How Were The 2010's For You?

[Moonface]

The end of the year – and the decade – is nigh, and since I doubt much eventful stuff will happen in our lives between now and Wednesday, how has this year and this decade been for you?

[Dragon Lord]

Can't really comment much on the decade as a whole, because it'd take me a while to remember everything that has happened to be this decade. Overall I'd probably say it was good though.

A lot of good things did happen to me though. I got to finally go see Monocle in person and spend almost a week with him and his family. Got to go to a Hatsune Miku concert. Got all four of my cats this decade. Lots of good games released this decade, including what is probably my overall favorite game of all-time now (NieR: Automata).

Of course we had a lot of bad, as well. For Americans, we obviously has the travesty of having a four-year old voted into office in 2016. After eight years of a respectable President (regardless if you agree with the things Obama did while in office, you can't argue that the man had class and was an upstanding person) to the last four years of having a childish, unintelligent criminal as our "President." Been pretty awful. Hopefully this country can remedy that in 2020, but as we've seen before, making intelligent decisions isn't a strength for most Americans.

[Mr EliteL]

I wouldn't say I'm in the place I thought I was going to be 10 years ago. Didn't have a clue then, but I at least thought I would be in a better position job-wise, house and other life stuff. However I could've ended up in a much worse position so I take solace in that.

I'll try and remember the good and not dwell on the bad. Started earning money, went abroad to America, found more favourite games I enjoy playing, challenge myself on long walks (although get to do those rarely), and....struggling to remember anything else. Started to learn how to drive, but kinda don't want to include that until I have full license.
....really doesn't sound like much. My list of bad is so much longer.

I want to say the 'word' but I hate hearing about it. Even still, fuck it.

[Moonface]

Started to learn how to drive, but kinda don't want to include that until I have full license.

When did you start doing that? Also are you learning automatic or manual?

Similar to what you said EL, I definitely didn't see myself being where I am now ten years ago. In 2010 we were both still in university (side note: fuck that place) expecting to have careers in our respective fields. Come 2020, and I'm still studying to end up in the career I was working towards back then. Which taken with nothing that happened in between into account, sounds like I spent the entire decade doing school.

However I'm not that much of a lunatic for school even though I do currently love attending college, so here's what happened in between:

2011: Took a gap year from university after failing my second year.

2012: Flew to the US for the first time to meet @ShiraNoMai for the first time and check out what her degree program was like in comparison to mine. Made the conclusion mine was what I thought it was, shit, and dropped out of it with future intentions to study in the US at her college.

2013 - 2016: Probably the toughest period of the decade for me. My personal confidence was at an all time low due to the mental toll that university took on me, and college plans utterly failing at every turn got me to a point where I was convinced it would never happen. In 2014 I got my first proper job at a retail store, which during this period was definitely the best thing I did for my mental state. Speaking of which, that managed to turn into an anxiety disorder, likely brought about from prior events and the utterly suffocating pressure that is immigration processes that started to come into play.

2017: Left my job in the early summer to move to the US to marry Shira. As an extra bonus, doing so meant I could attend college down the road without any of the bullshit that international students have to endure.

2018: After spending a year stuck in an apartment because I wasn't allowed to do anything by the government until I got a work permit, I got employed at my current job, which to this day continues to be a love/hate relationship for me depending on how utterly moronic the store likes to be any given week. I started college again in the summer, and in October we redid our wedding to be how we wanted it to be had we not been in a rush to get something done within 90 days in 2017, and this was the wedding that EL and my family attended (because the first one was not worth the time nor money for any of them).

2019: No wedding this year, so just school and work. Although, we did buy our first house this year together, so I at least had some notable milestone happen. Oh, wait, I forgot I learned to drive this year too so I could actually get to school without using the awful American public transport systems.

[Kyng]

Okay, let's see what I can remember, because it's been quite a while :

The Good

• I began the decade as a Mathematics student at St John's College, Oxford... and, in mid-2013, I graduated with a First Class Master's degree.
  
• Later in 2013, I got a my first proper job, as a programmer. I've yet to start looking for my second, because I'm still working there and still enjoying it. 
  
• During 2014, I had a surprise meeting with Nigel Mansell. Since I was at his museum, this wasn't entirely unexpected, but I certainly wasn't expecting to meet the man himself - and, as a long-time Formula One fan, it made my entire year. (Despite his reputation for being a difficult driver to work with during his career, he's a lovely gentleman when he's out of the car... or maybe he's just calmed down since he retired!)
  
