In a few days, the year 2023 will come to an end, and I'd like to take a moment to reflect on it from a personal perspective..
As has been the tradition for over 20 years, 2023 commenced musically with U2's “New Year's Day” and everything else unfolded in a familiar fashion. However, it was also the first New Year's Day shadowed by the Russian war in Ukraine, which brought a geopolitical shift close to the European border. On a positive note, COVID was less pervasive than in the two preceding years.
In March, I celebrated my birthday with my wife in Leipzig, where we enjoyed a performance by Henry Rollins at the Felsenkeller. Prior to the event, we had the pleasure of meeting up with a friend from my early days. I thoroughly enjoyed that.
In June, the highlight was meant to be a small open-air festival in my hometown featuring bands like Coogans Bluff and Rotor. However, on the same day, we experienced a car accident. Fortunately, no one was injured, but it left me with some emotional scars, and the car was totaled. The subsequent weeks were consumed by the search for a replacement that could comfortably accommodate a family of four, with a trunk spacious enough for all our vacation luggage. Additionally, it had to accommodate someone almost 2 meters tall. While the new used car meets all these requirements, the loss of its predecessor still lingers in my thoughts. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the concert, which, given the circumstances, may have been thanks to a beer or two 😉.
After having created numerous websites using Datenstrom's Yellow for over a year, I decided in August to start a blog again after almost two decades — and I don't regret it. On one hand, finding content for it is now easier for me; on the other hand, I'm thoroughly enjoying its development by exploring the possibilities of the CMS and experimenting with extensions. I've mentioned before that the fantastic Yellow Community provides invaluable support and serves as a great motivator. 😄
At the end of September, we embarked on our long-awaited family vacation to Denmark. Even after 10 years, it remains an incredibly relaxing and rejuvenating experience due to its serene ambiance. This tranquility is especially pronounced along the North Sea coast of Midtjylland, our declared favorite autumn travel destination for a few years now. Unfortunately, despite, or perhaps because of, the peace and quiet, the “black dog” of depression emerged in its full size and has been a constant companion ever since. Consequently, I’ve been on sick leave since the beginning of October and am slowly but persistently working my way back to a normal life.
Starting the dark season with mental health issues is not particularly pleasant, so November was rather uneventful for me, aside from the occasional walk with friends. Strangely enough, my mood lifted in December to the extent that I accepted a friend's request to try my hand at DJing (with records, of course) for the first time in my life — and it went well. The audience was happy, and, more importantly, my friend was satisfied. However, it also showed me that it's not that easy to entertain people for an entire evening. This experience was somehow beneficial for me. December has brought even more uplifting moments, such as the accidental pen pal story with Colin that unfolded when I came across his hyblog, or the fact that my Anchor Extension is now featured on the official Yellow Extension site. Even Christmas failed to have a negative impact on my mood. Now, one of the last events left is New Year's Eve, which we plan to spend with friends. I look forward to it on one hand, but on the other, I might prefer spending it with the cats because there tends to be quite a lot of noise and shooting here.
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