The clock and calendar say the time’s they are a-changin’ again and that made me think about a few of the good and bad things that have happened in the past year…
I started off 2013 with high expectations that it would be the year that some momentous changes would happen in my life. Perhaps that was true, although not necessarily for the better. Someone I considered a friend turned out to be somewhat less that than a faithless Judas. Someone else turned out to be a cautionary tale on how not to treat people. Big let-downs, but I guess that happens. I grew older and (hopefully) wiser. In the words of a geezer-rock song, “We won’t get fooled again!”
My “regular” job (the one that pays the bills) was interesting…my long-time employer got bought out by one of our major competitors. I spent a couple months stressing about the possibility of losing my job, but stressing too much is exhausting, so I stopped. Now I’m back to just doing my job and doing my best to prove that I’m worth keeping.
The homestead life was rocked a bit this past year, with a couple major household items breaking irreversibly near the beginning of the year, causing a large outlay of money to be necessitated. And at the same time, my freelance work took a sudden turn for the worse. So I had more go out and less come in. (*I’m a graphic designer and this is my blog, so I might as well use this time for plug…if you have need for a graphic designer or know someone who does, use the email found on the contact page!)
But I was soon blessed with a job offer from Burns Tobacconist. Just a part-time gig, every other Saturday. Make a little cash, get a decent employee discount…fill in the gaps a bit in the budget. I’ve been working there since May and it has been a great experience. I’ve heard stories I can’t repeat, smoked some outstanding cigars and gotten to know some awesome people. I can’t say a lot right now about what’s happening at Burns this coming year, but needless to say, those who visit us for the Chattanooga Tweet-Up in August will be pleasantly surprised.
Speaking of the Tweet-Up, the 2013 edition was the best yet, and the best-attended. We had a riverboat cruise, a mechanical bull, and Steven Ysidron freestyle rapping at the after-party. Hundreds of people descended on the Scenic City, smoked thousands of cigars, and got to know friends they hadn’t met yet. And we are planning to do it again…but better!…this August. I can’t tell positive date yet, but we should be announcing that before January is over. I am writing this around noon on New Years’ Day and when I finish, I’m off to Burns to talk to Matt about some of what we will do for this year’s event (after the UGA finishes, that is).
In all, 2013 was not the year I had anticipated, but you know what they say about the best way to make God laugh: tell him your plans for the future. It was a year of both disappointment and blessing, and the only thing I can predict about 2014 is that it will likely be very much the same. Although…the other guys and I are working on some things that will change this blog forever in the coming months, so that’s something to look forward to.
To all the faithful readers of the Tiki Bar Online, we wish you a very Happy and Prosperous 2014. Smoke something great today!
This article originally appeared on Tiki Bar Online
