100 Things That Made 2024
/It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the time for making lists. I love lists. They make me happy, calm me down, and push me forward into the future – especially lists of happy things and good times.
Writer and artist, Austin Kleon, taught me to create a list of things that made my year; I wrote my first list in 2014, so this is my 11th edition. You may notice some repeats from my previous lists. That’s on purpose. I love the good things that stick year after year, and I want to call them out.
When we look back over our life, and over the previous year, we tend to remember the bad over the good.
Why is that?
Two reasons: Most good things stretch out over long periods of time, but bad things happen all at once, so the bad things stick in our memory while the good things fade to the back. Also, we have an Enemy who tries to rob us of joy and love and covers over our best memories with the debris of daily life.
Therefore, we must intentionally remind ourselves of the good things, the grace-filled things, the influential things, and the things that make us human. Living with gratitude is the secret to a meaningful life, and this exercise of listing people, events, and things that made the year better is a powerful move toward having a habitually thankful heart.
I encourage you to put together your own list and try not to stop until you can identify at least 100 things. A list of the best things you watched, the best things you ate, the best advice you received, the best apps you discovered, the best lines you heard in a movie, the best book you read that’s been sitting on your shelf for more than a decade, the best changes you made to your daily routine. Ask yourself, what did you watch or read or cook or listen to or consume this year? Look back over 12 months and ask: “What did I love this year? What do I recommend?”
It won’t be easy, and it will take some time. You may have to find help to remember the best, so dig out your journals, flip through the photos on your phone, comb through your calendars, review your reading lists and music purchases, and ask those who are close to you. It can be a lot of work, but trust me, it’s worth the effort.
And when you do, I hope you share. I’d love to see your list. A big part of imbedding gratitude in your life is making it known.
100 Things That Made 2024
(By the way: (1) This list has been randomly sorted; trying to rank items by importance is paralyzing; and (2) I don’t mention Cyndi very often, but you can correctly assume she was part of almost every one of these.)
1. Our jungle of a front yard this summer; not only lots of bushy plants but ten-feet-tall sunflowers.
2. Speaking at The Springs Church men’s breakfast in Colorado Springs, in January, about relational mentoring. (for more information about relational mentoring, follow this link.)
3. Serving on the Midland Development Corporation board. After six years I’m term limited; my last meeting will be in January 2025. It will probably be my last fling with city government, but who knows. Maybe something else will come up!
4. Traveling down the highway listening to audio books with Cyndi. We may go hours without talking to each other, yet it feels like we’re on a date.
5. Rediscovering a collection of essays I wrote from reading the Bible book of Exodus. I had forgotten about them.
6. Solving Crossword puzzles each morning. (This year I switched from Sudoku to Crosswords to use a different part of my brain. It’s my small effort against dementia.)
7. Stuffing my first dollar into a Salvation Army kettle at Loop 250 Market Street in Midland.
8. Kevin Willhite with Soft Touch Chiropractic Clinic. He keeps me straight and pain-free.
9. The post-ride protein reload at Black’s Barbeque in San Marcus with Carroll’s family, following the Ride to End Alzheimer’s.
10. Watching the total eclipse in April. I didn’t expect to ever see one in person.
11. Book: When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day, Garrett Graff
12. Walking around our neighborhood park with Cyndi. (I’ve finally embraced walking instead of running. It feels like who I am nowadays.)
13. Our July trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, with Katie and Madden and Landry and Tonya. Thanks to Craig and Linda for their hospitality.
14. Making cotton candy with Cyndi at the FBC Candy Jam.
15. Playing jazz with Craig at the Schrenkel’s Christmas party, hoping some of Craig’s skills might slop over onto me.
16. Cold plunges at Cyndi’s yoga studio. No one could be more surprised than me how refreshingly fun this is.
17. Joke: (from drummer phenom Gene Cedras) The Calvary was crossing the Great Plains when they heard the sound of war drums. The captain said, “I don’t like the sound of those drums.” Then a voice called out, “It’s not our regular drummer.”
18. Chicago & Earth Wind Fire concert at Dickie’s Arene in Ft. Worth with my horn-blowing buddies and families.
19. Speaking about writing to Clark Moreland’s Integrated Reading and Writing class at UTPB
20. Cyndi’s insulated cups she made for the 20th Anniversary of Iron Men.
21. Pentatonix concert in Ft. Worth. It was a stunning performance shared with 15,000 people.
22. Telling stories about my mom at the Mother’s Day Storytelling event.
23. Book: Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator, Keith Houston. (This was an excellent account of invention and development, and a walk through my personal timeline.)
24. Cooking on my Pit Boss pellet grill. So far, pork chops, brisket, and hamburgers have been my best efforts. This year for thanksgiving, I smoked my first turkey. (I would love to have your favorite recipes.)
