2009

Jan. 4th, 2010 05:11 pm
pyat: (Default)
[personal profile] pyat
2009 started well and ended well, at least for me.

The good parts were mostly the result of family and friends. My girls are growing up. Erin and I are still very much in love. My circle of friends has grown and become closer at the same time.

My job, which managed to be well-paid, interesting, and quite easy-going, started to deteriorate in early Spring for a number of reasons. Without repeating them here, it started with the company owner asking us to do something dishonest, and turned into a gradually deepening purgatory of unpaid overtime, a civil war amongst the sales staff, lies to clients, and lay-offs. I decided to quit in August, but stuck around till September 30th.

After that, everything got better. The house got cleaner, my persistent insomnia disappeared, I was gaming more, seeing friends more, seeing a lot more of Erin and my girls. It has been almost entirely positive. Money was very tight for several weeks, but has eased up somewhat now that I'm finally getting EI payments.

I was worried I would regret leaving the company, but I quickly realized the only thing keeping me at the job was "Pyat and Teddog's Lunchtime Adventures." These were the sometimes lengthy ambles I'd take with Rachelle ([livejournal.com profile] commanderteddog) to Look at Things. "Things" included buildings, stores, streets, public gardens, art installations, or anything else that caught our eye. These mini-adventures are what I miss most about working in downtown Toronto.

That, and the eggs benedict at Paddington's Pump in St. Lawrence Market.

My current professional plans are to do a bit of RPG freelancing and maybe get some retraining, while keeping an eye out for suitable local fulltime work. RPG freelancing has been a disappointment for me this year. I committed to some large projects, and then found myself overwhelmed by the day job, and unable to get traction on them after I left the job. I have one very large contract and one small one. I'm going to knock out the small one this month, and then get my head back "in the game" as it were.

Aside from the corporate unpleasantness that spoiled my summer, 2009 has been a good year for me. I have made new friends and solidified friendships with others. Of particular note is Desirée ([livejournal.com profile] kores_rabbit). I was introduced to her when I was a guest at Anime North, and we've got on famously since then.

We managed to get away for our first "proper" vacation as a family. In previous years, we'd travelled with other relatives, which was great fun, but this year we went it alone. We rented a cottage on the Bruce Penninsula and spent a week swimming, lounging, star gazing, and generally having a ball. I'd happily go back there.

It has been a wonderfully social year, particularly on the gaming front. Tabletop RPGs are my diversion of choice. Other men build model trains, or go golfing. My hobby is a lot cheaper and more social. I'm running three very different games for three very different groups, and playing in one game.

2009 ended with a very lively party at the Mousehold. 2010 has started grey and cold, but it's warm and pleasant inside.

Happy Twenty-Ten, everyone.

Date: 2010-01-04 10:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pvenables.livejournal.com
A nice update. Happy New Year to you as well!

Date: 2010-01-05 12:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pyat.livejournal.com
And to you and yours!

Date: 2010-01-04 10:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kores-rabbit.livejournal.com
:D
I'm very happy to merge my world with yours, friends and family and all.
It's a lovely thing!

Date: 2010-01-05 12:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pyat.livejournal.com
Happy Ewok Icon! Yay!

Date: 2010-01-04 11:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sixteenbynine.livejournal.com
I'm glad things were on the whole good for you. My own 2009 was pretty awful for a lot of reasons I don't want to go on about in public, but I think I've gotten enough things headed in the right direction to make '10 a little better.

Date: 2010-01-05 12:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pyat.livejournal.com
I wondered about that - having seen some of your ominous comments on LJ. May 2010 much better for you!

Date: 2010-01-05 01:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] leonard-arlotte.livejournal.com
You even got to PLAY Ironclaw once! :)

Date: 2010-01-05 01:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pyat.livejournal.com
Jeepers! That IS a red-letter year! And it was a good game.

Date: 2010-01-05 05:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] katepufftail.livejournal.com
And a happy 2010 to you as well, Meester Pyat!

Date: 2010-01-06 12:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] catarzyna.livejournal.com
Happy 2010 to you too!!

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