I usually hate to see a year come to an end around mid-December to the end. This year has been alright and I feel like I made it through OK. This year hasn't been terrible (thank goodness) but not stellar either. This is the first year I've been retired for a full year. That's been OK but it's been a bit of a financial drain. In June, 2021 I retired from my job after 15 years. The job was great but then it went bad in the last few months, which made me quit and then retire. I feel like I don't have to go to work now; and I'd rather not because I've had all kinds of memories from the past jobs I had; and they were not good.

However, I am a pessimist. Even though I feel like this year has been alright, I feel like 2023 will more likely be a bad year than great. I've always felt that way around this time of year. I think to myself that next year could be the year of health decline (or death possibly for me), death of loved ones, financial disaster, becoming homeless, having to relocate, etc. I think more about the following year as more likely to be a disaster than a year of great things happening. I know I should think positively, but I can't