Every December, I tell myself I’m going to write a proper year-in-review post — not a highlight reel, but an honest accounting of where I’ve been, what I’ve learned, and who I’m becoming. But 2024 bled into 2025 faster than I could type, and the recap never happened.
So this year, I strengthened my resolve. I took notes all year long.
Every headline.
Every personal shift.
Every spark that reminded me time doesn’t slow down — you just get better at noticing.
And because twelve months deserve more than a single scroll-length entry, I divided it into Part I and Part II.
Part I covered January through June — six months of movement, momentum, and major life transition.
Now it’s time for Part II, where the story continues from July through December — the months where roots deepened, circles widened, habits aligned, joy returned, and the year finally curved toward light.
Let’s go.
July — Meet the Baynes
July wasn’t just a month — it was the missing piece.
Up until now, the introductions had come in waves. I’d met Jen’s mother, her brother, her son and daughter, even her estranged father and the peripheral folks orbiting her world. In turn, Jen had met my sister, my friends, and — through stories, laughter, and the reverence of memory — she had “met” my mother too.
But July was a different scale entirely.
July was Meet the Baynes.
July was the Philippines.
July was my dad.
I wrote the blog post ad nauseam, but the truth is, some moments deserve the extra ink. That trip wasn’t just a family introduction — it was a merging of timelines, cultures, and histories. Seeing Jen beside my father, navigating the humid air and the warmth of Filipino hospitality, felt like watching two halves of a story finally reach the same chapter.
And while that emotional milestone took center stage, July carried a quieter, symbolic shift too:
I surrendered my Arizona driver’s license, obtained my Washington State DL, and swapped plates on the Millennium Subaru. The new ones were Sounders-themed — a nod to home — though the WSDOT mistake still makes me laugh. Instead of the modern simplified crest, they printed the old Sounders shield, the pre-50th-anniversary one.
The one I actually love.
The one I’ve been contemplating as a tattoo.
A bureaucratic error turned into a cosmic wink — you’re home now.
July stitched my worlds together: the family I come from, the family I’m building, and the identity I’m reclaiming.
August — Kits, Caches, Goodbyes & Great Escapes
August was a whirlwind of fandom, geocaching, heritage, and late-summer joy — one of those months where everything felt alive at once.
It started with an unexpected gift: my first Liverpool FC kit.
Mama Rosser (Barbara Rosser, Jen’s mom) happened to be on a European cruise in July and miraculously found herself in Liverpool on Liverpool FC Kit Release Day. Every supporter knows how rare that timing is. She snagged a proper football shirt (not “jersey,” please — that word is an assault on the global game) along with matching socks.
She delivered it in early August, and just like that, I became the Pacific Northwest’s newest, loudest Liverpool supporter. I went all in — joined the Seattle Chapter Liverpool FC Facebook group, downloaded the LFC app on Ultron, followed them on Instagram, added the entire match schedule to my Google Calendar, and learned every player’s name (well… last names first).
Next came APE 2025 — Return of the A.P.E.
The Washington State Geocaching Association finally announced the comeback event for August 9 at Hyak Trailhead. The APE cache is the stuff of geocaching legend — placed in 2001 as a promo for the Planet of the Apes film, now one of only two surviving APE caches in the world, and the only one in the U.S.
WCP and I immediately logged our “Will Attend,” because of course we did. We also, in classic Bayne-sibling fashion, began the day with a 90-minute delay involving flat tires, mid-trail repairs, and a bike rack that refused to cooperate. Another adventure for the sibling archives.
August also brought a bittersweet farewell:
Goodbye to Boundary Bay Brewery.
A Bellingham icon. A piece of our family lore.
Charrina (WCP), Jen (my girl, mi amor), and I drove north to say a proper goodbye during their 30th-anniversary year. Our mission: replace the Boundary Bay Brewery glassware that USPS shattered en route to Arizona in years past. It felt right to toast a place that had been woven into our story.
As if that weren’t enough movement, August stacked more joy on top:
- International Geocaching Day: I invited Jen to chase down the NW Trolls — the Thomas Dambo giants hidden across Washington (and one in Oregon, bleck). Five trolls, one list, one shared adventure. She dove in like a natural.
- Filipino Heritage Night #2 with the Seattle Mariners: A blast. Pure cultural pride with a baseball backdrop.
And then Labor Day Weekend kicked off at month’s end — a multi-day celebration at Mike & Amy’s place near Alta Lake Golf Course:
Liverpool FC on Saturday,
a self-guided winery tour,
and Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup Final on Sunday.
August didn’t just move.
It soared.
September
📅 Year In Review — September
September showed up with road dust, laughter, football heat, and creative ignition — the kind of month that doesn’t ask permission, it just starts the new season for you.
