[HippieSurvivalist]

Not looking to start any flame wars, but since it's the season of year-end lists, I wanted to share my thoughts on my own top 5 2008 events/realizations/experiences. And since I'm a ying and yang kind of guy, the bottom 5 as well. Feel free to jump in!

Top 5 things that happened:
1. My daughter's continued development into an amazing, kind, and intelligent little person.
2. Having a job and getting my contract renewed.
3. Obama's win (come on--you knew that would be on the list!)
4. Got to know several families in the neighborhood better, and am now friends with them.
5. Went on 6 hiking/backpacking trips in Camel's Hump State Forest, and learned a lot about my gear, endurance, tolerance of bad weather, weight of my shotgun, etc.

Bottom 5:
1. A longstanding romantic relationship ended (this is probably really a good thing, but still feels like a bad thing). Divorce will be this coming spring.
2. Financial downturn--my retirement is probably several years later than I had been planning.
3. Being overworked--doing something like 2-3 people's jobs because I can't find good candidates to hire for positions.
4. Neglected my back yard (yes, I know this is probably trvial in the grand scheme of things...)
5. Had a few brushes with substance abuse that I won't go into specifics about. Hasn't happened recently, though, and I think everything is under control.

So, on the balance, I have to say 2008 was not the worst year ever, although it certainly won't make the hall of fame. Lots of transitions and worry about job/money, but no actual disasters took place.

Tom.

 

[-Sepp]

Top 5 things that happened:
1. Moved out of the city and into a township.
2. Had 5 brothers from Germany come and stay 10 days
3. Went back to Germany for the first time in 10 years
4. Threw a party that will go down in the history books
5. Reconnected with my brother in Florida
Bottom 5:
1. Obama elected
2. Still haven't sold my house in the city
3. Screwed my back up somehow
4. Dealt with a drama qween ex-wife
5. Best friend at work had motorcycle accident

 

[HippieSurvivalist]

Ouch--back injuries are the worst. You have my sympathy. Tom.

 

[talleymonster]

Best
-Became a Survivalist
-Became a Journeyman (carpenter)
-Ever changing world of parenthood / marriage
-Moved into a new place
-Started riding a bicycle 14 miles a day. Subsequently lost some weight.

Worst
-Economic situation (locally, nationally)
-Still smoking
-Vehicle issues
-Death of a good friend
-Didn't get my finances in order like I said I would

 

[Ramona M. Faunce]

5 top things.

1. Paid off our home and acerage.
2. Grandson graduated highschool (ADHD)
3. Grandson joined Oregon Air National Guard.
4. Re-roofed our mobile - paid in full!
5. Started my first bee-hive.

5 worst things.

1. Husband health declining.
2. Economic slow down.
3. Fewer hours at work.
4. Medical insurance doubled.
5. Death in distant family.

 

[Rabble]

5 Top things

1. Business still good, still have a job.
2. Bad back hasn't flared up all year (knock wood)
3. Deadbeat cousin started paying me for the rental house he said he was going to buy from me when he moved into it 12 YEARS AGO!
4. gas prices went back down
5. Preps going well, added 2 new guns.

5 bad things.

1. Obama selected president.(EOTWAWKI)
2. Backhoe breaks failed on a hill causing high speed crash, massive expensive damage.
3. Found out my stomach doesn't absorb vitamin B12, weekly shots forever.
4. Teenage son still acting like, well, a teenage son.
5. Job moving from 100 yards away, to 4 miles away, have to commute now. : (

 

[Rabble]

5 Top things

1. Business still good, still have a job.
2. Bad back hasn't flared up all year (knock wood)
3. Deadbeat cousin started paying me for the rental house he said he was going to buy from me when he moved into it 12 YEARS AGO!
4. gas prices went back down
5. Preps going well, added 2 new guns.

5 bad things.

1. Obama selected president.(EOTWAWKI)
2. Backhoe breaks failed on a hill causing high speed crash, massive expensive damage.
3. Found out my stomach doesn't absorb vitamin B12, weekly shots forever.
4. Teenage son still acting like, well, a teenage son.
5. Job moving from 100 yards away, to 4 miles away, have to commute now.

