How was your 2010’s?

[Springfield]

What happened?

 

Me, ****, EVERYTHING.

 

In 2009, I was unmarried, lived in a 1 bedroom condo with my girlfriend (now wife).  Now I have a sfh, 2 kids, am married. I make A LOT more money.  I’m in way better physical shape.  Life is 1000% better.

 

Tell your friends on ES about your decade (decade as pronounced like JFK), and do the other things.

[Cooleyfan1993]

Pretty great. Got to go to a super bowl in Miami the same weekend as a huge blizzard in DC. Got a week off of school that winter. Traveled A LOT (Austria a couple of times, Prague a couple of times, Scotland, budapest, Croatia, Dublin). Graduated from high school in 2012, college in 2018. Got to enjoy two dc sports teams championships  

 

of course had some bad moments, mostly due to alcohol (got arrested...that’s off my record for good though, so ). Cousin died couple years ago which was rough.

 

All in all, wayyyyy more great times than bad. 

[ShredSkins]

I spent in 2000-2010 in College and playing in bands and doing...stuff and things. Alot of which did NOT contribute well to my future. But it was all fun at the time. 

 

2010 to now has been more adulting and work. I much prefered my 20's. 

[Corcaigh]

2010s have been exceptionally good to me. Helped build a company and sold it. Served on the board of two non-profits doing important but difficult work.

 

Didn't focus enough on health and fun in the last few years and need to make time to get back to that.

[Metalhead]

Up and down...ultimately ended on top.

 

The down points were brutal (stress and severe anxiety from a couple horrendous coworkers) but the ups were massive jumps and positive for my career.

 

In 2012 I jumped from local machine shop/manufacturer to a rising (but still local) govt contractor. Learned a lot and was involved with some cool and fun projects.

 

Bought a condo in 2014. Adulting things.

 

Then in 2018 I lucked out and went govt. It was still a huge decision because my govt contractor was (and is) a part of my life and treated me like family. I was in a great position there and it was not easy leaving...it nearly wrecked me emotionally. Plus I was flipping to the other side of our contract. I received the nickname Anakin during my two-week notice.

[twa]

I got old. 😛

Kids got married and gave me a grandkid apiece, daughter and her family moved to the area,

 too many friends and family passed away, had my bout with cancer.

Life goes on,  the view from the past to the present is not what I expected....but worth living.

 

[Springfield]

2 hours ago, twa said:

I got old. 😛

Kids got married and gave me a grandkid apiece, daughter and her family moved to the area,

 too many friends and family passed away, had my bout with cancer.

Life goes on,  the view from the past to the present is not what I expected....but worth living.

 

Oh man, sorry to hear that you had to contend with cancer.  I’m glad you beat it though.  What variety were you gifted with?

 

I have both a grandfather and an uncle fighting cancer right now, both that they’ll eventually succumb to I assume.

[Forehead]

This is always interesting for me, because I was born on December 28, 1979 (Happy 40th to me, by the way).  Because of that though, my 20's, 30's, etc. match up almost exactly with the decade's though, so my 2010's and my 30's are interchangeable.

 

Anyway, I'd say overall good.  My two kids were born in 2010 and 2011 so that was the biggest change, and for the good.  My wife and I have been married another 10 years, making it 13.5 total, and we're still going strong.  Both of our jobs have grown, and though my wife wants to change companies, she is well paid where she is.  I managed a handful of promotions over the past decade, we make good money, have paid off several debts, etc.

 

On the flip, I've had some issues with my father that strained our relationship a bit though we're doing better now.  One of the friends I grew up with died of a heart attack a few years ago at age 36, much too young.  My wife lost her grandparents earlier in the decade and lost her father about three months ago, so that has been tough. 

 

But overall, the good has far outweighed the bad. I'm hoping I can spend my 40's getting back into better shape...I ran a half marathon and a few 10 milers in my early 30's, but that was several years and several pounds ago.  I'm really hoping to reverse that going forward.

[Bacon]

It was busy. 

 

-In 2010 I moved out of my parents' house and moved across the country with my future wife. 

 

-Started as a freshmen at Valparaiso University in 2010. 

 

-I got married in 2011.

 

-I moved out of my in-laws' place and into an apartment with my wife in 2011. We lived on student loans and help from my mother until my wife, who had already graduated, could find work. 

 

-Moved out of the apartment and into a trailer in 2012. 

 

-One of my childhood dogs passed away shortly after my wife and I got some new dogs. We still have them. 