🚗 Labor Day Weekend: The Long Way Home
We took the scenic route home — the proper Washington homecoming:
- Highway 20 through the mountains
- A slow roll through Twisp
- Lunch in Winthrop with that old-west charm
- A little light geocaching (because of course)
- A pause at Diablo Lake Lookout for the kind of turquoise water that resets your brain
Then we motored the rest of the way home on Monday, September 1st — windows cracked, playlist rolling, the perfect unofficial goodbye to summer.
📚 Back to School for Principal Jen
The first bell of the school year rang — and just like that, Jen stepped back into leadership mode.
Early mornings. Walkie-talkies. Big smiles. Bigger energy.
Every September, she flips that switch effortlessly, and I get to watch her in her element.
🎤 Taylor Tomlinson at McCaw Hall
A perfect date night with Jen:
Taylor Tomlinson live at McCaw Hall.
Smart. Sharp. Hilarious.
One of those evenings where you laugh so hard you forget what stressed you out an hour earlier.
🏈 Bird Battle in the Valley
September delivered my favorite rivalry on the road:
Seahawks vs Cardinals — in Arizona.
A full weekend with my people:
- McCormick-Stillman Train Park
- Lunch at Cava
- Overstock Outlet treasure hunting
- A round of disc golf in Fountain Hills
- And the Bird Battle itself — blue vs red under the desert sun
Good food, good football, good friends. You can’t script it better.
🕰️ And Then… a Story Began
September is also when I officially sat down and started drafting the first pages of
The Clockwork Coroner.
Early scenes. First sparks. The gears of the story clicking into place.
It wasn’t just writing — it was the feeling of a whole world waking up.
October
Sibling Weekend, Girls-Only Weekend
While Jen was off at her annual Girls-Only Weekend, I did what any self-respecting brother would do:
link up with WCP for geocaching and carbs.
It also happened to be Adventure Lab Cache Weekend, meaning if you found at least five AL locations, you earned the digital souvenir — so of course we were on a mission.
WCP pitched a Pastry Crawl she’d been dying to do (but couldn’t convince anyone to join… until me).
Croissants? Flaky perfection.
Donuts? Absolutely yes.
More baked goods? Don’t threaten us with a good time.
Caches found.
Inside jokes made.
Calories not even slightly counted.
Peak sibling weekend.
TRON: Ares — First In-Person Movie in a Year
After a full year away from theaters, WCP and I finally sat down in front of a big screen again — for TRON: Ares, in a small, cozy, almost-forgotten theater in Shoreline.
The neon.
The synth.
The nostalgia.
(Though I’ll admit I was surprised Daft Punk didn’t get the callback they deserve.)
Still, it felt like plugging my brain back into a long-lost outlet — pure cinematic recharge.
First UW Husky Football Game with Jen
Purple. Gold. Roaring crowds.
Jen and I went to our first-ever UW Husky game together — even if it happened to be against the #1–ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.
Live college football energy hits completely differently, and getting to share that with her?
Even better.
We even had a preferred parking pass… not that it mattered, since we didn’t tailgate. But hey — small victories.
World Postcard Day — Geocaching Event
October 1st = World Postcard Day.
So of course I celebrated in the most Los way possible:
a hybrid geocaching event with a raffle that included bundles of postcards — a little homage to the holiday and my official kickoff into Postcrossing.com.
GPS coordinates. Paper mail. A quirky global celebration.
I was absolutely in heaven.
The Clockwork Coroner Bookmarks Arrived
There’s nothing like holding a piece of your own story in your hands.
My official Clockwork Coroner bookmarks arrived — crisp, glossy, gear-trimmed perfection.
One small step for stationery… one big step for this book’s journey.
November
November arrived full and loud — milestone moments, family packed wall-to-wall, and a road trip that managed to blend art, laughter, football, and bookstores into one long exhale.
🎉 Jen’s 50th Birthday Celebration Weekend
We kicked off November celebrating a major milestone: Jen’s 50th birthday.
Saturday night brought us together for dinner at Tavern on the Square at McMenamins’ Anderson School — a warm, laughter-filled start to a weekend that deserved every bit of celebration.
Sunday was pure Seahawks energy as we gathered for the Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals game with friends and family:
Audrey (the matchmaker), Ron, Scott (my best friend who flew up from Arizona), Charrina, Jen, and me — a perfect mix of history, friendships, and shared fandom.
🦃 Thanksgiving at the JW Bayne
Thanksgiving landed squarely in our postage-stamp-sized townhome, lovingly dubbed the JW Bayne — and somehow, we made it all fit.
Jen took center stage with the turkey (the undisputed star of the culinary show), while Mom (Barbara Rosser) came over to assist like a seasoned pro. Uncle Steve and Uncle Jim arrived later, followed by Michael and Heather, who showed up fully loaded with tables, chairs, desserts, and mashed potatoes and gravy for days — mostly for me.
Also in attendance:
Kayden and his girlfriend Cass, Kiana and her boyfriend Da’vee, and of course, Jen’s daughter Amehra. (Mehki was off traveling in Hawaii.)
