So, how did your 2010 go?

The New Year is already starting to arrive. How did you fare over 2010? On January 1, 2010 I was dating my long-term girlfriend, worked a government contract position at a non-profit, was a full-time student at Washington State University, drove a P71 every day, had an FB Mazda RX-7 autocross car, a 73 Hornet project car, and was coming off the best year in my life.

On Dec 31, 2010 I work as a Vocational Counselor for a small firm (and love my job), graduated WSU with my BA, engaged and married that girl, sold all the cars and replaced them with a 93 Miata and a 73 AMC Javelin, and had the best year of my life.

Here's hoping 2011 is just as good, though maybe with a little less whirlwind changes!

I think you mean 2011

This turned out more than a little long winded. The last paragraph is more or less cliffnotes.

My 2010 was wonderful compared to my 2009. I’ll explain both here a little bit.

2009, my sophomore year, was a very stressful year for me due to circumstances beyond my control that I’d rather not get into here, but just assume that it was enough to make anybody’s life more difficult than it ever should be. Looking back now, I’m happy that I didn’t turn to alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, or something worse to help me through it all; I’m sure it would not have ended well. if I did. I coped with what was happening by getting serious about autocross and eating. I ended up putting on about 25 pounds, which is a lot for me--In high school I was eating about 5000 calories a day and couldn’t put on a single pound, and wasn’t working out hardly at all.

2010 started out good. The issues from the previous semester had been worked out, I was enjoying my classes, and generally I was happy with life. I wasn’t working out, but I wasn’t putting on any more weight than I already had. Summer was fun, I made a lot of money (and promptly lost it all to tuition). I’ve made/am in the process of making some life changing choices on where I want to go with my major and therefore career, but life is generally good.
Come fall, I was in my hardest semester so far at school, had a class that required about 50 hours a week of work, and I was still afraid I was going to get a D. I’m convinced she mis-graded me or had a huge curve, my transcript says a C. Because of that class, I was so stressed and working so much that I ended up losing those 25 pounds. Not a good way to do it. It took about one week of Christmas break to put 15 back on. Now that that class is over, I’m really enjoying life again.
Aside from the school part of it, my 2010 was wonderful. I met my musical idol, played guitar with him, and got a lesson from him. I enjoyed the last year that my grandparents lake house is in the family. I fished, I played a little bit of hockey, I reffed hockey, and I played more golf than I have in a long time. The best part: I autocrossed a lot, in a lot of different cars (11 at last count). I started the year in a 2002 SAAB 9-5; I am ending it in a 1999 10AE Miata. I’m spending New Years with the woman I love, and we’re going back to my house tomorrow for a big party with my extended family.

I’m really looking forward to 2011. It should be a good one, I’m turning 21 16 days into it, I have a new car that should be somewhat competitive in STR, a lot of new autocross friends, and a loving and supportive girlfriend at school, and family at home. I plan on starting swimming to get in shape, and pushups and situps every night and every morning.

2010 wasn't the best year of my life. My industry, the mortgage industry, was attacked for things outside the control of 99.99% of the people. It had zero to do with the origination level and everything to do with the uber upper level of loan securitization/packaging/selling/regulations/political oversight/Godzilla/Mothra/leprechauns and other mythical creatures.

Forget "B" paper. The "B" paper has never been more than a drop in the bucket of mortgages. (6% at it's peak but usually 2% of the market) Like Pawn shops and Title/Payday loans it was always full of the get rich quick, scammers. It's the nature of dealing with people who have horrible credit and don't have any other options.

The "A" paper industry was destroyed in 1999 when the govt REQUIRED that all lenders do those state income, low credit score loans. It wasn't an option to underwrite or originate to traditional levels so the only question was when would issues accumulate to the breaking point. I've got to admit it took longer than we thought and it took a worldwide recession to bring it down. I also feel obligated to remind you the recession didn't begin here, the rest of the world was in recession long before us and we were one of the few bright spots on the planet until we weren't.

But you know what, we're still around. By we I mean my wife and I plus our company. Many aren't.

We aren't thriving, not because we can't do loans, but because so many people put their lives on hold till they could figure out if this was the "Next Great Depression". But we are surviving and it looks as if 2011 will get us back on track for doing more than just surviving. Which means more car goodness for 2011 than in 2010.

I am full of hope and positive thoughts for 2011. Since the last election it has been amazing the difference I see in people's attitudes. They seem to have hope for the first time in 2 years. That's not necessarily the case in all parts of the country, but it is in mine. And that's really all I care about at the moment. People are tired of being scared. Me too!

