It's Just One Blog After Another: December 2013

It’s time to say farewell to 2013; an odd year. I don’t mean it was strange year; it just ended with an odd number. Like 2012 before it, 2013 contained 365 days. Some of them were significant. Here they are:

We got a dog and named it Piper. She was a good dog but not very bright. She didn’t have an affinity for human beings. She was trainable, but only to a degree. Daily training for one specific behavior wasn’t enough after she reached her training tolerance limit (which was low). Piper went back to the shelter in June.

I got 2 new tattoos in 2013, the first was a few measures of music (first nine notes of my original song entitled One Fine Day) on the underside of my right forearm and E=MC2 on the top of my left forearm. Later in the year, my oldest daughter and I decided to get matching tattoos, but we haven’t decided what they’ll be or where they’ll go. Also in 2013, I decided that my (much anticipated) neck tattoo will be of a treble clef (which is what the kids came to suggest) but I haven’t scheduled it yet.

We made a big improvement to the house and a big step towards self-sufficiency by installing 21 solar panels on the roof. Their performance in the summer and fall months was very satisfactory. I got a bill for $12 one month and on a different month I actually generated more electricity than I used (the bill was for a credit of $6) The late fall and winter months generated less electricity due to the sun being low in the sky and the snow that occasionally covered the panels. It will take another 6 months for me to have enough data to calculate the annual amount of kWh produced and cost of electricity.

Related (somewhat) to the solar project, I had several trees cut down along the perimeter in the back yard. This extended the view from the back deck dramatically, providing a much more open vista (and allowed more sun to hit the solar panels). Also, I had a few trees on the side and front of the house cut to clean up some dead trees and remove the huge pine tree of impending disaster. In 2014, I will be having quite a few more tress cut.

In August, we took the kids to NYC for a weekend to celebrate my birthday and see The Book of Mormon again (for the third time). We enjoyed a flea market and seeing the sights of Times Square and the adjoining area. I got a Swarovski crystal key necklace from the kids (cool).

2013 marked the 14th anniversary of Tick Central, the flagship website of the Thunder Pages dominion.

2013 was also the year in which we moved the business again, coming full circle by moving it to 531 Summer St., Barre, the office building we initially occupied when starting the business is 2000. 2013 also marks the 13th anniversary of Innovative Incentives, Inc.

Having moved the business out of the Pine St. apartment, we were able to reduce the company’s expenses (rent, heating, internet and electric) and then we were able to rent the apartment and receive rental income.

In the summer of 2013, I installed a 25’ flagpole. I’d always wanted a flagpole and so I am enjoying seeing the 4X6 American flag wave every day.

Of course, the highlight of the year was December 23; Henry Dion Chipman was born! The year held the best for last. The timing of his birth gave us two Christmas celebrations this year, and two is better than one.I bought a package of professional pictures that were taken the day he was born. I can't wait to see them!