2014 the good and the bad

There was good and bad to 2014, just like years in the past.   To me only certain years stick out for being very good (1989, 1993) or very bad (2002, 2003), but most of the time I look up to God and appreciate the good, and bemoan or roll through the punches of the bad times.

The good:  being recognized for doing a good job as a paralegal and getting 3 raises during the year.  That's not much to brag about and here is why.  At the start of the year, 1/1/2014, I was paid only a little more than what I was making on unemployment insurance (which I was pretty much forced to be on from 2/14/2012 to 9/15/2013).  Obviously, it was better to be off unemployment making a little more money than to stay on unemployment b/c you become less and less marketable the longer you are on unemployment.
I was not only recognized as being a good paralegal at the downtown/LOOP firm that I am at but also by 2 other lawyers.  I made a few thousand more doing side jobs.  I made several hundred selling on eBay.  My popular items that sold very well were the hammocks and the dog heaters.

BAD
Yet, even after three raises at the firm, money made on eBay and 2 other lawyers, I still didn't make ends meet ! UGH !   I mean I don't have big costs, I keep my condo at a harsh 59 degrees F (15 degrees Celsius).  I shop at Aldi to save grocery money.  It certainly didn't help getting into a car accident and spending well over $1,000 (with help from my insurance company I got another $5,000 and paid to repair car) .  I also suffered some neck and back pain.  Thank God my girlfriend, Pat, was ok !!

By the way, this isn't actually my car. I was too lazy to put my car on this post, and too embarassed, TOO !  I can assure that my poor, silver  2004 Pontiac Grand Am looked about this bad.
The worst thing about 2014 was that my workload quadrupled this year.  I now have 110 cases and am the Medicare negotiator.  It's too much.  It's still too much after they hired 2 people part time this year.  We still have to dig out of the mess created when they are understaffed.  I come home so many times sad b/c  Father Time has beaten the shit out of me.  There's always the nagging feeling, "Have I done enough??"

But we come into the new year with hope. Maybe things will change, maybe we will solve some large problem.  Like last year, 2013, I solved my unemployment problem.  There was financial problems that improved slightly in 2014, but there were more health concerns as now I'm diagnosed with glaucoma.  So, here's a picture I took of my 2 happy sons after 2015 came to us.  My daughter was not with all of us but she had fun too.