No board games were needed — the entertainment was built in: conversation hopping from room to room, trying to find places to sit, touring my LEGO room, and somehow landing deep in Bricktopia discussions.
The outdoor setup? A glorious failure.
The FREE-99 propane fire pit barely produced heat, and the Seahawks easy-up leaked at the seams. We poked fun at it all while watching Thanksgiving Day NFL games — which honestly felt perfectly on brand.
🚗 Portland: Trolls, Bricks, Laughs & Books
The final weekend of November sent us south to Portland.
Arriving early before Airbnb check-in, we detoured to Tualatin Valley to visit Ole Bolle, one of Thomas Dambo’s larger-than-life wooden trolls. Built entirely from recycled materials, Ole Bolle — part of Northwest Troll: Way of the Bird King — quietly reminds visitors about protecting nature, waterways, and habitats. Art, storytelling, and environmental purpose all rolled into one gentle giant.
We snagged a few geocaches and Adventure Lab locations before posting up at The Birdie Time Pub & Mini Golf to catch the first half of the UW Huskies vs. Oregon Ducks final regular-season matchup — watched in Portland, even though the game was in Seattle.
Once the clock hit 1pm, we checked into our Airbnb on SE Harrison Street and wandered over to Bricks & Minifigs Portland — because of course we did.
Dinner brought us to Cibo, where we dressed up and settled in:
- Pappardelle alla Bolognese
- Risotto with Gulf shrimp and chanterelle mushrooms
- Panna cotta for dessert
- Pinot Bianco for me, Sauvignon Blanc for Jen
The night capped off with Jo Koy’s “Just Being Koy” tour. DJ Turbulence set the vibe, Joey Aguila crushed the opening set, and Jo Koy delivered a full 90 minutes of riotous, full-body laughter. Chest aching. Stomach sore. Soul activated. Jen loved seeing me laugh that hard — which somehow made it even better.
📚 Sunday Funday
Sunday eased us back gently:
- Breakfast at Jam on Hawthorne (another great Airbnb-host tip)
- A quick Fred Meyer run
- A visit to Portland’s Historic Fire Station No. 9, home to a geocache with triple-digit favorite points
- A Webcam Geocache that practically demanded a stop
- And finally, Powell’s City of Books — because no Portland trip ends without it
Then it was time to roll home, November officially full and well lived.
December
(The Month Everything Quietly Changed)
December 1 — Tabula Rasa Day XVII
The calendar reset landed on a Monday this year—no fanfare, no parade, just another workday at the big-box retailer that shall not be named. Still, tradition is tradition. I marked Tabula Rasa Day XVII with intention, not spectacle.
I declared that in 2026 I’ll finally tattoo Dulcius Ex Asperis—Sweeter After Difficulty—onto my body.
What no one knew then (except me)?
That same morning, I quietly promised myself something else: I would propose to Jen before the end of 2025.
Some resets are loud.
Some are loaded.
December 13 — The Question
Saturday. Months of planning finally collapsed into one perfect moment.
We traveled to Point Robinson Park, ostensibly to visit Oscar the Bird King—a fitting guardian for what was about to happen. What Jen didn’t know was that my sister, Charrina—geocacher WCP24, now permanently nicknamed Driftwood—had been staged there for hours with a Nikon DSLR and a zoom lens, hidden in plain sight, waiting.
Beach. Cold air. Driftwood. Timing.
I asked.
She said yes.
That moment deserves (and already has) its own standalone post. This entry just marks the truth of it: December became the month I stopped imagining a future and started choosing one.
Christmas, Reframed
Christmas Eve came with logistics and love. I worked until 7pm, then shifted straight into family mode. Christmas morning was ours—quiet, warm, unstructured. Breakfast (probably), gifts (eventually), and that soft in-between space where time loosens its grip.
Dinner at Mama Barb’s was the main event. Family. Plates passed. Stories retold. The good kind of tired afterward—the kind that means you showed up fully.
December 28 — Day of Departure
Sunday marked lift-off.
Disney In December officially began. Bags packed. Future plans paused. We headed south to claim lightsabers, stories, and the kind of joy that only intentional play can unlock. Galaxy’s Edge awaited. Ritual awaited. Fun, unapologetically, awaited.
December 31 — Midnight, Shared
New Year’s Eve found us with the Wildes at Camp Wilde—warm firelight, familiar faces, and the kind of comfort that sneaks up on you. Like the Ryan Reynolds movie: Definitely, Maybe.
Except this time, the answer was already clear.
Midnight came.
I didn’t mark the year alone.
I shared it.
A kiss.
A song I’ve heard a hundred times, suddenly new.
My fiancée beside me. Present. Chosen. Real.
December didn’t shout.
It resolved.
And just like that, 2025 quietly became the year everything real finally lined up.
los, Fil-Am Renaissance Man 