2008 Recap
01/01/2009 08:06 p.m. | Personal
Meg handed me a pen and paper to write down my recap of bests (and some worsts) of 2008. I wrote a bit, and after having trouble reading my own handwriting, I decided it was better to crack open the macbook and do this the right way. So, here was my 2008.
In comparison to other years, 2008 is pretty significant. In 2003 I moved out of my parents house and into a dorm at Texas A&M. 2008 took it a step further.
- Graduated college
This is pretty big. I had a pretty light schedule in 2008, but I still managed to create some drama at the end. Here is the story. I very much despised my thermo-fluids class and my grades suffered for that. I had to take the optional final to bring my grade up to passing, but the prof turned in grades late. So, the night before graduation, at a party, I tried checking my grades online and was greeted with an incomplete for my class. Everything eventually got straightened out, but I think all of my laziness was paying me back in the last minute. Anyway, my diploma is on the wall.
- Moved to NYC
This is huge. I got a job at Accenture, and although I requested to stay in Texas, I got shipped to New York. I have always had a passion for the city that never sleeps, so I saw the move as a great opportunity. I had a trip up to find a place to live (on craigslist), I got to take a road trip with my dad to move, and all of my family and Meg has since visited. Work is what it is, but being able to walk to the office is priceless. I will share NYC stories for as long as I live, even if I don't stay much longer.
- Vegas Vacation
This was a blast. Meg and I took our third vacation together, this time to the desert. I have loved Texas Hold'em since freshman year, so I was way excited. We saw two shows, did some shopping, I got a sweet souvenir, and I even managed to win a poker tournament. We both had a great time, and I doubt it will be our last trip there. And I didn't lose too much money...
- I got a tattoo
This will last. It's on my homepage. It looks sweet. It has future and past meaning. The steering wheel is to remind me of CARPOOL and how it made me feel, all that I learned, and the people involved. The text (Driven to Change the Lives of Many) has become a sort of motto for my life. Driven, change, and lives have all been a big part of 2008, and I hope that continues.
- Jason finished the Navy
This was very exciting. My best friend Jason joined the Navy after high school. He wasn't the best student then, but he was and is very smart. His last voyage on the USS Annapolis ended in February in Connecticut, and I was there to see it. Then we met up again at my new home in NYC. Since then we have talked more often and seen each other whenever we are in the same state. We had both been counting down the years, months, and eventually the days til he was done. I doubt he will ever read this, so it is easier to say it. He is like a brother to me. We are connected at our cores, but very different in almost every way. I am glad to see him moving on in his life, and that he was kept safe during his service.
On the flip side, there were a couple of bad things from 2008. I moved away from Meg, who I love very much. This was not the plan in 2007, but I think it has helped our relationship more than hurted it. I broke a bone in New York. Casts are not so cool in the consulting environment. And I sold the Joy Club (my first car) which I drove on many road trips. Lots of memories were made in that car.
Overall, 2008 was dominated by change. I wonder what 2009 will be dominated by...