The New Year is Ending, Let Him Die

Those are actually words to a hymn. I mean, 2011 wasn't so bad that I want it to perish-- alone, unloved, and cast away. Rather, I wanted to take the last few moments I have before New Year's Eve festivities begin (with a sour stomach, I might add) to kind of do a review of the year. So here (in no particular order) are the highlights and low-lights (is that even a word?) of 2011 in the life of Kevin L Neff esquire.*

HIGHLIGHTS
1. Deciding to start going to the Singles' Ward. First, Bluffdale, then Riverton YSA 1st.
2. Finally owning a car. Even if it came at $400 initially, and since then has added up to around $1500 just to get it street legal/functional. Still totally worth it.
3. Starting my new job as a Benefit Advisor at Extend Health, and NOT being laid off at the end of the season.
4. Holy cow, the Nu Chapter of Sigma Gamma Chi. Changed my life. Seriously. I love you guys! Let's do something soon, eh?
5. Participating on the Summit Council, and conducting that keynote speaker meeting. That was so much fun!
6. Going on dates, but I do that every year.
7. Saving Hyrule twice, Koholint once, and making dang good progress on saving it twice more. Pretty much discovering the goodness that is the Legend of Zelda, period.
8. Buying a Nintendo 3DS (remember, this list is in no particular order) and a PS3.
9. Nichijou, Jon Thomas, three-plus months of awesomeness, friendship, and bonding.
10. Jamison and Michelle's wedding.
11. Improving my home teaching.
12. Becoming a part of the Group.
13. Doing nice things for my friends, and being reminded again and again how much I need them.
14. The Singles' Ward campout. That was pretty dang fun.
15. Getting good grades, and generally being pretty awesome.
16. The birth of my newest nephew Zachary, and news of my forthcoming first niece, Cindy! (She WILL be spoiled. Oh yes. She WILL be spoiled.)
17. Helping Eric and Skylee move into their beautiful new house.
18. Playing Gundam Vs. Gundam with my best friend James.
19. Having my whole family together for Christmas.
20. Bro. Schwab's Institute class. So good!
21. Vacation to California for a week!
22. Starting up the whole blogging thing again.
23. Wow, this year was pretty great! There are probably a lot of other fantastic things, but I can't think of them right now. Here's the lowlights.

LOWLIGHTS
1. Four cases of unrequited love/friendship, stupid missed opportunities, one heartbreak, and still being single at years' end.
2. Paying the 1500 plus to get my car to work the way it should. On second thought it still sucks to spend that much.
3. Growing super attached to my first singles' ward, and being told by the General Authorities to switch.
4. Growing super attached to my chapter in the fraternity only to have the General Authorities disband the whole program. (By the way, I'm not bitter about their decision; they were just tough pills to swallow. They always have a reason, and it's always good.)
5. Megaman Legends 3's cancellation.
6. Staying on at Extend Health... but as a Customer Service Rep. And being told that I was "randomly" selected to not be an enroller (that means I can no longer make commissions), and that me getting a promotion was left to a "literal coin toss." Whatever the heck THAT means.
7. Realizing that I have no idea how to get to where I'm supposed to be in life. Again and again.
8. Narrowly avoiding getting called as an Activities Co-Chair/Planner for the Bluffdale Ward/ Nu Chapter (respectively) only to get called as an Assistant Secretary several months later. Much better. Really. (Note: I know this calling is for a reason, and it IS growing on me.)
9. Saying goodbye to Dan and Marie as they went to Georgia. That was hard. Really hard.
10.  That's all I have, really. Hmmm.

Well hey! Looks like the highlights outweigh the lowlights in a big way! I really can't believe that 2011 is over as of tomorrow. I just can't believe how much I did this year. I sure was busy, anyway! Hopefully 2012 can be a great year too. So, to one and all, Happy New Year!

Kevin L Neff

*I actually don't know what esquire means.