The Year in Review

[Rob__]

Just as the Doctor came into possession of The Moment in a timely fashion, so did I.

I quite literally woke up the morning of January 9, 2012 and decided I was done with my self-defeating bullshit and my army of excuses and all that nonsense. I went to a walk-in clinic to get a prescription for Champix and started taking it that very day. January 16th 2012 was my last cigarette ever. A few days after starting Champix, I happened across a working bathroom scale and stepped on it, noting that I was at an all-time low of 135lbs, down from a "high" a few months ago of 155lbs. I said fuck to that noise also, started eating better and more and I started working out effectively. Both were helping me smoke less. I was also eventually starting to look like less of an anorexic-looking weakling (I was never in totally horrendous physical shape. In 2010 with a bit of half-assed training I ran a half-marathon and then 3 weeks later ran another one beating my first time by a full 10 minutes. I was just a skinny weakling), so it was an accomplishment on both parts. Before 2012, I had never, no matter what half-assed attempts I made, been able to push my weight above 155. Today, I was ~168 when I stood on the scale. That's 33lbs heavier than I was in January, and 13lbs heavier than I have ever been in life.

I'm a first generation Canadian citizen. Both of my parents were born in Italy and still hold Italian citizenship to this day. One of the things I had always talked about doing was getting my Italian citizenship officially recognized and getting my Italian passport. I quite literally just needed to grab my parents Italian passports, my birth certificate, and fill out one side of a single sheet of paper proving my rights to it and drive it downtown, but I've never done it. So earlier this year my parents decided that we should go on a "family trip" to Italy. It had been 24 years since my parents had been back home to visit their family that they still have there. Since I've been on this "accomplish life goals" kick this year, I decided to scratch off another one and get my citizenship recognized so that I could finally have dual citizenship. When we went to Italy, my parents and I entered on our Italian passports, and my brother and sister didn't. That EU passport is pretty handy when going through customs in Europe, let me tell you.

So it's been a big year! I'm a few weeks away from a full year without smoking. I've been working out relatively consistently and relatively smartly for most of the year and paired with some moderately heavy eating I've put on a solid 30 lbs. I'm part of the dual-citizenship club! I'm breaking my inertia! Go me!

[Tocho]

Congratulations on quitting smoking! And well done on finally getting your dual citizenship. Do you speak any Italian? (And how was Italy?)

[TheRedWriter]

Man, that's a whole laundry list of awesomeness you have going on there! Way to keep up the momentum for a whole year, and I wish you luck in knocking out more goals next year. What are your next big goals, rm?

Also, happy holidays!

[Rob__]

Congratulations on quitting smoking! And well done on finally getting your dual citizenship. Do you speak any Italian? (And how was Italy?)

Italy was fantastic. My family went for just under 3 weeks. The first 8 days we went on a bus tour through a bit of Northern Italy (The Alps, Milan, Florence) and Switzerland (Lugano, Lucerne). Both were beautiful and exhausting. Then we went all the way to the south and Calabria where my family is from and spent a week there, and then we had 2 days in Rome. I also celebrated my birthday when I was in Rome, so that was kind of awesome too.

What Italian I speak is broken and almost embarassing. As I determined when I was talking with the family when I was in Italy, even though my Italian is appalling, I can still be understood almost 100% when I speak it. Lol. Italian was the first language I learned, and I still hear it all the time at home and stuff, so with a little work (which I'm planning on putting in), I should be able to regain fluency. Eventually.

Man, that's a whole laundry list of awesomeness you have going on there! Way to keep up the momentum for a whole year, and I wish you luck in knocking out more goals next year. What are your next big goals, rm?

Also, happy holidays!

Thanks! Happy holidays to you also

Big goals for next year. Hrm. I don't think I specifically have any *for* next year as of this point, it's more of a complete a bunch of things I started. I've noticed the goals I stick to and accomplish tend to grow organically out of other goals. It's almost like they're secret feats that unlock when I hit the right level. Or something. But here's some things I'm planning on getting done next year:

1) I should be hitting a 300 # squat soon. If all goes according to plan, within a few months of the new year!

2) I'm near fluent in French. If I actually practiced my Italian, I'd be near fluent/fluent in that also. I have this goal wherein a part of it requires that I regain some fluency in Italian and read the Harry Potter series. So I'm starting that as of the next challenge (I already own up to Goblet of Fire in Italian).

3) 180lbs has always been one of my weight gain milestones and I am on track to accomplish at least that next year also.

[Anduril]

Wow, you've been busy! Congratulations!

[Odyssey]

Wowza, so much going on this year. Congrats on handing it back to life and taking control. Good luck in the next year!

[Rob__]

Wow, you've been busy! Congratulations!

 

 

Wowza, so much going on this year. Congrats on handing it back to life and taking control. Good luck in the next year!

 

Thanks!

 

I plan on keeping things just as awesome this year as I did last year Good luck to you both as well