OT: The Best Year of Your Life?

[Canoerebel]

On the radio today, I heard an interesting interview with a 27-year-old who worked for two years to save $20,000. He then spent a year traveling the world - two months in Honduras, two months in Guatemala, two months in Australia, etc. - having what he hoped would be the "best year of his life." Sounds like a great idea, although I'd hate to think that the "best year of my life" was behind me. Its the journey, not the destination, right?

So, in hopes of learning more about this esteemed AE community, I ask the forum: What was the best year of your life (or, if you wouldn't single out one year, give us your thoughts on how you might spend a year if you had worked hard to save up the funds and now had 12 months to do nothing but what you wanted to do).

[Lecivius]

I've had a lot of good years.

Many, many good years.

<wanders off mumbling & reminiscing>

[tigercub]

many Good years,some Bad woman, many good beers and many many miles behind me...and still moving sorry not have one special year but do have special memories flying light aircraft with the door off working (pics) Queensland Australian coast..

Tigercub

[rockmedic109]

I can name the best day. It was utterly horrible. Exceedingly painfull.

May 16, 2001. At 0100 on that morning I ran into a rockslide on I-80 in the Sierra Nevada mountains. This started a chain of events that was horrific in the short term. 8 broken ribs, Crushed right hand, dislocated R elbow and many other painfull injuries.

That event led to me and my wife getting together, her three kids calling me dad and two trips to China to pick up two more children that call me dad. It led to the most joyous time of my life.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: rockmedic109

I can name the best day. It was utterly horrible. Exceedingly painfull.

May 16, 2001. At 0100 on that morning I ran into a rockslide on I-80 in the Sierra Nevada mountains. This started a chain of events that was horrific in the short term. 8 broken ribs, Crushed right hand, dislocated R elbow and many other painfull injuries.

That event led to me and my wife getting together, her three kids calling me dad and two trips to China to pick up two more children that call me dad. It led to the most joyous time of my life.

Wow! Clever answer Rock.

[Cap Mandrake]

Seems to me putting an entire year of blissfulness together is quite a challenge. Maybe you have 3 or 4 great months and then you get a $500 speeding ticket for going 8 mph over the speed limit.

But perhaps I am being too literal.

[Canoerebel]

One of my college roommates strongly lamented - over and over again - that high school was the best time of his life. That seemed pretty sad. I hope he doesn't still feel that way.

Thru-hikers spend three to six months backpacking the 2,150 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Many are young folks fresh out of college or taking sabbaticals from jobs they hate. Others are going through major transitions in life, such as loss of a job, divorce, or death of a spouse. Many of these people begin with the idea that they will "figure out life" during the long journey. Few actually do so. What's really striking, though, is that many successful thru-hikers have real trouble adjusting to real life once the journey is over. Rather than figuring things out, many are left with a sense of unease and even depression. I suspect that 27-year-old who saved for two years to spend a year doing what he wanted to do might experience similar readjustment pains.

[oldman45]

September 5 2003, the day I met my fantasy goddess. Somehow, she has stuck around for all these years...

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

One of my college roommates strongly lamented - over and over again - that high school was the best time of his life. That seemed pretty sad. I hope he doesn't still feel that way.

Thru-hikers spend three to six months backpacking the 2,150 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Many are young folks fresh out of college or taking sabbaticals from jobs they hate. Others are going through major transitions in life, such as loss of a job, divorce, or death of a spouse. Many of these people begin with the idea that they will "figure out life" during the long journey. Few actually do so. What's really striking, though, is that many successful thru-hikers have real trouble adjusting to real life once the journey is over. Rather than figuring things out, many are left with a sense of unease and even depression. I suspect that 27-year-old who saved for two years to spend a year doing what he wanted to do might experience similar readjustment pains.

Fascinating that you mentioned the thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. I watched a National Geographic program on that. Half the way through the program I wanted to go myself but I noticed a very odd disquietude when hikers were interviewed. It seemed, just as you suggest, that they were conflicted.

Along these lines is Emilio Estevez's The Way. Martin Sheen plays a man who walks a 500 mile pilgrimage in northern Spain after his son dies and he is burned out at work.

As for one's life peaking in high school...that is universally a bad sign. Sad, really.

[drw61]

Looking back, the best year(s) were my second tour at Incirlik air base turkey from 93 to 97. I had a great job working for AFRTS (AFN) and my wife and three boys spent most weekends touring Greek, Roman, crusader and Hittite ruins. We had a blast!
I really miss the camaraderie and travel I had in the Air force for 22 years.
Daryl

[drw61]

My wife and I want to do the AT after I really retire. Anyone thinking about doing the trail should read Appalachian Trials by Zach Davis he goes into the post trail depression/readjustment and how to deal with it.
Daryl

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

One of my college roommates strongly lamented - over and over again - that high school was the best time of his life. That seemed pretty sad. I hope he doesn't still feel that way.

