What year has ever been easy? Except maybe early childhood, where there were no chores or responsibilities. All the rest demand something of you, or you demand it of yourself.
The past year was no exception.
Let's start with the dry numbers of what I did most, that is, sports and fitness.
For starters, I bought a Cube LTD SL 2015 bicycle. The pre-order happened back in the autumn of the previous year, but they only delivered the bike in March. The bike is wonderful, I like it very much. Unfortunately, my neck and back are behaving increasingly capriciously, and the bicycle doesn't help here at all.
Swam 53 km.
Rode the bike – 2775 in MTB style, 152 using it as a vehicle, and 1318 on the road, that is 4245 km in total. It may well be more, and even though I tried to track it carefully, I didn't always succeed.
In yoga, the tracker says I spent 24 hours, but I think I didn't track a big chunk.
Ran only once in general, the Mezciems 5 km race.
Spent 12 km on the elliptical trainer, 20 km on foot.
On hikes through the forest as part of the “Snowdrop” tourist club, I stomped 111 km, and rode on the bike a whole 1355 km.
Cross-country skied 34 km.
I won't say the distance on kayaks, but it happened a few times.
Flew on a paraglider for the third time in my life.
Hosted guests from couchsurfing and warmshowers five or six times, three or four of those times — cyclists. From the Netherlands, France, the UK.
Read a few books, including “Waking Up” by Sam Harris.
This is what this year's honor board filled with trophies looks like.
Concert of the sitar master Pandit Pjit Singh in Daugavpils, a visit to the lead shot factory, a photo of my grandpa. Souvenirs from Cyprus, guidebooks, and maps. The play “Closer” at the Daugavpils Theatre, very cool. Art Night at the fortress, a cycling marathon in Lithuania.
Next, I performed in a role unexpected for myself I was the best man at a wedding. A few times I went to the Rothko Center for exhibitions. The neo-hippie festival Yaga Gathering in Lithuania. The post-folk festival Menuo Juodaragis right there as well, and a booklet about how you can make ropes and clothes out of hemp, eco-friendly and profitable. The Daugavpils cyclocross and the cycling marathon of the Daugavpils region. Another stage of the Novel cyclocross in Lithuania. Tickets to “The Martian” and “Star Wars”. Several packages with tea from China. A medal (bronze) for the team standings in the “Mezciems” run.
The untamed music festival “Forest of Sounds” in Riga.
And, of course, a bunch of business cards and maps from Jordan: hotels, guides, Petra.
A receipt for a package from an anonymous Secret Santa on Reddit.
Hosted 12 official board game events with tea and pastries, played a lot just like that too.
Organized 8 bicycle outings in the “Captain Snail” format, a ton of just training sessions. Planted a tree (and more than one).
Attended a training session of crossfitters with balls of steel in Stropy.
Played Laser Tag a few times, one of them was my birthday party.
Visited “Museum Night” in Daugavpils, the Seven Hills festival in Rezekne.
Was at a few concerts: Acoustic Foliums, in Artelerijas Pagrabi.
At the short film festival in Silver Screen Cinemas.
Watched movies in the cinema:
The Martian
Star Wars
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Chappie
Participated in an Escape Room quest.
Attended five or six birthdays.
Went for a bicycle ergometry test and wore a Holter monitor, had an electrocardiogram and an ultrasound of the heart, found out that I have the heart of an athlete.
Didn't drink alcohol, except for wetting my lips a couple of times.
Spent 52 hours in meditation, 293 times.
Completed 97 big and small tasks in the planner.
Learned how to do a few simple moves with Poi.
Visited two new countries and wrote reports about these trips: Cyprus and Jordan.
Bought a rugged Olympus camera that you can throw from two meters and use underwater.
Got a tick-borne encephalitis booster shot (the next one isn't anytime soon).
Signed papers at the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs so that in case of death, my organs could be used to help other people.
Broke up with my girlfriend, with whom we dated for two and a half years and lived together for two. Human relationships are a complicated thing. Happiness that it happened, sadness that it's over now. It's sad to be part of the millennial statistics who easily end relationships if things aren't working out, but it's even worse to eventually become part of the abuser statistics and the desire to stay together only because you don't want to die alone.
My health kept getting worse towards autumn, until I started permanently experiencing chills, a fever, muscle twitches, and other nasty symptoms. With these little jokes I went to Jordan, and after returning from there I definitely didn't get any better.
In the spring I stopped eating meat (but continued to eat fish). Held out until New Year's, now I temporarily decided to eat it again, just in case it makes me feel better. Although I don't have a specific craving for meat, unlike sweets.
I've already gone to a bunch of doctors, and done dozens of tests, and I'll go to many more, but one thing is clear: something that has been lasting for several months won't pass on its own. So far nobody has really helped me, it just gets better, then worse.
I'm not planning any trips abroad or to other countries for next year yet, and I don't know how I'll do my favorite things: fitness, hiking, and cycling trips, although I can't imagine how I will live if all of this is gone from my life. Right now I feel unwell even if I go out into the woods and walk just a couple of km, even though I have enough strength. I went to the pool pushing through “I can't”, but it's impossible to do that when afterwards you can't come to your senses for fifteen minutes and just sit on the couch. Then again, it's stupid to do this with a fever, you can worsen your condition. However, if I don't go to the pool or at least outside, I suffer from insomnia and life is just not sweet at all. Everything passes, of course – the question is, when?
So these are the results of the year. They would have been quite decent if not for the brutal stuff at the end. Every year something significant happens, or it is desirable to do something significant. In 2015 there was even an overkill in some places, but life goes on, even if it's not simple.