Well, I set a new personal record of 54 flights this year (slightly more than one a week.) I also survived a 7.8 earthquake, killer tsunami, and unrelated tropical cyclone on a puny little island 100 km off Western Sumatera. I've barely dodged airport closures due to erupting volcanoes twice, been in more earthquakes than all of 2007-2009 combined, been talked out of quitting my job for political reasons by my own boss, crossed open Indian ocean in a boat made from a dug-out tree trunk, got back into dating, broke up and got out of dating again, read more books than I have in probably the last five years, drove a Lotus Evora, a DeLorean, and a Suzuki Liana, caught a 14" lake bass on my second fishing cast in about 15 years, lived for six months without internet at home, and somehow found time for more than a month's holiday.

Places I've been this year: Jakarta, all over Sumatera, the eastern Indonesian islands (Flores, Bali, Lombok), the Mentawai islands, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Germany (duh), Holland, northern France, England, Scotland, Toronto, SW Ontario, Miami (only for a day), all over Aruba, and probably some other spots I've missed.

So it's been a busy year for me. Had its ups and downs but overall I'd say it evened out. Some bits I'd do over if I could, some bits I'd never want to live through again, and some bits were, frankly, awesome. On a bright note, my dear sister finally finished her doctorate and got out of her toxic department in the university where we both went. She got a fantastic new job and moved clear across the country. It's a really great fresh start for her and we're all hoping it's what will pull her out of her years-long depression.

Car wise, I haven't done much. My Elan has been a surprisingly reliable daily driver but it gets parked for months at a time when I'm overseas and when there's snow down on the ground. I probably put less than 5000 km on it this year. It's going to need some work for its bi-annual inspection next year but I haven't done any of it yet. Dad randomly bought a DeLorean in December 2009 and I got to drive that for the first time when I visited this year, which was awesome. I did exactly one real motorsport event, an autocross in Toronto, using our shared 944S, and I did drive my Starion on a public road for the first time ever. It still needs work.

I guess that's enough rambling for now. There's a really big question mark hanging over my head for 2011 because my contract ends at the end of March, and I've pretty much decided I'm not going to renew it even if my company offer, which they won't because the whole project is wrapping up. No plan on how to deal with that yet, I don't really want another "job" but I don't know if I have the business-savvy to become self-employed just yet. That is my ultimate goal though. I guess we'll see what happens...

2009 was miserable for me. Baby mama went crazy and self destructed leaving me and our then 2 year old to catch all the shrapnel.

2010 I got back together with my high school sweetheart. Best relationship I've ever been in. Will probably ask her to marry me at some point. Little boy is 3 now and is growing up to be an awesome little person despite the problems of last year. Thanks to the help from the girlfriend my business has grown phenomenally. I have easily doubled my accounts. My garage is cleaner, more organized, and yet still has more tools and toys than I've ever had in my life! This year has been amazing.

2011 I will graduate college, and have opportunities lining up. If next year goes anything like last year I will be extremely happy!

It's conversations like this that make me realize just how much of a lucky guy I really am.

Jay, being self employed is a trade off. You trade your sleep, free time, and nerves for control of your life, your job, and your destiny. If you are a control freak then self employed is the way to go.

I haven't had the displeasure of having a "real job" in 3 years. Don't get it wrong though. Alot of my friends have said it must be great not having a boss. That's wrong, I now have a ton of "bosses"- they are called customers.

'09 sucked big time. There were some absolutely hair raising incidents which led to the loss of my job and to separation from my wife, which frankly could be considered a bright spot. I'm working again (actually was reemployed within three weeks of losing my previous job).

2010 saw the death of my father in January. As one of the executors of the estate, I'm right in the middle of the real E36 M3. There's a set of problems pertaining to the division of his estate which will probably be a few years getting settled. Whoopee. Fun, fun. Handling that along with my divorce strained me nearly to the limit, my boss is pretty understanding but a few times it pissed him off.

I am not making as much as I used to and I'm pulling the load which was previously shared (bills, house, etc) meaning money is pretty tight. All this has really cut into my racing; I made maybe 1/10 of the events I wanted to make and not a single hillclimb. The bright spot of 2010 was that as part of my divorce (which became final on December 17, talk about a great Christmas present!) I now have full custody of my daughter. As long as she's safe, everything else will sorta fall into line. The down side of the divorce: my retirement plans have all gone straight into the toilet and it's slow work getting Plan B off the ground.

I have some plans in the works for 2011 which will hopefully clear up some of the things that are putting me in a squeeze right now.

Every day I'm on this side of the dirt I'll find something to complain about and something to take a little joy in. Some days more of one and less of the other. On average - every day, week.... year goes a little like that.

Here is to more of one than the other. Happy new year.

