2018 Best year of my life?

Best year of my life?

Bold statements being thrown around here at Bert’s corner. I had a feeling 2018 would be splendid because I like even numbered years and I was born on the 18th but I didn't expect this. Let’s take a quick recap and see if my declaration has merit.

January:

January is a tough month no matter what but it helps ringing in the new year in Hong Kong. This January I had a friend visit and only had to work three weeks before Chinese New Year. Maybe not my best January ever but top 3 for sure.

February:

Hands down best February of my life. I got paid to travel because of my favourite holiday, Chinese New Year. I spent 8ish days in Cambodia with my mom who I like. Spent a similar amount of time in Thailand after a 5 year absence and saw some elephants and ate some great food. After Thailand, a friend paid for me to come home for 9 days. We went ice fishing and it was delightful. And I got to see my friends from Poland. And my friends from Canada. What a super duper February!

March:

March was less fun. A little sad returning back to real life, teaching and being away from my friends. March Madness was a ray of light, warmer weather approaching and the return of lacrosse kept March bearable. Top 15 month of March for Bert.

April:

I don’t remember much about April. Lacrosse has started up again and I had a long weekend. Nothing of interest stands out but I was teaching high school and saving money so let’s conservatively say top 10.

May:

My favourite month. My birthday lands on May 18^th. I took that day off and went to a Korean spa by myself. Lacrosse was played, drinks were drank and people were met. Top 5 month of May.

June:

Love June. End of the school year. Warm weather. Long days. We won our lacrosse league and I won two awards. Joey and Jennica came to visit. Brunch. Saved enough money not to work for the summer so let’s say top 5. I feel like I had some fun months of June when I was younger and had the summer off from school.

July:

Layover in Seoul where I met some Korean people and hung out and ate with them till my 7am flight. Finally got to visit New York City and wander around. Went to Portland, Maine, to see my two friends, cousin and eat my first lobster roll. I went to New Hampshire to hang out at a cottage with my Thailand friends and moved some legal sand. Top 3 month of July.

August:

Got to live in my brother’s basement as usual in Toronto. Got to play with my nieces and nephews. Met the newest nephew to the Brandon clan which was an absolute win. Played dodgeball in the sand, went to Ottawa, did an AQ course, read a little, wrote a little and generally just had a fantastic August. Ended strong so let’s be bold again: Best August of my life.

September:

Back to school which was foreseeable. Nice to be back in Shanghai playing lacrosse. Paid off what extra I spent during the best two months of my life. School is smaller so technically less work to be done. Booked a flight to Singapore. Top 7 month of September.

October:

Went to a little place called Thailand for Seth and Gade's wedding then Vietnam to see my Polish and Filipino extended family. Top 3 October of my life. Top October was at some point living in Thailand because the month of October is a holiday. Man I love Thailand.

November:

Went back to Seoul at the beginning of the month and attended my first lacrosse tournament in Singapore at the end of the month. We won the tournament so there was nothing to be angry about. Singapore is okay; not the best but it is a party so check that out if you are so inclined. Played lacrosse on the weekends and had a friend visit from Canada. All wins. Top 2 November. November in Canada is not ideal

December:

My team won our lacrosse league and I won most improved (for the third time….). Saved the most money throughout the year than I ever have in my entire life. Brunch. Home from December 21^st-January 1^st so lots still to look forward to. Top 3 December so far and looking up.

I can’t think of a year that rivals this. Maybe end of second year/start of third year of university but I still had to work during the summer and had no money. I’m just as bad with women in 2006 as I am in 2018 so that department hasn’t changed much. 2011-2013 were pretty great years because I was living in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Although teaching kindergarten wasn’t the best and I was only making a thousand dollars a month. Come to think of it, that 2012-2013 year was probably the runner up in Best year of Bert’s life.

Worst year? Probably 2009 or 2005. 2009 I was working full time at Enterprise Rent a Car in Ottawa, there was a transit strike, my cousin was a stickler for her $250 a month rent, and things were not going my way. 2005 my dad died so that seems like a reasonable reason for 2005 to go f itself.

I hope 2018 has been as kind to you as it has to me. If you find that this post was me just showing off, don’t worry, I’m confident 2019 will balance out my record breaking 2018. I wish you a safe and jolly holiday season. I have a monster post coming up just before Christmas so keep an eye out for that. 

We’ve got no food, we got no jobs,…….our pets’ HEADS ARE FALLIN’ OFF!