25. Strawberry Hot Springs in Steamboat
26. Watching The Muppet Christmas Carol on November 1st. “Mother always taught me: Never eat singing fruit.”
27. Book: God Gave Rock and Roll To You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music, Leah Payne. (Another walk through our family timeline, from teen years to grandparent.)
28. Metro Big Band music mission trip to Naples, Italy. It was the 4th Global Missions Project for Cyndi and me.
29. Watching the Paris Summer Olympics. We tried to see at least a bit of every event.
30. Attending the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis with church friends in June.
31. Wrangler Relaxed-Fit jeans. Skinny jeans don’t work for me.
32. At a group lunch at Murray’s in Midland, world-famous storyteller Antonio Rocha, sitting across the table from Cyndi and me, said, “I can tell you two enjoy having fun together; I can see it in your faces.” His comment makes us happy every time we remember it. It’s who we hope to be.
33. Quote: From an announcer at the Paris Olympics 2024. “Young horses run fast; old horses know the way.”
34. Quote: “Not enough sleep is the apex predator of human behavior change;” Dan Harris, How to be a Better Human podcast,” (I have to force myself to get enough sleep. There is always something else I’d rather do.) (Bonus: apex predator of human behavior change is my favorite phrase of 2024.)
35. Speaking at the FBC Midland Men’s Breakfast in June.
36. Thanksgiving dinner at our house with Tonya, Michal, David, and Melanie.
38. Cycling 70 miles with my brother Carroll up and down the Texas Hill Country near Wimberley in the Ride to End Alzheimer’s.
39. Our Christmas in Granbury with Byron, Angela, Katie, Landry, Madden, and Tonya.
40. Quote: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!’” (attributed to Hunter S. Thompson) – correspondingly - “The problem with putting things off to the last minute is that the last minute arrives more quickly than we expect.” (Maggie Smith)
41. A friend found me in my secret hidden back corner at Rosa’s and said, “I thought it was you.” “Really? How?” “I recognized the back of your head. And only you, as an adult, would carry a quirky backpack like that.”
42. Watching and listening to Cyndi read from the book, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, in our Ezekiel Class. I’m sure I’ve listened to Cyndi read this at least 100 times, whether in class or in our car while driving to my parent’s house for Thanksgiving, and yet, I still haven’t developed an immunity. I can’t help tearing up when Gladys Herdman yells, “Hey, Unto You a Child Is Born.”
43. Playing in the FBC orchestra and Midland College Jazz Band with Cyndi. (One of my favorite things about life is that Cyndi and I’ve played music together since 1973. It’s a strong tie that binds.)
44. Soft-Cover, black, squared Moleskine Journals.
45. Tuesday and Thursday morning gentle yoga class at Midland Yoga Works. It’s just my speed.
46. Cyndi Simpson in yoga pants.
47. The 33rd annual Midland Storytelling Festival. We’ve attended all 33. Follow this link for videos.
48. Playing with our reinforced FBC orchestra and choir for the Christmas presentation. Sometimes I can hardly stay seated in my chair.
49. The outside escape room in downtown Steamboat Springs.
50. FBC Men’s Retreat at The Greathouse Center with my good friend, and our speaker, Sam Williamson.
51. Playing in the combined jazz ensemble (Midland College, Odessa College, UTPB) with guest clinician and premier trumpet player, Willie Murillo.
52. Joining the crowd from Midland to watch our local favorite, Bryce Hoppel, run 800 meters in the Paris Olympics.
53. Attending the High-Speed Aerospace Transportation Workshop at UTPB School of Engineering. It was one more opportunity to see and hear ideas that are literally over my head. Each year I pick up another 2-3%. One thing I’ve noticed. Attendees find their seats quickly, and sit quietly. This is a room full of introverts, not social butterflies. Engineers, not real estate agents.
54. Book: How We Got To Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World, by Steven Johnson
55. Playing trombone with Denver and the Mile High Orchestra in Fredericksburg and Midland.
56. Skiing in January at Santa Fe with Katie and our granddaughters, Madden and Landry.
57. Writing Sunday School lessons for Connect 360 and GC2 Press. (Me: “Cyndi, all the other authors are seminary grads and PhDs.” Cyndi: “That’s why they asked you, to hear a different voice.”)
58. Mailing birthday cards.
59. Quote: “We shouldn’t see our opinions as cherished possessions. We should treat them like everyday clothes. Look at the views in your closet that were trendy once. Discard the ones that look silly to you now. Wear the ideas that fit you today. Be ready to outgrow some of them tomorrow.” (Adam Grant) … and correspondingly … "I hold ideas very loosely," (Malcolm Gladwell) … and … Me: I hope to spend the rest of my life revaluating my opinions and learning new viewpoints.