 

-Completed my first novel in early 2013.

 

-The wife quit her job in June 2013 without any fallback and we struggled for a long time while I scrambled to finish my degree. 

 

-Graduated with a BA in English in December 2013. 

 

-Once the trailer fell apart and the money started running out, the wife moved out to Los Angeles to find work while I stayed behind to sell the trailer and her 2007 Subaru. 

 

-Moved to Los Angeles in 2014. The wife found work quickly and has not been consistently unemployed since. 

 

-Started looking for work while beginning a master's program so I could teach English at a sustainable rate. 

 

-Anxiety and agoraphobia bit me so badly at first that I had to get on SSRIs for 18 months. 

 

-Met one of my best friends and creative partners in 2015. Don't know where I would be without him. 

 

-Worked a slush pile for a Hollywood producer and agent as an intern in 2015. Also Best Buy. 

 

-Got off the meds in 2016. Returned to my first love, animation, as comfort and decided to chase my dream of starting a TV show with my friend, a skilled illustrator and artist. We're working on a graphic novel now to develop our platform. 

 

-Worked at a college in a writing center as a tutor and truly decided I wanted to be a teacher. Enrolled in a credential program later that year. 

 

-Graduated with my MA in 2017.

 

-The wife got pregnant and quickly miscarried. We both grieved deeply over this. I had a breakdown and pulled out of it by learning meditation. I still remember my mantra, but don't do it as often as I should today.

 

-4 months later, she was pregnant again. Scary times as I waited for the other shoe to drop. 

 

-In December 2018, my daughter Stephanie Alexandria was born. 

 

-In early 2019, I started my first real job in education, as a TA in a middle school. 

 

-Left that job over the summer to complete my student teaching and finish the credential. 

 

-Finished another novel in June, still editing it. 

 

-Started student teaching in September. I'll be done in February and can finally get a full time gig. 

 

-The Nationals won the World Series! 

 

-Earlier this month, I got to celebrate the first year of my daughter's life with the family I left behind in the midwest. 

 

All in all? Scary, challenging, significant. Much better than my 1990s and 2000s were. 

[Bang]

Not bad.. pretty good all things considered.
Son graduated and is moving into adulthood well. He's a fine young man with no serious bad habits. He has a decent job and a good drive for the future. he's responsible, handles his bills, saves some money. Given how his life began (Mom running out on us, and I struggled mightily while he was a toddler..) I couldn't be happier. He and I have  great relationship, and it gives me a lot of joy.
My relationship with my wife is wonderful, we have time for ourselves now, and we are enjoying that.
I weigh significantly less than 2010 for all the right reasons. i have become quite active, i play tennis and pickleball, and while I am not near my high school weight. I am nowhere near my 2010 weight.
My career is going well, and recently was hired for the most money I've ever made. Put it this way, In 2010 I was likely going to work until I was dead. (Which, as a graphic designer isn't all that difficult to swallow so long as I can use my eyes.) But now I can firmly look at a decent retirement. (As a single dad there are choices to make.. like saving for me, or saving for his college. Not enough for both from 1998 on, which is when i became a single father.)

 

I truly don't need much to be content. And what I have and am working towards is more than enough to keep me happy.

 

 

good thread idea! i don't often open up about myself, but you made me think, and what I have learned upon reflection has given me a good feeling.
Thanks!

~John

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Broke up with my girlfriend of 7 years in 2012. Had a ton of fun playing Call of Duty with her. We were beasts. Then the franchise took a turn for the worse and it didn't quite help our aspirations to turn professional.

 

Towards the middle of the decade my father's business that I worked at slowly started to fade.  I was working with dogs on the side and started to take over the medical treatment. I had finally found my calling.

 

My father's business closed 4 1/2 years ago and I moved to Tulsa where my brother lives. Here, I wanted to continue my animal caregiving career. I've built a nice little life for myself working at an animal hospital. The best one in Tulsa, at that.

 

It's really hard, my stress levels are high, my emotions get the best of me. But I've met some amazing people, the best group of people I've ever known. Now, I've started to work at a second animal hospital due to my connections and reputation.  I'm finally not living paycheck-to-paycheck because of it.

 

All in all, I'm happy with how the decade went.

[PleaseBlitz]

****ing awesome.
 

In 2008 i lost my job and spent 2009 watching my dad die horribly from cancer and also trying to get into law school, so not great.  
 

