Retrospective: 2023

As the clock approaches midnight and another year comes to a close, it's time for me to look back on how 2023 has gone.

As those who have read my earlier articles will know, 2023 didn't start great for me due to the broken collarbone. Frustratingly it has taken the better part of the year to get to a state where I can sleep on it. Thankfully it is now healed, though I'd be lying if I said an upcoming winter holiday wasn't slightly unnerving.

By far the most significant change was moving in with my partner (and selling my house), which allowed me to experience just how much dealing with potential buyers can be frustrating. Thankfully when everything was completed the enjoyable feeling of moving in together hadn't been drained from either of us (though with the amount of cables I brought with me it was a close call at one point).

From a travel perspective I finally got to visit Mexico outside of work, thoroughly enjoying a multitude of activities (and an all-inclusive bar). I can honestly say a great time was had and I look forward to visiting again (even if on the last day I saw the result of a shooting).

With the reduction in work travel I also managed to enjoy multiple UK-based events:

50 Cent
Fall Out Boy
Meeting friends (and being more than a distant memory)
Monster Jam
Muse
Royal Albert Hall
Pete Tong
The Sherlocks

It has been many years since I've been able to actually go to events due to work commitments / being out of the country, so being able to do this many has honestly been great.

As always my experiences with car have been entertaining... The saga that was switching to an EV finally came to an end, with the decision of never buying a Volkswagen again. Thankfully I now have a reliable car that is a nice balance between sport and efficiency. As for when the next EV will be tested, who knows what 2024 will bring ;)

As for work, it has honestly been a really productive year with a lot of milestones met / solid deliverables with genuine benefits. As someone who has spent most of their working life fixing customer issues / working on small pieces of larger projects it has been both refreshing and fulfilling to do both the design and implementation end-to-end. Knowing what is planned for 2024, I'm looking forward to what will (hopefully) be achieved.

Honestly, looking back on 2023 it has been a good year for me, and I hope that 2024 plays out the same way (and with any luck, with less conflicts / wars around the world).

May 2024 be a great year for you and your loved ones :-)