(you berkeleying know I'm using that again in about 4hrs and 20 minutes!)

2010 was good to me. Even though we had a house flood and we lost a lot, We still have all our fingers and toes, and both our Families are still on the warm side of the dirt. I got a 2 cycle weedeater, and a Lilac bush for my birthday, a good rolling floor jack, a pair of ratcheting jack stands, a 4 tool Ryobi cordless 18v combo kit, a tight angle screwdriver, a 2 stone bench grinder, and a new Formal suit with a new shirt and shoes that all fit the right way for xmas. We got a new car (Terrain), my 99 Infiniti still has 4 pistons that fire and 4 wheels that stop, And neither of us were left stranded. Our house is standing, my bed stays dry in the rain and I have food in my belly. I will get a paycheck at the end of the week, The sun will come out in the morning and Im still breathing.

yup, 2010 was a good one!

Happy new year!!!

2010 was horrible for the Zero family.

Aunt Zero, Granny Zero, co-worker's Father, Zero Sr., Ma-in-Law Zero, and a CLOSE friend to Mama Zero will not be with us to see 2011.

But . . . Mrs. Zero did find a job, we built Zero Manor, got a few extra cars, and a decent promotion.

Meh . . .happy for what we got, but it still sucked . . . BRING ON 2011!!!

2010 was great since my Chemistry major college student son told me he will be finishing college in 3-1/2 years rather then 4. all those AP classes in high school helped with this.

Mrs. pete240z got a part-time job to help pay for groceries.

I feel blessed!

'09 sucked.

'10 sucked.

'11 may suck less, but then it may not.

2009 sucked.

2010 really sucked up until August, when I got a job I'd been after for a while.

Maybe 2011 won't be too bad.

Start of 2010 I was going to osu for mech engineering, switched to architecture and loved it, spent too much time working on the arch classes that I loved and failed math and didn't get into the arch program. Dropped out of college and started working at a car dealership selling parts and am still doing that. Maybe ill figure out what to do with my life this year.

I made it back from another deployment with all my fingers and toes in tact. I got out the Army (which sometimes is good and sometimes is really bad). My wife is in the process of blessing us with a little baby boy. I had a brief but intense period of unemployment, dug myself back into debt, and I'm now under employed (but it's better than nothing).

2011 should be a good year. Anthony (Baby Dresifer) will be born next year, we're moving to be closer to family, and I'll hopefully find a better job.

It's was a good year, and I think next year will be too.

2010 was better than 2009 and here's hoping 2011 will continue the trend...

Evan: Do what you love, man! Find a way to make it work...

Happy New Year everyone.

2010 started off ok. then i almost got divorced in february. lost my job in april spent the summer with my son. worked stuff out with my wife.. found a part time job. playin catchup on bills. got another part time job.. so im workin ft divided by 2. realized i am the black sheep of my family. got some great money news a few weeks ago. so here is a hopefull cheer for 2011 bein a great year.

Best, most difficult and exciting year so far! Graduated from college at Lawrence university, got a new rx8, got engaged to my long term girlfriend, moved to boston to begin graduate school, and had a good first semester.

On the down side a few relatives died in their 90's, my parents put their senile 20 year old cat to sleep, and I moved to Boston. That last one goes both ways.

I can see my 2011 going better, with more excitement and challenges. More graduate school, a wedding in may, some fieldwork (I'm studying historical archaeology), moving to a different apartment most likely, and maybe doing some autox if I have any time left.

I see a trend - most people think 2011 is going to be a better year.

I'm not caring to editorialize, but my 2010 could not have been much worse.

i started 2010 not wanting to go back to work. so, i applied for every job i was even remotely qualified to do, and i had a bunch of interviews in february. i started my new job in march, took a 20% pay cut and am significantly happier. we sold our 3,100-sqft house (lost $50k but were not even close to upside-down) and rented for 7 months, then bought a 2,400-sqft house and made back the $50k plus some by buying what we did when we did. now have a 15-year note that is $850/mo less than our old 30-year note. total savings will be around $550k over 30 years. overall, i'd have to say that 2010 was one of my best years, and i'm confident that 2011 is going to kick ass!

I can't complain, but sometimes I still do...Life's been good to be so far.

Had its ups and downs. The income took a pretty big hit this year - but we're doing ok. Participating in the $2010 challenge was one of the best things I've done, well, ever.For 2011 - professionally, it's time to do something different. That will take a huge amount of time. Also starting a build for a vintage racer and my non-starting 2009 challenge car will be ready for 2011. Also working on the new 2013 - 4026 Mayan calendar .

I finished my Masters degree (working full time) and I took a 5 week trip to Alaska.

2010 was great.