2010’s:  entered law school in 2010 and ultimately graduated with honors, near the top of my class. Met a whole bunch of close friends while I was there.  Passed the bar on my first try.  Immediately landed my dream job at a big DC law firm and have crushed it.  Now make 5 times what I did in my old job and am on track to eventually make partner. Got married to The One.  Did a ton of traveling.  Bought a house.  Had a kid. Have another one coming in 2 months. Saw my 2 favorite teams win Championships. 
 

Def feel 10 years older though. 

[PCS]

Interesting decade to say the least. Overall,pretty damn good. 2010 was just about rock bottom financially and emotionally and it got somewhat worse over the course of the next year and a half. Little less than a year after being laid off from doing construction,(the industry,at least locally,retired me),I was working part time at the county rec center,(good job,not a lot of hours available),and trying my best to keep my condo. I was digging pizza and other stuff thrown away out of the trash cans after parties were held there to supplement the meager food budget at the time. Tore my pec in mid 2009 and was still recovering from that in 2010. My financial circling of the wagons a year and a half before was too little too late and that coupled with a couple of financial dumbass moves and truck that needed work left me living week to week. That was the bad part. Good part. Met my now wife,(again. Long story),in the Fall of 2010 and used the down time from not as much work,(and different hours),to go and finally explore the amazing scenery in Northern Utah. Hiking the rockies was and is a great way to get in shape too.  I channeled the anxiety in to the camera work as well. 2011 was better,(courtesy of my growing relationship with my then girlfriend),and things were getting a bit brighter. Getting yet another raise helped.

2012 was busy as hell. After 25 years,I moved out of Northern Utah and came to Northern Nevada. It's been a good time since. Haven't found any thing that paid as well as construction,but money isn't everything.  I became an involved step dad and went to many Boy Scout meetings and countless band and choir events. College for the guys was only slightly less busy. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Got married and 2015 and life is good. Becoming a homeowner was another part of this almost over decade. It's great. Love it. Love working on it and improving it,but I think I'd still like to find the folks who built it all those years and ago and **** slap them,(with only slight bit of guilt because they would old by now  ). 

Overall,pretty good decade but I'm hoping to upgrade this next one,(mostly in the getting my old ass in shape category). 

[Hersh]

Hey guys, I'm going to ask you about your decade, but the truth is, I don't give a ****. I just wanted to brag about how ****ing awesome my life is cause all my Facebook friends started blocking me cause they can't handle my awesomeness. BTW, my decade was way better than yours. In fact, it was the greatest. Happy New Year to ME!! 

Love, 

Spring I'm****ingawesome field

 

PS- what kind of ES family are we if we can't joke

 

 

Seriously though, this is a really interesting thread. I was recently thinking about the first five years of my son's life (He turned 5 in October) and what I've done since he was born. With respect, no woman has ever gotten me to become a better person in all aspects of my life the way my son has. I have been the stay home parent and in those 5 years I've gotten my MBA, did another year of executive coach training, founded two different startups, ran for office, started playing hockey (as a goalie less) and have won several season championships, got Scuba certified, got a pontoon boat, did some solid traveling, let go of relationships that were far more of a drag than they were rewarding, and somehow managed to raise a ridiculously sweet, kind kid who loves a lot of things his dad does and is going to get me to take Taeknowdo with him this next year. I've certainly had my share of failings the last 5 years and in life in general, but aside from POTUS dip****, I can't really complain. 

 

Oh, AND THE CAPITALS WON THE CUP. 

 

 

 

[China]

Hmmm...

 

At the start of the 2010s my daughter was 4, now she's 14.  My son, who was 10 is now a sophomore in college. Both are wonderful kids, completely unique and different from each other. I lucked out a couple of years ago and managed to cash in on some stock options and semi-retire.  Instead of working full time, commuting the beltway, and being ground down by long workdays which were mostly meetings, I now get out and walk dogs part-time, getting exercise and hanging out with canines who are much better than some of the people that I used to work with.  

 

Over the last ten years we've had vacations to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Colorado (including Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Parks, Acadia National Park in Maine, Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta Canada, Crater Lake National Park, Redwood National Park, Mt. St. Helens National Park, Olympia National Park, two vacations to the Adirondacks, and a fabulous two week trip to Scotland to celebrate my 25th anniversary with my wife.

 

My only issue is the need to lose some weight.  Can do.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Started utterly ****e. 

 

Ended on the highest of possible highs in Qatar a World Champion. 

