Our family had a lot of new experiences in 2023. There was the unexpected job change that turned out for the better. We had the heartbreaking news of an advanced cancer diagnosis for my father in law. I traveled more this year than I had since pre-pandemic for both work and the fraternity. I picked up a new title and responsibilities at work that has brought on its own set of challenges. We tried new things with our daughter to varying success as she figures out what she likes and doesn't. We saw more of our friends move to other cities, leading to our own conversations about where life might take us next. Home ownership continues to be both a blessing and a source of all too frequent frustration.

All in all, we made it through the year and look forward to 2024. Happy New Year!

  • Saw Zoolumniation for the first time at the Nashville Zoo.
  • Attended my first Carlson Leadership Academy since 2019 (and first as a District Governor) in both Atlanta and Chicago, filling in as faculty for one of them.
  • Started using a CPAP machine to help with moderate sleep apnea.
  • Had a minor outpatient surgery related to family planning.
  • Built a lot of Magna-Tiles towers, rockets, houses, and birthday cakes.
  • Kept up the walking streak with the dog and added a handful more routes to vary things a bit.
  • Read a book to a class of children for "Read Across America."
  • Marked Indy's sixth birthday as his muzzle turns a bit grayer, but still acts like a puppy at times.
  • Went to the final night at a mainstay bar with a group of friends, only to watch it re-open under a new name and zero other changes.
  • Renewed the passport after not using it for international travel while I had it.
  • Hosted a third birthday unicorn-themed party with her classmates, attended several others with super heros, mermaids and more unicorns.
  • Had a very large tree infested with ash borer beetles removed from our back yard.
  • Attempted a last-ditch effort to keep my college fraternity chapter open, only to see it shuttered over the summer.
  • Made one trip to the emergency room for a toddler with a broken collarbone, only to watch it be completely healed within two weeks.
  • Unexpectedly stepped into the committee chairmanship for the SigEp Finance and Chapter Compliance Committee.
  • Revisited swim lessons now that she's older, again as the designated parent-in-the-pool.
  • Enrolled our daughter in a youth soccer league and dance classes.
  • Removed our front retaining wall after a guy hit it going 40 miles an hour, resulting in a check from his insurance company.
  • Visited the body shop after another parent at daycare inadvertently clipped my back bumper.
  • Went to an alumni event that served as a bit of a wake for the now-closed fraternity chapter.
  • Transitioned from using the stroller for evening and weekend "Family Walks" to letting her hold our hands instead.
  • Presented chapter and volunteer awards at Austin Peay University and Western Kentucky University.
  • Went to the Tennessee State Museum and the kids area there.
  • Attended a handful of Nashville-area SigEp events, which were a highlight of my social calendar.
  • Saw Bluey's Big Play at TPAC with a VIP package, though she wasn't really happy about the picture with the costumed character.
  • Spent a bit more time at the Tomato Arts Festival this year and saw the entire parade.
  • Went to my first Nashville Sounds game in the new-ish baseball stadium.
  • Replaced a 10-year old tooth filling that had started to fail.
  • Attended my fourth SigEp Grand Chapter Conclave in San Antonio, Texas and spent a lot of time in Legislation and meeting with various folks.
  • Visited the Alamo for the first time and enjoyed the San Antonio's River Walk when the sun wasn't up and I wasn't in a suit.
  • Marked a year with my new employer and earned a promotion in the process.
  • Traveled to Los Angeles, California for the first time for a work trip, and met my coworkers for the first time face-to-face.
  • Added pizza restaurants to the list of places we can take our picky eater.
  • Saw a backyard performance of one of our neighbor's cover band, had a good time.
  • Replaced my phone for the first time in four years.
  • Played a lot of Chess and Texas Hold'em on my phone, binged a bit on the Apple Arcade version of Angry Birds at the end of the year.
  • Replaced the hand-me-down Apple Watch Series 3 with a Series 8 after a mishap with the former on the bathroom tile floor.
  • Went on a full moon hike at Shelby Bottoms.
  • Voted in the mayoral and Metro Council election and run-off, genuinely pleased with the outcome.
  • Went to Lights and El Día de los Muertos at Cheekwood and toured the mansion for the first time.
  • Attended a Balanced Man Scholarship Banquet at Austin Peay State University, my first such event outside of my home chapter.
  • Took on all of the family health insurance when Samantha's former employer followed the trend of many tech companies in 2023 and did a mass layoff.
  • Went trick or treating in a nearby neighborhood, had a great time with our unicorn princess.
  • Signed up for a second life insurance policy to replace the one I got in 2008, surprisingly still getting the quoted rate after a physical.
  • Took our daughter to her first hockey game, which we only managed about 10 minutes in our actual seat before she got bored.
  • Attended the first act of The Nutcracker at TPAC before interest waned.
  • Attended Christmas Eve services for the first time in a long time and the first time with a energetic child.
  • Refreshed our outdoor Christmas decorations a bit, plan to add in small chunks next year.
  • Was just as surprised as our daughter was at many of her gifts at Christmas.
  • Rang in the new year at home with my wife, preschooler, and the dog.