Thru-hikers spend three to six months backpacking the 2,150 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Many are young folks fresh out of college or taking sabbaticals from jobs they hate. Others are going through major transitions in life, such as loss of a job, divorce, or death of a spouse. Many of these people begin with the idea that they will "figure out life" during the long journey. Few actually do so. What's really striking, though, is that many successful thru-hikers have real trouble adjusting to real life once the journey is over. Rather than figuring things out, many are left with a sense of unease and even depression. I suspect that 27-year-old who saved for two years to spend a year doing what he wanted to do might experience similar readjustment pains.

[geofflambert]

Mine was the day I got my first pet cat. She was delicious!

[casmithasl]

The best year of my life is the year I am in. It has always been that way. There has been a lot of twists and turns, choices, events some good some bad. All you can do is muddle thru, never give up, hope for the best.

[warspite1]

I cannot name a single year, but I can undoubtedly put together a year worth of memories made up of:

- Selected summer holidays and Christmas as a small kid with my mum, dad and brothers and sister (that probably adds up to say 2 months).
- Watching Spurs win the FA Cup with my old dad - twice!!
- The remaining 10 months can be gathered from select periods from winter 1998 to date and involve meeting the future Mrs warspite, the birth of my little cruisers Coventry and Penelope and their key moments since - first words, first steps, christenings, communions, confirmations, school plays, dance shows, holidays at Disney and family Christmases.

Family, and especially children - its what life's all about imo [:)]

[Cribtop]

Hopefully still to come, but I have my doubts.

I decided to go to Law School instead of West Point and years later realize I made the wrong choice. Raised on Horatio Hornblower and a strong dose of Old Southern Family history, I was functionally a creature of the late 18th/early 19th century living in the 20th and 21st. I strongly identify with Jimmy Buffet from A Pirate Looks at Forty... "My occupational hazard be, my occupation's just not around."

Not really complaining, I'm pretty happy all told. Wondering if I'll ever get the shot at greatness, though. Even at age 44 I still have the fire.

[Cap Mandrake]

Cribtop;

Sounds like you would have been happier taking a regiment into The Wheatfield or, more aptly, holding the line at the Sunken Lane.

[Canoerebel]

Emory Best, the guy in my avatar, was second in command of 23rd Georgia Regiment when it was posted at Bloody Lane at Antietam. Colonel William Barclay, in command of the regiment, was killed in action. Lt. Col. Best took command. He was seriously wounded and then taken prisoner. This photo was taken while he was in captivity in Baltimore. he was later exchanged and resumed command of the regiment, only to be placed under arrest after most of the regiment was captured at Chancellorsville. He was tried at court martial, convicted, and removed from office. Prior to the war, he was a young lawyer in Rome, Georgia. After the war, he was a city judge in Macon for awhile before taking a position as a clerk in the Interior Department in Washington, D.C. He died in 1912 and is buried in Macon's Rose Hill Cemetery. His tombstone does not refer to his service in the Confederate Army.

[Dixie]

2009 for me, our son was born and I got a posting that encouraged me to stick with the RAF which led to the other candidate for best year...

2012, a posting back home to the unit that was the reason I joined the RAF. I'm now doing the job that I have wanted to do since I was four. [8D]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Emory Best, the guy in my avatar, was second in command of 23rd Georgia Regiment when it was posted at Bloody Lane at Antietam. Colonel William Barclay, in command of the regiment, was killed in action. Lt. Col. Best took command. He was seriously wounded and then taken prisoner. This photo was taken while he was in captivity in Baltimore. he was later exchanged and resumed command of the regiment, only to be placed under arrest after most of the regiment was captured at Chancellorsville. He was tried at court martial, convicted, and removed from office. Prior to the war, he was a young lawyer in Rome, Georgia. After the war, he was a city judge in Macon for awhile before taking a position as a clerk in the Interior Department in Washington, D.C. He died in 1912 and is buried in Macon's Rose Hill Cemetery. His tombstone does not refer to his service in the Confederate Army.

Man, that seems kind of rough. Did he really do something at Chancellorsville to deserve that?

[Justus2]

Hard to narrow down a best year, and I too hope my best year is ahead of me! But 1993 would probably be a finalist, certainly one of the most interesting. I married my wife in the spring, took command of my Air Defense battery in the National Guard, started my MBA program in the fall, and had our first child born before the end of the year! Along the way I also started martial arts courses, took some community college courses I enjoyed (pre-reqs for the MBA, but more relaxed pace), and spent several weeks fighting the flooding Mississippi in my first National Guard state duty call-up.

Oh, yea, I also worked my 'regular' civilian full-time job all year, but that was never really the interesting part... [;)]