 

[dayliterun]

Top 5 good things:

1) Still have a good job
2) Earned some good certifications for my job
3) Got a negative reader to start transferring my mom's 70 years of negatives to digital
4) Got the land back I sold and the guy skipped town on paying
5) Got my canned stores up and running well


5 Bad Things:

1) Slid down an embankment last friday, ribs still bruised, landed on my face/chest
2) Extra work added as another job abolished...no extra $$
3) Spent my savings paying 2 years back taxes on property I had to foreclose on.
4) Better half's job abolished, took a different job with paycut, same company tho.
5) lost 56% of my 401K to crash, SLOWLY regenerating. So much for retireing at 55.

 

[matthiasj]

Top 5 Good Things:
1. Becoming A Survivalist
2. Learning about the New World Order
3. Bought my first gun
4. Got out of an old job, and got a good job
5. Finished another year of college

Top 5 Bad Things:
1. Economic Downturn
2. Tornado hitting my home
3. Newfound knowledge causes problems with parents
4. Obama being elected
5. The start of the Wall-Street Bailouts

 

[Guerrilla]

Nice thread.

Top
1: Got married on our property.
2: moved onto our property
3: leveled and cleared our garden/animal pen area for next year
4: chased a bear off with no gun, no pots, and no clothing.
5: lost nothing in the market, and this year, judging by bank account levels, only cost me $200 dollars.

Bottom:
1: escort died, 4runner died, tahoe died, Tacoma died. 4 cars six months. The blazer and Tacoma still stand. I learned alot about working on cars so, I guess this could be top #6.
2: dislocated my shoulder being drug behind a speed boat, then busted my face open with the butt end of a hammer trying to pull nails the next day. The story and scar are both sexy, so I guess this could be #7.
3: my 99 Tacoma now has cost me more than a new one would. But a new one wouldn't have an amazing engine in it (long block) so I would begrudgingly say this could be #8.
4: the cabin is taking way longer than I thought, because I figured that one guy could do as much as two guys in twice the time. Wrong. Very very wrong.
5: I made the realization today that bad things don't happen to me, and might be the only thing I'm not stocked up on at all.

I'd like to add another top list: top funny.
1: I had my first pissing contest with one of my best friends. Off the back deck.
2: a bridesmaids husband saying how he needed to be able to bowhunt to provide for his family, then loosing a dozen arrows in the woods.
3: a bridesmaid not married to formerly mentioned archer pissing in his tent, while shouting at the minister, "I AM outside!"
4: hearing about #3 the following morning from a writer for the local paper who said, "I don't know what happened, but your friends know how to party!"
3: not realizing that "concentrated" Eco friendly dish detergent really has to be diluted in gallons of water and rinsed repeatedly in order to not make beef soapstew.

 

[Yorkshire Boy]

Not looking to start any flame wars, but since it's the season of year-end lists, I wanted to share my thoughts on my own top 5 2008 events/realizations/experiences. And since I'm a ying and yang kind of guy, the bottom 5 as well. Feel free to jump in!

Top 5 things that happened:
1. My daughter's continued development into an amazing, kind, and intelligent little person.
2. Having a job and getting my contract renewed.
3. Obama's win (come on--you knew that would be on the list!)
4. Got to know several families in the neighborhood better, and am now friends with them.
5. Went on 6 hiking/backpacking trips in Camel's Hump State Forest, and learned a lot about my gear, endurance, tolerance of bad weather, weight of my shotgun, etc.

Bottom 5:
1. A longstanding romantic relationship ended (this is probably really a good thing, but still feels like a bad thing). Divorce will be this coming spring.
2. Financial downturn--my retirement is probably several years later than I had been planning.
3. Being overworked--doing something like 2-3 people's jobs because I can't find good candidates to hire for positions.
4. Neglected my back yard (yes, I know this is probably trvial in the grand scheme of things...)
5. Had a few brushes with substance abuse that I won't go into specifics about. Hasn't happened recently, though, and I think everything is under control.

So, on the balance, I have to say 2008 was not the worst year ever, although it certainly won't make the hall of fame. Lots of transitions and worry about job/money, but no actual disasters took place.

