2011 RECAP! NYE and 2012 resolutions!
So I just realized I skipped my habit of posting end/start of the new year for 2010/2011. Whoops. Time super flies, doesn't it? For a split second, I thought maybe I had archived it in Facebook instead last year, but...guess not. And then I thought for sure that I had written something, but maybe it errored out when I tried to post it, and then I just gave up. Who knows now? I've gotten older, and my memory just isn't what it used to be (and it was never very good to begin with). So hopefully my recap doesn't encompass 2 years instead of just 1...
...oh wait, now I know why I didn't write one last year. [insert brief 2010 recap: Last year at this time, I was in Mammoth, enjoying a massive massive snow season. It was another stormy weekend like it was last year in Mammoth with the Subaru Forester - but an easier time than last year because it didnt consist of us driving from Bishop to Mammoth at 25mph in storming snow conditions in the Subaru, getting in at 2am and finding no parking spot, and digging our own parking spot in 10 degree weather with a shovel in sweat pants and t-shirt. Plus, Paul almost damaged his brand new car drifting into a snowbank! It was less eventful than that, but Snow was piled above the window levels of our resort, and having driven down there that morning at 4am to board, eat dinner, freeze in 10 degree weather....I spent my 2010/2011 NYE asleep in bed. Paul woke me up for the countdown, and I fell back asleep again before the Time Square ball finished lowering. I then started the my new year by getting myself kicked off Mammoth Mountain for skiiing in out of bounds / avalanche risk territory (even though it was part of the resort....and just closed due to a huge snow pile). So....,my 2010 year was mostly tons of fun. A real easy work year, tons of shoulder pain and shoulder lock up, an awesome Belize/Guatemala trip, and culminated in an early snowboard season. Oh yeah, and my nephew Conor was born in 2010.And I also sold the S2000. Goodbye frivolous spending :( BTW, beat Paul racing the Mario Andretti experience in top speed, we were both right around 158mph on the Oval at the Fontana Autoclub speedway! [/ 2010 recap]
Now let's get to 2011. 2011 was a year full of milestones. I think?
Work wise, I left OC. After "looking" at jobs for the last half year, Mike Yee goes and "jumps ship" first to be Sr AE in Major Markets, and I didn't want to get stuck in the OC group without him there to help "filter" some of the crazy. Two other job openings pop up, one in CI Staff, and I end up interviewing for the spot. Wasn't sure if I actually "wanted" the job, but I liked "winning" the interview over my competitors...., wanted the payband upgrade, and for the most part - felt my projects were tapped out at my OC desk and I wanted (ulgh, do I really?) the challenge a new job would present. Patted myself on the back when i heard that I pretty much blew all my competitors out of the water in the interview, and that was that, I was committed. Pay raise, started waking up at 5:25am to get to work at 6:30am, long days, long nights, stress, FML-ers, "welcome to 'the suck'", tons of crazy and dangerous bums, public transportation, dodging Occupy Wallstreet, cops in riot gear, good food hidden in alleys, staircases, and inside buildings...curtailment scares, and frantic last minute "ok, wait, what did you want me to do, how do i do this? wait, hello? help??" days and nights. But, for the most part, have gotten real good feedback from AEs and managers about the standup job I've been doing (amid some people who just seem impossible to please, and some small errors that were not entirely my fault that made a few managers and a director not "unhappy" with me, but not particularly "impressed" either). Regardless, been busting my ass - so I'm definitely feeling "valuable" since demand for me is high, and I'm definitely getting a lot of Senior Management and Management exposure to lots of departments, learning tons about the operations of the Company in all its facets....but working a bit harder than I'd prefer, and am waiting for the end of "winter season" so that the work load might potentially calm down...all the while hinting to my Manager about what an asset I am and how I'm still being underpaid quite alot in comparison to all my coworkers.