• Learning to drive. This used to be a major source of anxiety for me, but I overcame it and passed my test on the second attempt.
  
• Trying a lot of new foods. This doesn't sound like a big one, but I was a hyper-picky eater until the middle of 2016. Then, my family took me to a local south Indian restaurant, to take me out of my culinary comfort zone... and, I loved it. After that, I moved on to Chinese, Mexican and Thai foods that I wouldn't have touched previously... and now, I'm just a run-of-the-mill picky eater .
  
• I've made a number of new friends, both online and in real life. I hope those friendships last for years to come.
  

The Bad

• University was quite often stressful. In the later years of my degree, I did get on top of this; however, the first year was very difficult.
  
• Losing my grandfather to lung cancer in 2012. I knew he wasn't going to live forever, but the manner in which it happened came as a complete shock: it didn't even show any noticeable symptoms until a week before he died, and by then it was obviously far too late to do anything .
  
• Current political events causing me to lose the will to live, on more than one occasion.
  
• Formula One, on the whole, has been rather underwhelming this decade. There's always been something seriously wrong with the sport at every point: sometimes the race results were as predictable as North Korean elections; other times, there was very little on-track action; and other times, the sport's internal political drama came close to tearing the whole thing apart. I'm just hoping things get better in the next decade.
  
• On and off relationship troubles. Romance has never been my strong suit.
  

So, yeah. There have been downsides, but on the whole, I think I left the 2010s in a better place than I entered them.

[Mr EliteL]

Started to learn how to drive, but kinda don't want to include that until I have full license.

When did you start doing that? Also are you learning automatic or manual?

Did I never tell you? I suppose not, yet I told people at work too. Had a number of sessions early-ish 2017 through my older friend Dave. He had 3 cars at the time, and two I knew were definitely more suited for experienced drivers, so had a go in the easier one. Automatic I learned, and will be aiming for as my license. Can't remember how many I had now, at least five short ones and one half journey (about 40 mins). I remember my first parking outside a restaurant we frequent was perfectly placed straight away. Although that wasn't reversing in, which I understand will be the preferred method in actual lessons and of course test. Been meaning to actually get proper lessons but keep putting it off although I did have reasons for that. Dave had to get rid of the car later that year so I didn't do any more with him.[/size]

2019: No wedding this year...

 I appreciate you added that. Ah, if only there was another secretly coming up this year...there isn't
Good summary of your decade. Maybe I should do one even though I still can't think of much.

2010-2012 July: Going through University and completing my course. Surprised I actually passed my third year since I was losing motivation and didn't do as well as I could. My FMP was unfinished and poorly executed even with what I ended up with. Was suggested I finish the animation, but haven't done so. I still have fondness of the idea I had though, just...*sigh*.

2012 August-2014 August: All my motivation and mood dead during that period. Didn't have will to do much life wise. Playing Tekken Tag 2, Uncharted 3 with Moony and Dragon's Dogma helped me through that. Moony and I had a short stint at a sweet shop before he got his job at Asda although that was I believe late 2012? Meeting Dave in possibly 2013 or early 2014 who I learned had been a family friend before I was born and I think only started visiting my Aunt again recently during that period. He got me into walks by the sea I've mentioned (OK, it's been only 5 long and 18 short but all have been good) and we've got an insane quite competitive Scrabble back an forth matches going on. Oh, bought my own dumbbells to do weightlifting here and there. Even so those moments weren't happening all the time so I was sitting around too much at home.

2014 September-2015 July: Finally started to do volunteering work on local nature reserves almost every first Sunday and sometimes third Thursday of each month. Not much else other than a bit of gaming and sitting around still. Tried getting a job at Asda but failed. Could've been in Frozen like Moony.

2015 September-2018 March: Second attempt (after 5 or so months due to company policy and myself having no money to travel anywhere for a worthwhile job) at joining Asda and success. Got into Ambient Process which looking back was one of if not the best job to have there. Now the position is gone and what it mainly entailed is less cared about, even freaking price changes of all things!

2017 Feb-May: Learning to drive a bit. Work, but no more local Moony!   Nothing else to note. Oh, deciding where I (or rather we, sister and mother) will be living.

2018 April-Now: Still at Asda but moved to Produce. Probably the best department to work on, maybe Bakery and fresh counters (fish, ready made meat and pizza) could be better. Anywhere else is bad or constantly dealing with customers (which I personally would rather not  ).
--October '18 I don't need to mention again other than seeing their lovely selves in person again *shot*, oh and meeting Animemoongirl and Maniak also in person.

2019: Nothing of interest.