Tom.

Ditto.

This morning I had an email requesting I sign papers.

 

[HotPrepper]

Really hate to hear that, York. Seems to be lots of that going on. Know how ya feel, man...

 

[Brimasmom]

Sorry to hear that, YB. Several of us on this board are divorcing at this time; myself included. Which brings me to my own top/bottom five:

Top Five
1. I am growing in God more and more each day.
2. I am experiencing an ever-joyful relationship with my daughter
3. I became debt-free this year
4. I found a family here on Survivalist Boards
5. I benefitted from the wisdom of having an emergency fund

Bottom Five:
1. My marriage of 23 years is over
2. My father passed away
3. My grandfather-in-law passed away
4. My son is in Iraq risking his life and limb fighting BushCo's war for oil
5. Obama got elected

All in all, I consider this year a good one. I hope the same for all of my family here on Survivalist Boards.

 

[Smudge]

Top 5:

1: Realised I truely am a Very Lucky man with regards to wifey
2: Twins started Nursey and are going from strength to strength
3: Got 3 Fantastic chickens (kids love em)
4: Found a name for my religous beliefs and feel contented with it
5: Been Promised a new job at the start of the NewYear

Bottom 5:

1: Lost my job after 10yrs, 6 months ago and hadn't found anything permanent until just before Christmas, starting in the newyear.
(nothing serious after after that)
2: Ran down my finances and currently just hovering above Overdraft
3: Worse cold bug in years hit us and we've had nearly 2 months on and off of sniffles snot and green stuff being coughed up
4: Realised I'm pretty crap at fixing our shed roof
5: Broke the arm on the new sofa and realising I'm a fat f*<3r : (not really I just thought it was a funny thing that happened wifey wasnt impressed though)

Not a bad year really could have been far worse and I see little reason to complain about anything. There are people far far worse off than I, I have my health a beautiful wife and 2 fantastic kids a roof over my head and food in my belly. :thumb:

 

[kahn]

Top: (no particular order)
Promotion at work
wife pregnant
new car for below dealer wholesale
sister finally dumped her now ex fiance
moved my 401k into bonds a year ago, bought back in a when the Dow was below 7600.

bottom:
Obama elected (worst event of '08)
more democraps in congress (2nd worst event of '08)
Thought sister was pregnant by her now ex
personal stocks took a $40k beating (but they'll recover)
general economic slide. (but everything was way over inflated)

 

[matty86suk]

top 5

1 family healthy
2 shore posting for 2 years
3 bought some guns
4 economic situation will not affect me
5 dept free, nice pay raise

bottom 5
1 my 5 year old son's teacher thought he was autistic because his speech devopment was slightly delayed, the specialist said he was fine other than his delayed speech
2 marraige problems, although we are getting along most times
3 sold my f250 bought a jeep cherokee...i miss my truck
4 had some stomach issues from taking too much motrin due to back and knee issues, feel good lately
5 had to replace a vacuum, toaster, hose, lawnmower and welder...fricken wal mart

 

[Brimasmom]

Bump!!!!!!

 

[FXjohn]

personal stocks took a $40k beating (but they'll recover)

how will your stocks recover?? I hope you're right

 

[Ioninc]

1.. Best finanacial year since Y2K
2. Got two new dau-in-laws
3. two more grands
4. Son finished his residency in Psychiatry
5 Economic collapse of "phoney empire"

Bottom

1. Worse choice ever for president..Obama elected
2. 18 below zero this morning
3. Israel lying to the world about GAZA
4. Economic poverty and stress for millions
5. Spiritual darkness suficating of the earth

 

[DownInABunker]

Top 5:
1. Realized that G-d will not give me a task that I cannot complete successfully. Things got much easier after that.
2. Became a survivalist.
3. My youngest is growing up quickly.
4. Election results were not as disappointing as I expected.
5. Financially we are still in good shape despite of stock market losses.

Bottom 5:
1. Obama's victory.
2. Global economic situation.
3. Stock market losses.
4. Short Chicago summer.
5. Didn't get to ride my bike as much as I wanted too.