Welcome, friends! 🎄✨
In the spirit of the holidays, I wanted to share season’s greetings with people who are part of my life in one way or another.
While I might not have sent cards in the mail this year, the warmth of my holiday wishes remains unchanged.
Even if we have not spoken or interacted this year (or even in a few years), know that I’m grateful that you have made an impact on my life.
This year has been a remarkable journey for me. Check out some of the memorable moments from my year — my favorite Instagram posts, a couple other photos and videos from the year, plus lots of other very Bobby Cherry kind of stuff!
So, explore this digital wonderland, soak in the festive cheer and let’s embrace the joy of the holidays together.
Happy holidays! 🌟
In my heart is a Christmas tree farm…
By the way, I did create a Christmas card, and then never got around to printing it or buying stamps or mailing it. Take a look.
I said remember this moment…
This year was unlike any other I can recall in my adult life.
There were a lot of highlights in 2023 — biggest among them was seeing Taylor Swift live — not once but twice — in Pittsburgh.
As you might know, I am a little bit of a Taylor Swift fan.
But I had never seen her perform live until this year.
I was lucky enough to get tickets for both shows — June 16 and 17.
There’s no doubt in my mind that I will remember this moment.
This night is flawless, don’t you let it go…
Love was in the air this year.
Hold on, no. It’s not what you think!
I was lucky enough to celebrate the love of two couples — my friends Nate and Ashley married in April and my friends Scott and Connor married in September.
Take the road less traveled by, tell yourself you can always stop…
In late September, I spent about 10 days traveling through New England — including several days in Cape Cod. The trip included Scott and Connor’s wedding, and it was also my first real adulthood vacation.
I visited the Bennington Battle Monument in Vermont, saw the birthplace of freestyle skiing at Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire, walked the Mystic River Bascule Bridge in Connecticut, got a glimpse of Taylor Swift’s house in Rhode Island, stopped by the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis, saw a lot of lighthouses (and a windmill!) on Cape Cod, visited the original Oliver Hazard Perry statue (of which a replica exists in Erie) and experienced an unforgettable time in Provincetown.
It’s like I got this music in my mind saying, ‘It’s gonna be all right’
Listen to some Christmas songs I enjoy! This is a very short list of the hundreds of songs I enjoy, by the way.
I’m new to using streaming music. So, when Apple Music announced everybody’s year in review, I assumed the site stopped updating those results while still keeping up with the counts for personal use, etc. As you can see, I listened to Taylor Swift a just couple times this year. This was the screen shot (above if you’re on a mobile device) from Nov. 28.
(By the way, I listened to Taylor Swift on Apple Music 12,922 minutes this year — and that number will keep going up with her Christmas songs.)
This is my list of top albums as of Dec. 17.
(I’m still unsure how “albums” are counted because I’ve not listened to the full album of either the Carpenters or Cher that many times! I’m not even sure I’ve listened to songs from those albums that many times — maybe?)
It’s been a long time coming…
After a lengthy career in news, I switched lanes. To many, the job change might have looked as though I slammed on the brakes.
That wasn’t the case.
I love journalism, but there were signs allowing me to see that it was time to move on.
I needed to find a job that was challenging, that I could learn new things from and — most importantly — that allowed me to live my life.
As it did with others, the pandemic hit me hard mentally and emotionally — something I don’t usually talk about. I largely stopped volunteering. And I scaled back at just about everything. It’s a change I’ve welcomed as I was too on the go before — always having a hand in everything except the happiness of my own life.
That’s not to say it’s all been easy. But it’s been a relief to enjoy life, not be tied to work and to be in the present.
Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you…
I wanted to share some of my other Instagram posts from throughout the year — some involve some milestones and others just brought me joy or made me think about the world we live in.
I said remember this feeling…
Christmas is my favorite time of year. I celebrate a secular Christmas, full of making memories, marveling at light displays, enjoying all things peppermint flavored, eating cookies and wearing my Santa hat!
But Christmas is more than a season. Christmas is a feeling. That’s why I celebrate it 365 days a year!
Sending strength, love and peace to you this holiday season and throughout the year.
— Bobby 🍒🎄
BobbyCherry.com 