Next big milestone - Paul and I became homeowners! After nearly 2 years of house hunting, and one offer that fell through, we ended up owners of a 2,441 sq ft house in Brea :) First thing we did after cleaning the house thoroughly? Cement etch and epoxy + clear the garage floor :) With some contributions (particularly from Vic! But also from Mike), and some thoughtful housewarming gifts from friends, we got the living room furnished and hosted our first Christmas party for our friends, with a real tree! Holy shit is owning a house expensive. The mortgage wouldn't be so bad, except there's the utilities, the HOA, the FURNISHING,insurance, and the Property Tax. All I'm saying is that my tax break this April better show something awesome. I think things will be better in a year or so once we've gotten all the furnishing done. Until then, I'll complain here and there. But it was a good buy for what it is, and it's in a neighborhood that's centralized, developing well (so fingers crossed for a sound financial investment), and....Paul and I are grown up with our own place now! (sorta. I don't live here full time yet, but its nice to have a place of our own for friends to hang out, to store all my stuff, and stock with whatever food or drink I choose).
Third significantly less "big", but still a "big thing" to me, was that I started climbing again this year, after really strengthening my shoulder back up, and I learned to lead climb! Sport climbing Malibu Creek has been tons of fun. I did bring Mike Yamamoto there once, and I almost drowned him (ref: Mike clinging on to the over water traverse climb across "How deep is this water again?" me "uh....can you sw- >mike: SPLASH< -im?")Climbed Chimps Ahoy, 5.10b/(Guerilla Drilla, 5.9), and lead some 5.8 sport climbs. I also successfully completed Stoney Point's 5.10b/c Sculpture's Crack climb clean, with a straight layback move that the climb demanded for its upper 2/3rds. Learned a week ago from Kenny the concept of multipitch belay, and just received my Trango Cinch belay device in the mail today to start practicing with.
We traveled to Zion Utah with Alison, Tony, Lewis & Co, and hiked Angels Landing, and canyoneered @ Water Canyon. Fun stuff :)Quite inspiring to be so outdoorsey.
I also did some fun runs in the 350z on the Roval track at Autoclub speedway. It was way faster than a "parade lap" as advertised...definitely more like an overcrowded fun run event for 30-45 minutes. What an absolute blast. We tried a little autocross course for a Porsche promo experience. Damn those cars are nimble.
Kevin, Trang, Paul and I also went to Utah for the 2010/2011 snowboarding season in February and boarded 3 days at the Canyons. Peak 9990, 99 turns was an absolute blast to ride. [insert 2011/2012 winter season comment: So far this season, the winter has been real mild. You know its an issue when Mtn High is getting more snow than Colorado and Utah! ]
Anyway. back to 2011. New job, new house, new limits to rock climbing...and oh yeah - we went Clay Shooting for our first time! Also went tried SUP (stand up paddleboarding) with Alison as another newbie thing. Hiked Echo Mountain and Inspiration Point in Pasadena. Had some nice PCH beach cruiser days...3 to be exact. Also had my first Christmas with Paul's family this year (god the drive back from Chula Vista was horrible). All in all, great year - lots of changes. We half-assed studied for the PE and failed it brilliantly. (calculating problem, runs out of room on the page before arriving at an answer, and then thinking "oh well...maybe its 'B'! >circle<).
We had our first NYE at ~our~ house, and Susan, Mike, Vic, Eric, and Chris celebrated with us. Alyssa and Drew came down to visit us for Christmas. I can say it was a great year. Oh yeah, and I dropped (translation: broke) my squiggly mirror. So...7 yrs of bad luck and blah blah blah. Maybe thats why the new job is so difficult! But regardless, 2012 is already starting off in the right foot. Why? Because for 1) I'm not puking, pretty sober with a light buzz from champagne 2)i'm awake 3)rolled over 102 hours of vacation time, so time off this year IS A FACT 4)have a trip to Utah booked that's less than 2 weeks away 5)Have the Allen Berg racing experience booked in March with Paul. 6) Formula1 racing is coming to America. Fuck yeah.
Come on 2012. MAKE IT GOOD.
'
Some resolutions:
1. take advantage and use my medical coverage like i'm supposed to. that includes dental and optometry! man carol, get it together!
2. be happier. the work stress bring me back to cal poly finals and midterm and project stress eras....but i need to learn to handle it better, and let work stay at WORK instead of bringing it home. no more griping! just enjoy it. and...it is what it is. really, the work quality can get a little worst and still be above everyone else's standards, so i need to learn to just let go a little more.
