Here it is. My last day of work for 2016. It’s been a heck of a year, all around, and my work life really isn’t an exception. I’ve taken on more responsibility, which involves lots of dog and pony show meetings and briefings to important people (even if those briefings aren’t so much about defending my failings as keeping them up to speed on cool stuff I’m doing to make them look good), but also finally sort of figured out, after two years, how to do the job in a way that works for me. I have, largely through my strong aversion to having to deal with complicated crap and excess work, implemented some pretty nice efficiencies in the process, and I get to close out the year with plans to deploy a new bit of code that will make my life a lot easier by replacing eight unique data structures with one that does the work of all of them once we come back in January.

In the future, when the process changes, I’ll have to do it once instead of eight times – that’s something like a 30 percent reduction in effort. I’ll take it.

Why am I talking about work? I spent a lot of time the last two thinking about it and talking about it, leading up to my performance appraisal the other day. It was nothing to worry about, I’m doing well (in fact, according to my boss, I’m “carrying the program” while they get the larger structures sorted out). That’s nice to hear, since I’ve been afflicted with all kinds of impostor syndrome these last two years now that I’m kind of in charge; I figure eventually everybody will figure out I have no idea what I’m doing, and am coasting along on the backs of the people who do all the real work. Maybe that’s the case, maybe it’s not – intellectually, I know it’s not, but I can’t help but feel that way; damned non-code mental wiring.

Anyway, after around 2pm today (I’m cutting out a bit early to deal with a car appointment), I get to box all that stuff away for a little over two weeks, and replace it with holiday anxiety, which shouldn’t be too bad, as I’ve actually got most of my shopping done. I haven’t decorated anything yet, but I expect, unless the kids go nuts with it, that we’ll probably keep that kind of low-key as well.

As has been my custom for the last couple of years, I’m going to spend the holidays primarily chilling at home, and treating myself to the gift of non-obligation. I’m going to let myself just be; enjoying the feeling of not feeling obligated to do anything for anybody or anything unless I choose to do it. I’m going to sleep in, enjoy my family, maybe play some music with friends, and catch up on leisure activities. I’m not going anywhere, unless I think of something cool I want to do, or the booze and snacks run out.

We’ve had a hell of a year, folks. We’ve lost lots of wonderful artists who made the world better, made some questionable choices as a nation, and dealt with some serious crap for the last twelve months. I’m going to do my part by kind of dropping out and rejuvinating in my own personal Lazarus Pit for two weeks or so to recover from what’s come before, and do my best to be ready to make 2017 a better experience all around.

To that end, I’ll probably update here a little less; I won’t be totally unplugged, as I need to coordinate social engagements (Rogue One comes out this weekend, and I have plans), and one of my stress relieving outlets is the Marvel Heroes MMO; but I probably won’t be putting much here, other than my usual year-end wrap-ups (I like my year-end “by the numbers” and writing highlights posts).

I have some serious loafing to do, and I already bought myself that PS4 (hey, I did it to make it easier for my wife to shop for me for Christmas; she doesn’t like to buy me musicial stuff without my input, just like I don’t like to buy dance stuff for her without hers), and it needs some attention.

To that end, this is probably my last random playlist of the year, unless I feel moved. This one’s not terrible; it’s a little derivative of recent history, though that first track was pretty awesome. Led Zepplin was made for trombones….

1. “Ocean” – Bonerama
2. “Heaven is a Place on Earth” – Belinda Carlisle
3. “Heroes” (live 1978) – David Bowie
4. “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) – Journey
5. “Better off Dancing” – The Donnas
6. “I Melt With You (7” mix) – Modern English
7. “Flesh Without Blood” – Grimes
8. “Livin’ On A Prayer” – Bon Jovi
9. “Cliffs of Dover” – Eric Johnson
10. “Budapest” – Jethro Tull
11. “Efterbyrden” – Asmegin

…also – if I hadn’t been looking at the screen on my phone, I would’ve sworn #10 was actually Dire Straits.