I'm mad doing what I've done, but I still believe it's the right thing. Time will tell.

You're actually the polar opposite of mad. It takes guts to leave a well paid job because it's affecting your life. We're conditioned from a young age to be grateful for our wage and in many ways to put work ahead of life. Ludicrous when you see it written down, but so many people stay in jobs they hate because they feel either pressured to do so, or feel there are no alternatives.

I worked a job in London, which on paper should have been great. But it was incredibly stressful and it was having a huge effect on my physical and mental health. I was also in the process of buying a house in Brighton..

As soon as I completed on the house, I quit my job. Simple as that. People thought I was crazy to have taken on a £250,000 debt, and then to have left my only way of servicing it. It was a well respected, well paid job. And now I had nothing, and a large mortgage to pay every month. The decision to leave my job was the most reckless decision I've ever made in my life, but it's to date easily the best. I got a new job, that paid £10k a year more.. I live a twenty minute bus ride from a job I enjoy.. I can easily travel to Brighton every week, and most importantly, I'm near my family.

Now I have a small little bungalow, with my loyal little dog, beautiful fiancé and we have a baby girl due to arrive in three months. Fortune favours the brave! Best of luck.

 

[StonehamPark]

Giving up a decent and fairly well paid job to move abroad and see what else is out there for me.

Big risk as I've got nothing lined up aside from my flight and visa, but I couldn't sit and rot in Hove in the same job for the rest of my life. Going through the same daily motions

That wouldn't really be 'living' imo.

Ask us again in 6 months!

---

Such crap timing on my part though, was living abroad for the opening season at the Amex.
Will be abroad for the opening season of BHA in the Premier League.

 

[Marshy]

2016? My wife's battle with dementia has escalated dramatically in recent months which has shaken me to the core tbf but I'm fortunate that I took early retirement 7 years ago so we've had that quality time together unlike others I've known, The pension fund is running down and I was worried at the end of last year but now it looks like it will be sufficient to ensure what we can maintain her quality of life before I have to cut back a bit.. In the US now and we will have a couple of months around Europe later in the year in the expectation it'll be the last time,

Not our best year but it could be worse and the single good to come from it has been the confirmation that we have a wonderful and supportive family,

One thing that does need to happen to make our year better is for the Albion to go up if only because we will see more games on TV having had to pass on ST renewal,

All the best. Marshy

 

[The Oldman]

Well into my 70's now but life is being very kind to me. 'Er indoors looks after me very well and the grandchildren are a delight to have around. Have lost a stone in weight since last summer due to walking briskly for an hour a day around Seaford. Am enjoying the Albion rollercoaster which reminds me so much of the '79 season finishing up in Newcastle. The team spirit then and now is very similar.
I am a lucky fellow and if my time was up today I could not complain.

 

[BBassic]

It's easy to forget that people on here with whom you may have differing and opposite views on many a subject are still people. A real person exists behind the posts with a life and good times and bad times.

Good thread this everyone!

 

[Guinness Boy]

I'll tell you in exactly a week.

Almost the whole year has been taken up with training for the Brighton Marathon and keeping a diary of events. It's the big one on Sunday and only after it will I really be able to focus on anything else.

That said the Albion has been really good to me but that's more this season than this year - it's been the most enjoyable I can ever remember.

Work sucks a bit. New clients who are nice and doing interesting stuff so I'm busy and work from home most days. Unfortunately they are trying to stuff an entire mansion's worth of work in to a tiny studio flat of time. I'm the one that gets the grief when they either can't or we deliver late. Pays the bills though.

 

[Franks Wild Years]

Depressed, anxious, lost, undecided and lonely.

The 5 dwarves no one can ever name.

 

[essbee]

Not really, no.

It's difficult to describe how unhappy my work was making me. I knew it was making me unhappy at the time, but I've only really appreciated quite how much in the last few weeks since I left.

It's all very well being paid decently, and I was, but there is more to life. A lot of people think I'm mad doing what I've done, but I still believe it's the right thing. Time will tell.

Bozza - I know I take the p**s a lot - but if you feel that way then you've done the right thing.

 

[theboybilly]

medically crap, just lost my last Auntie of 7 sisters and two brothers,and a very good friend is dying, had a poxy cold forever, but the good thing is a great grandaughter is on the way and if she gives us as much fun and joy as her brother has it will be Ok

I had the same in February in that the last of my parent's siblings died. It just seems so odd that there is just a small family left and that they are the other end of the country. Family trips up north used to be major events when I was a kid

 

[Springal]

Not so bad here so far - I'm significantly happier since leaving work. I'd like to think this makes me a bit more fun to be around and so, makes those around me a bit happier too.

Always interested to hear this kind of stuff. I'm only 30, but have been in a fairly serious 'career driven' (not saving lifes or doing anything ground breaking) job since 17 which has looked after me very well up to now. But I do feel like sometimes that I would just like the freedom to have some time off and possibly explore other pursuits. I think as mentioned we are so hard-coded about work, careers etc we forget what else we could be doing or we are just put off by taking that risk.

I have a friend who is an electrician that does a lot of big site work, CCTV etc and at the moment he is in the fortunate position of being able to work 3-4 days a week, earn a good wage for his age and still does what he wants, which also includes spending time with his missus who works long shifts. He is much happier now he has the luxury of being able to do that than he was working 5 days a week, leaving the house at 7am and getting back at 7pm.

 

[Simster]

After a horror year last year, this year is going well. I had one hiccup a month ago but that's sorted itself out. I don't mind my job but I am a little bored and want some more money so hopefully I'll get a new job soon which would round things off nicely.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I had the same in February in that the last of my parent's siblings died. It just seems so odd that there is just a small family left and that they are the other end of the country. Family trips up north used to be major events when I was a kid

I had the same two years ago, when two aunties died within 6 months of each other. I've got just one auntie left now.

This year is doing ok at the moment. Healthwise, not good, but then it's been 'not good' for a few years, so I just cope with it. Familywise, very good, and I'm retired so nothing changes in that sector.

 

[Taybha]

Shit , but thanks for asking