3. earn one new damn passport stamp somewhere. thats right. travel. a requirement. thats what i need to make.
4. try and tackle the PE again in october.but seriously this time. no more goofing off!
...oh wait, now I know why I didn't write one last year. [insert brief 2010 recap: Last year at this time, I was in Mammoth, enjoying a massive massive snow season. It was another stormy weekend like it was last year in Mammoth with the Subaru Forester - but an easier time than last year because it didnt consist of us driving from Bishop to Mammoth at 25mph in storming snow conditions in the Subaru, getting in at 2am and finding no parking spot, and digging our own parking spot in 10 degree weather with a shovel in sweat pants and t-shirt. Plus, Paul almost damaged his brand new car drifting into a snowbank! It was less eventful than that, but Snow was piled above the window levels of our resort, and having driven down there that morning at 4am to board, eat dinner, freeze in 10 degree weather....I spent my 2010/2011 NYE asleep in bed. Paul woke me up for the countdown, and I fell back asleep again before the Time Square ball finished lowering. I then started the my new year by getting myself kicked off Mammoth Mountain for skiiing in out of bounds / avalanche risk territory (even though it was part of the resort....and just closed due to a huge snow pile). So....,my 2010 year was mostly tons of fun. A real easy work year, tons of shoulder pain and shoulder lock up, an awesome Belize/Guatemala trip, and culminated in an early snowboard season. Oh yeah, and my nephew Conor was born in 2010.And I also sold the S2000. Goodbye frivolous spending :( BTW, beat Paul racing the Mario Andretti experience in top speed, we were both right around 158mph on the Oval at the Fontana Autoclub speedway! [/ 2010 recap]
Now let's get to 2011. 2011 was a year full of milestones. I think?
Work wise, I left OC. After "looking" at jobs for the last half year, Mike Yee goes and "jumps ship" first to be Sr AE in Major Markets, and I didn't want to get stuck in the OC group without him there to help "filter" some of the crazy. Two other job openings pop up, one in CI Staff, and I end up interviewing for the spot. Wasn't sure if I actually "wanted" the job, but I liked "winning" the interview over my competitors...., wanted the payband upgrade, and for the most part - felt my projects were tapped out at my OC desk and I wanted (ulgh, do I really?) the challenge a new job would present. Patted myself on the back when i heard that I pretty much blew all my competitors out of the water in the interview, and that was that, I was committed. Pay raise, started waking up at 5:25am to get to work at 6:30am, long days, long nights, stress, FML-ers, "welcome to 'the suck'", tons of crazy and dangerous bums, public transportation, dodging Occupy Wallstreet, cops in riot gear, good food hidden in alleys, staircases, and inside buildings...curtailment scares, and frantic last minute "ok, wait, what did you want me to do, how do i do this? wait, hello? help??" days and nights. But, for the most part, have gotten real good feedback from AEs and managers about the standup job I've been doing (amid some people who just seem impossible to please, and some small errors that were not entirely my fault that made a few managers and a director not "unhappy" with me, but not particularly "impressed" either). Regardless, been busting my ass - so I'm definitely feeling "valuable" since demand for me is high, and I'm definitely getting a lot of Senior Management and Management exposure to lots of departments, learning tons about the operations of the Company in all its facets....but working a bit harder than I'd prefer, and am waiting for the end of "winter season" so that the work load might potentially calm down...all the while hinting to my Manager about what an asset I am and how I'm still being underpaid quite alot in comparison to all my coworkers.
Next big milestone - Paul and I became homeowners! After nearly 2 years of house hunting, and one offer that fell through, we ended up owners of a 2,441 sq ft house in Brea :) First thing we did after cleaning the house thoroughly? Cement etch and epoxy + clear the garage floor :) With some contributions (particularly from Vic! But also from Mike), and some thoughtful housewarming gifts from friends, we got the living room furnished and hosted our first Christmas party for our friends, with a real tree! Holy shit is owning a house expensive. The mortgage wouldn't be so bad, except there's the utilities, the HOA, the FURNISHING,insurance, and the Property Tax. All I'm saying is that my tax break this April better show something awesome. I think things will be better in a year or so once we've gotten all the furnishing done. Until then, I'll complain here and there. But it was a good buy for what it is, and it's in a neighborhood that's centralized, developing well (so fingers crossed for a sound financial investment), and....Paul and I are grown up with our own place now! (sorta. I don't live here full time yet, but its nice to have a place of our own for friends to hang out, to store all my stuff, and stock with whatever food or drink I choose).
