New Year's Day

It's time for a recap of the year. It's bragging time. A lot happened last year. I became old, and with that I started to tell stories and by stories I mean ancient histories from the good old days, which don't make always sense and are hard to understand by the young folks. Of course my stories begin always with "when I was your age ...".
There were a lot of firsts last year. My first skiing, my first snowshoeing, and more important the first time I carried a snowshoe (+ the second and third time). I finished my first triathlon, shined in a book club for the first time, had my first second Thanksgiving dinner, the first new years eve in US, and had my first trip to Germany (living for more than 20 years in Germany is not a trip). I played in a movie and run through a music video. I watched the Superbowl game, well the first quarter at least, and I slept at a Major League Baseball game. My first 4th of July firework and sledding on labor day. I become for the first time a loan shark. I went to Chicago and saw the Baha'i house of worship in Wilmette. My new goal is to see all other Baha'i houses of worships.
From the facial-hair-style point of view, I went last year from shaved over a goatee period to stubble. The stubble has of course the "I give a damn" look and it takes more time to groom that look than it takes for a clean shave. Stubble is called in German "Dreitagebart" which means three-day-beard and my is now 103 days old. Is there anything else you want to know?

Shaved on the 1st Germany trip

Goatee Period

With stubble in Chicago

Now, let me come to the new year. My new year's resolution is to use more hand gestures while I talk. Basically, it means I want to talk more Italian. This year, I will do some epic travels. I am going to go to Africa. It's funny how that came. It all started when I was your age ...