Typed more than I thought. Some things weren't completely necessary.

EDIT: Dang @Kyng , really did pick out the points there. What year did you pass your test? Awesome you got to meet Mansell. I have to agree on F1. During 00-09 and a bit at the start of the 2010's I watched F1 a lot more. Granted I wasn't as invested as my brother but I did enjoy watching over that time, then the rest of the decade I didn't want to know anymore. Mostly down to the predictability like you said caused me to lose interest.

[Moonface]

Probably the best department to work on, maybe Bakery and fresh counters (fish, ready made meat and pizza) could be better.

Claim bakery will be a good department to work on again and I'll shove a baguette down your throat.  
Seriously, unless it's changed (I doubt it) you would be instantly made into the guy that does all the shit no one else should've done before you turned up, like fetching ingredients from the freezers that the frozen team internally hate your department for ordering and leaving in their freezer for multiple days at a time. If he's still there, that's why Michael (team leader when I left) on chilled originally bailed from the store because he got sick of that sort of shit. Even the bakery department in my store here has that exact setup; no one does shit and waits for the one guy to do it unless they're forcibly made to do it and when doing so will actively try to have the frozen team help them.

As for driving, I assume tests in the UK require reverse parking then, since it isn't a thing here. All they care for is can you park the car, they don't care what way in you go since it's a matter of preference, not rule. I'm surprised it's not that way for you unless you're mistaken or just taking a guess of what they'd want.

[Mr EliteL]

Ah, yeah that still happens although I haven't heard complaints about it for a long time now, so maybe they have something down now or I'm not around to hear any. I know at least someone takes one or two cages out early morning when I'm in. I only mentioned it as Rob works on there now (Ambient Process Rob) and he likes it on there, and perhaps because of the surgery he had he's exempt from having to go get any cages at least from Frozen.

My sister has had to do reverse parking in both lesson and test, I think both ways are done though. I know since her instructor who was in the back for the tests had to close her eyes when she was parking in reverse.

[Moonface]

@Mr EliteL: Rob wasn't allowed to be in a freezer even when I was still there due to a medical issue (I forget what) so his surgery wouldn't be necessary to excuse him.

[Mr EliteL]

@Moonface : Oh, I see. Yeah that would get him out of doing that.

2010's had three bad things happen to my close family members which includes my other cat, although two from the three are still alive. There was more, but I barely knew the others who I don't see or met like once.

[Kyng]

EDIT: Dang @Kyng , really did pick out the points there. What year did you pass your test? Awesome you got to meet Mansell. I have to agree on F1. During 00-09 and a bit at the start of the 2010's I watched F1 a lot more. Granted I wasn't as invested as my brother but I did enjoy watching over that time, then the rest of the decade I didn't want to know anymore. Mostly down to the predictability like you said caused me to lose interest.

I passed my test in 2014. I did have to do a reverse bay park during my test, but not everybody does (everyone has to do either a reverse bay park, or a turn in the road, or a parallel park, or reverse around a corner - and, the bay park is the one that I happened to get). 

I have to admit, I'm not sure why the 'predictability' bothers me so much these days. It was just as bad in the early 2000s (when Michael Schumacher was winning everything in sight), and it annoyed me then, but not to anything like the same extent. Maybe I was just too young to be bothered by F1 politics on top of the predictability  ?

[ShiraNoMai]

Moony had such a wild rollercoaster of a run there in this past decade So many formative experiences that lead him to where he is now.

I mean, same goes for everyone else here, which is good!

For me, I started the decade off on a sour note when I was essentially banned from Moony and the internet in general for the first 5 months of the 2010 year; it was all uphill from there, though! I graduated high school in 2011, and in that summer of transition between high school and college, I made a best friend for life, solidified my good friendships that I've pretty much all kept to this day as part of my friend group, and then began college later that year! I got my first job at Publix at the end of that year as well, so for the next 4 years (2011-2015), it was strictly a college & work schedule, with intermittent pieces of friend fun and Moony fun in between. Small health scare when my endometriosis took a harder turn and had to get surgery to get that all removed in 2014, which delayed my graduation a bit unfortunately but it's all good!

2016 started rough, when around this time of the year actually, my father passed away after being mowed down by a wrong-way driver outside our house. 2016 was also the year many other folks died in the celebrity world, so it wound up being not too shocking come the end of that year. Though, Moony proposed to me at the end of 2016, as we moved forward with the immigration process for him coming here, which lead into 2017's eventual arrival of Moony to the States, and us beginning a life together after that, really.