60. Friday evening dinners with Britt and Patti Pyeatt. Feels like family. Feels like home.
61. Yellow highlighters. I buy them by the box and use them all the time. Also Pentel EnerGel 0.7 tip ballpoint pens, red and blue.
62. Playing Rummikub with granddaughters
63. Book: Gun Lap: Staying in the Race with Purpose, Robert Wolgemuth. (This will be our book for Iron Men Spring 2025)
64. Me: “Can I pick up a prescription for my wife?” Pharmacist (smiling): “Can you prove that you are married?” Me: “If you look deep into my heart …” Pharmacist: “That works. But I also need her name and birthday.”
65. Learning about South African Braai, and wondering how to create something like that with friends in Texas
66. Teaching in the Ezekiel Class.
67. Sharing cartoons on my Facebook page.
68. The neighborhood ducks laughing at us on our early morning walks around the ponds. They’re so proud and protective of their duck life.
69. Reading Austin Kleon’s compilation newsletter every Friday morning
70. Dancing with Cyndi.
71. Movie: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I loved the newest version released in 2024, and I also loved the previous version from 1983 featuring Loretta Swit.
72. Cycling on the Austin Veloway and surrounding neighborhood with Carroll.
73. Not watching 24-hour TV news.
74. Worshiping in the Vita Abbondante Chiesa Battista de Casoria (Abundant Life Baptist Church of Casoria), singing Jesus Mesiah in Italian.
75. Book: The Dusty Ones: Why Wandering Deepens Your Faith, A.J. Swoboda
76. My Whataburger Yeti cup.
77. When people show me their own list of 100 things.
78. Hiking Guadalupe Peak with the Evermore Class.
79. Our standing date (Cyndi, Tonya, and me) at Blue Sky every Friday at 1:00 pm, where we split a hamburger, tater tots, and Caesar salad. Simple, routine events like this place another drop of glue that binds us together.
80. A new word I learned: Assumicide (to cause harm due to faulty assumptions).
81. Taco Tuesdays with friends from the Ezekiel Class.
82. Cyndi’s homemade apple pie. Not only it is my favorite, knowing she makes it just for me feeds my heart.
83. From my friend Jody: “You say introvert. I say state of the art social filtration system that improves the quality and purity of interaction by preemptively reducing contaminants.” Well said, Jody.
84. Finishing the year with 3,031 books on my reading list (since 1986). Send me your 2024 reading list and I’ll send you mine. Maybe we’ll discover new books together.
85. My first experience with Virtual Reality, flying an F-104 at Mach 2.5, using MITRE’s Virtual Reality flight simulator.
86. Regular lunches with my pastor, Dr. Darin Wood, and friend, Clark Moreland. The conversations trend toward brainy, even when discussing Legos.
87. The Thanksgiving Sunday evening worship service at my church, a combined service of four churches from four denominations in Midland: First Baptist, First Methodist, First Presbyterian, and Golf Course Road.
88. Fly fishing in January with Byron and Angela in the freezing water of the Guadalupe River near Canyon Lake, Texas.
89. Donating my 139th pint of blood (17.375 gallons since 1988). My life goal is 160 pints (20 gallons), which means I have about four years to go before I have to set a new goal. (It makes me happy to donate blood and I always look forward to it. If you aren't a regular doner, I encourage you to consider it. I can’t think of anything else we can give away that costs less (our body makes more blood to replace the donation with no conscious effort on our part) and benefits someone else so much.
90. Playing Christmas jazz with Rabon and Craig at the Midland Art Crawl in Cyndi’s yoga studio (Midland Yoga Works New).
91. My first Men Around the Fire eating hamburgers and storytelling at our house. I hope to do this at least once a quarter.
92. C.A.B.B.A.R. (Coffee And Breakfast Burritos At Rosas with men from the Ezekiel Class, the first Monday of each month.)
93. When a friend was explaining to me why her husband was walking to the car without her, she said, “We aren’t like you and Cyndi, joined at the hip.” (Cyndi and I liked that description of us. That’s who we want to be.)
94. Bill Britt with Integrity Massage – he keeps me moving
95. Having lunch and renewing an important and enriching friendship, in Granbury, with Glen and Kristie Hackler.
96. Book: 90 Lessons for Living Large in 90 Square Feet, Felice Cohen
97. Replacing the battery in my Dell XPS 13” laptop. Using my ultra tiny screw driver to open the case, change the battery, and close the case, felt very Jason Bourne-ish.
98. Mailing my books to Amazon. It means someone somewhere is buying them and (I hope) reading them.
99. My 50th high school reunion in Hobbs, New Mexico. This turned out to be more enjoyable than I expected.
100. Base Camp Gathering (men’s retreat) in Buena Vista, Colorado, with my Noble Heart friends. There is a depth among these brothers that I need.
“I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free.” Psalm 119:32