Third significantly less "big", but still a "big thing" to me, was that I started climbing again this year, after really strengthening my shoulder back up, and I learned to lead climb! Sport climbing Malibu Creek has been tons of fun. I did bring Mike Yamamoto there once, and I almost drowned him (ref: Mike clinging on to the over water traverse climb across "How deep is this water again?" me "uh....can you sw- >mike: SPLASH< -im?")Climbed Chimps Ahoy, 5.10b/(Guerilla Drilla, 5.9), and lead some 5.8 sport climbs. I also successfully completed Stoney Point's 5.10b/c Sculpture's Crack climb clean, with a straight layback move that the climb demanded for its upper 2/3rds. Learned a week ago from Kenny the concept of multipitch belay, and just received my Trango Cinch belay device in the mail today to start practicing with.
We traveled to Zion Utah with Alison, Tony, Lewis & Co, and hiked Angels Landing, and canyoneered @ Water Canyon. Fun stuff :)Quite inspiring to be so outdoorsey.
I also did some fun runs in the 350z on the Roval track at Autoclub speedway. It was way faster than a "parade lap" as advertised...definitely more like an overcrowded fun run event for 30-45 minutes. What an absolute blast. We tried a little autocross course for a Porsche promo experience. Damn those cars are nimble.
Kevin, Trang, Paul and I also went to Utah for the 2010/2011 snowboarding season in February and boarded 3 days at the Canyons. Peak 9990, 99 turns was an absolute blast to ride. [insert 2011/2012 winter season comment: So far this season, the winter has been real mild. You know its an issue when Mtn High is getting more snow than Colorado and Utah! ]
Anyway. back to 2011. New job, new house, new limits to rock climbing...and oh yeah - we went Clay Shooting for our first time! Also went tried SUP (stand up paddleboarding) with Alison as another newbie thing. Hiked Echo Mountain and Inspiration Point in Pasadena. Had some nice PCH beach cruiser days...3 to be exact. Also had my first Christmas with Paul's family this year (god the drive back from Chula Vista was horrible). All in all, great year - lots of changes. We half-assed studied for the PE and failed it brilliantly. (calculating problem, runs out of room on the page before arriving at an answer, and then thinking "oh well...maybe its 'B'! >circle<).
We had our first NYE at ~our~ house, and Susan, Mike, Vic, Eric, and Chris celebrated with us. Alyssa and Drew came down to visit us for Christmas. I can say it was a great year. Oh yeah, and I dropped (translation: broke) my squiggly mirror. So...7 yrs of bad luck and blah blah blah. Maybe thats why the new job is so difficult! But regardless, 2012 is already starting off in the right foot. Why? Because for 1) I'm not puking, pretty sober with a light buzz from champagne 2)i'm awake 3)rolled over 102 hours of vacation time, so time off this year IS A FACT 4)have a trip to Utah booked that's less than 2 weeks away 5)Have the Allen Berg racing experience booked in March with Paul. 6) Formula1 racing is coming to America. Fuck yeah.
Come on 2012. MAKE IT GOOD.
'
Some resolutions:
1. take advantage and use my medical coverage like i'm supposed to. that includes dental and optometry! man carol, get it together!
2. be happier. the work stress bring me back to cal poly finals and midterm and project stress eras....but i need to learn to handle it better, and let work stay at WORK instead of bringing it home. no more griping! just enjoy it. and...it is what it is. really, the work quality can get a little worst and still be above everyone else's standards, so i need to learn to just let go a little more.
3. earn one new damn passport stamp somewhere. thats right. travel. a requirement. thats what i need to make.
4. try and tackle the PE again in october.but seriously this time. no more goofing off!