41st

_MG_0737, originally uploaded by spurlock.

So today is my forty-first birthday. The day was pretty uneventful. The kids had school, and Tim had to work late. We didn't have a special dinner tonight, as we are going to a cajun restaurant this weekend.

Like all years, this one had its ups and downs, but overall a good year. I went SCUBA diving for the first time this past year.

I'm happy that I am now in better physical shape not than a year ago, but better than any time since my mid-20's. I'm in the gym five days a week, and enjoy the time.

My photography has definitely improved over the last year. Sure, the new equipment has been a big help, but I'm getting better about composition and lighting. Its something I really enjoy doing.

I was able to do some traveling over the last year. I went to Pattaya, Phuket, Singapore, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, and the U.S. The U.S. trip was nice in that I was able to spend time with family and friends, although getting the house ready was not very fun.

While my Thai proficiency only improved slightly, I'm a lot more comfortable this year than the previous year. I remember when we first got here, ISB did a seminar for new arrivals, and one of the themes is that it really takes about two years to get comfortable in a new place. I think there is a lot of truth to that.

Our original plan was to return home this year. Well, we won't be returning to the states just yet. We'll be in Thailand at least one more year, depending on the state of Tim's business.

Overall, it was a good year. I'm going to try to make the next one better though.