 

Bouncing into 2020 like the bounciest bouncy thing that ever bounced. 

 

Hail. 

[Mr. Sinister]

Started tough, ended tough, but I will take those lessons learned and carry them with me the rest of my life.

 

Was a drug fueled, near-alcoholic mess working sketchy odd jobs at all hours off the night, going to school for a degree I would not put to use in the real world.

 

Had to bottom out in a psych ward, but got my **** together,  found work to pay the bills, and managed my money right, and its paid off. 

 

Had my fair share of family tragedies this decade, but I can say that I had a hand in avoiding one, caring for my dad while he was having complications from surgery for cancer. He and I hadn't always been on the best of terms. He was insanely hard on me as a kid, but it made me one tough ass dude, and as a grown man now, I appreciate it, and it all paid off while I gave everything I had to care for him and still travel to and from his home and mine and work, and it made our bond stronger.

 

Hopefully I finally put everything together in my 30's this decade. Made a very poor decision this past summer, but apart from that, my mind has been clear and sharp, I've kept the past where it belongs, and I've never been more determined to push forward when the **** hits the fan.

 

Lot of good memories, many painful ones. I hope the '20s are more rewarding 

[TheGreatBuzz]

A decade is a long time and thinking about it, there is a lot to say.

 

I entered the 2010’s newly married (and still married to her) and in the mid-range of my career. We moved to Guam and lived it up.  Worked like crazy, partied even crazier, and did things most people only dream of.  Learned SCUBA and dove enough that we qualified as rescue divers.  Did a dive trip to Palau and hit some of the best dive sites in the world.  After 3 years there, we moved to Pensacola, FL.  I picked up Chief and we started acting (somewhat) more like adults.  We bought a big house with a big yard and did normal people things.  My wife’s career skyrocketed (and continues to) and having 2 incomes that put us well into the six-figures while not having kids allowed us to do whatever we want.

 

I then got orders up here to Norfolk and was supposed to be deployed all the time.  We decided I would move up alone and she would stay in Florida.  Why sit in an empty house in Norfolk when she could sit in an empty house in Florida?  We bought a big ass camper for me and went about our ways.  It was a tough time but also proved to us how strong our relationship was.

 

After about 6 months up in Norfolk, I suffered what ended up being a rather serious injury.  I spent the last 2 years with the Navy trying to figure out how to fix me.  Finally a plan was put in place and I just had a major surgery about 2 weeks ago where they removed my first rib.  Apparently there were some complications and scary times the first couple days after the surgery but I don’t remember any of it.  My wife can better describe it.  I’m recovering now and so far the surgery seems to have worked.

 

The last two years made it so I couldn’t work as crazy as I used to.  It definitely killed my chances of promoting any further but I’ve also found a certain comfort in that.  I have no reason to kiss anyone’s ass anymore.  In many ways, I miss the crazy, high-stress 12-15 hour days.  I excelled in that environment.  I was great at it.  But now I have also found that a more relaxed style can be nice also.  Hopefully with the far less amount of stress, my hairline will stop receding.

 

I’ve got about 2 years left to become retirement eligible and feel somewhat safe that the Navy will let me stay.  I’m doing great at my current job and both my Skipper and Admiral have said they will write glowing recommendations on why the Navy should allow me to stay.  

 

During our time apart, we both had time to evaluate what we really wanted in life.  So much time went into maintaining a large home.  And it was full of things that, at the end of the day, was just stuff.  Realizing this and also being nervous about the economy, we decided to test the market with our house.  We listed it a good bit above what 3 realtors recommended and ended up under contract in 24 hours for full list price.  This started a race to sell our stuff and get her moved up to Norfolk with me.  We rented a 5x10 storage unit to put things we weren’t ready to part with.  Currently, I don’t think it is even half full.  We definitely realized how much stuff we had just to have it.  We had an estate sale company come in and sell everything else.  Took the check, put her car on a trailer, loaded up the 3 dogs, and moved up to Virginia to be back together again.  

 

We are all living in the camper and loving life.  We can do all our chores in a few hours.  And with our income, our debt is almost non-existent.  We have decided we want to stick with this lifestyle and travel around with the trailer whenever I retire.  We are happy as can be an I don’t see  any reason that will change soon.

 

So in summary, I’d say I went roaring into the decade living like a kid with his hair on fire and loving every minute of it.  I hit a speed bump that definitely took a lot out of me but also has shown me what is really important.  I look forward to what the roaring ‘20s has in store.