I have spent the last two years getting myself into a great place with a new job and active lifestyle, so 2013 will be all about enjoying the fruits of my labor. A few of my most-anticipated happenings in the new year:
Camping, Traveling, and The Great Outdoors
As I look forward to the challenge of the Appalachian Trail in 2014, I will be spending much of 2013 preparing myself physically and mentally. Once a month, beginning in January, I will be embarking on significant hiking, backpacking, canoeing, and camping trips. January will see a significant hike in the Northwest Ohio area. In February I am heading to the Wayne State Forest / Hocking Hills area for two days of hiking. In March I will head to Michigan. April will see me in in Kentucky. I will be building up to a fall vacation on the Appalachian Trail as a section hiking (most likely West Virginia).
Along with my weekly routines of short hikes and jogging, I hope to be in great form for my 2014 hike.
New Projects at Work
A team of three developers does not allow for much wiggle room in responsibility, and I would like to think that I have shouldered a pretty solid workload in the last six months. Being a meaningful team member by exercising my talents (front-end development, photography, writing) has allowed me to take on direct responsibility for some unique projects. January kicks off with a website project that will consume the entire month. If all goes well, February will start with another major, multi-year project to keep me employed for quite some time.
Entertainment Blogging
Posting every Sunday on Critically Correct has worked well for me in the past year, but in 2013 I am going to expand my writing a bit. I hope to post a regular entertainment-based article at least once a week. Sundays will still be my usual personal ramblings, but I want to have a weekly outlet for more creative, educational, or informative work: creative writing, short-form essays, and If nothing else, this will keep me writing an a much more consistent basis than I am now.
Shiggs Photography
My Canon T3i ended up being my favorite technology purchase of 2012. In 2013 I am going to offer basic photography services in the Toledo and Bowling Green areas. I plan to start simple - offer my services strictly as a cheap alternative to pricier professionals - but still put out some quality shots. By not offering advanced services or physical products (I only give out the "digital negatives," not final prints), I can focus on affordable, creative photography while expanding my abilities as a photographer. My intentions down the road are to do photography as a semi-pro as a supplemental income. Hopefully my slightly-off business model is a success.
Oh, by the way, I'm calling it Shiggs Photography.
B3 out.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Sunday, December 23, 2012
2012 In Review
I knew it would be a challenge to top my fantastic 2011. Although I did not always try, I can safely say that 2012 has been a good year, if not great at times. While some of the awesomeness of 2011 has faded this year (or up and left altogether), I have been fortunate throughout the year and made the most of many great opportunities.
This is my 2012 Year In Review.
Winter
Theoretically 2012 started off on a horrible note. Having a good, close friend in Aryn re-enter my life was one of the pillars that made 2011 so good. Less than two weeks into 2012, then, was when she delivered some less-than-exciting news that saw us split back apart as if we never knew one another. What made this worse? This all occurred while I was otherwise having a great time at CodeMash 2012. I took the news hard at first, but this was definitely a second chance coming to a hard, brutal close.
CodeMash was the launching point for my interest and career with responsive web design, a concept best displayed on my website (resize your browser to see how content changes to fit). I have spent all year making RWD a major focus of my web development career and plan keep improving my skills with it.
I finally took the plunge into photography in January with the purchase of a Canon T3i DSLR. I have been growing my collection of equipment, investing plenty of money in new gear, and practicing all kinds of photography in my free time. As you will learn soon, I plan to go places with this.
Spring
In early March I upgraded my old Linux web server to a Windows-based box with the purchase of several new computer parts. I took this opportunity to mix-and-match parts from my desktop machine, and after several key component upgrades, ended up with a powerful web server and a top-of-the-line desktop PC. I have generally aim for an "affordable" desktop PC, but this time I went all-out and have a PC that should last me for years as a top-end machine.
Another staple of 2011 came to a close in early April, when my weekly love affair with O-Deer dDner ended. After visiting the ice cream shop twice a week for a full year, I finally moved on - much to the benefit of my health. I still stop in for the occasional sundae, and I love the peeps that work there, but I have definitely been tempering my sweet tooth this year.
Early January saw me in concert at Frankies to see one of my favorite new bands, The Trews. Early May saw me at Frankies again to see... The Trews again. While the first concert was awesome, it was the May 11th show that blew everything out of the water for me. The Trews had become one of my de-facto favorite bands, and I enjoyed the show immensely. It was easily one of the best concerts of my life - they played every song I wanted to hear and the crowd was energetic.
One surprising event this past spring: an introduction to the new Hollywood Casino in Toledo. I have never gambled or considered myself a casino type of guy, but I ended up loving the casino after just one visit, and I make it a staple to visit every couple of weeks.
Summer
My summer started with one of my favorite events: the kickoff to my Summer of Biking. Between June and September, I did two to four bike rides per week around various locations in the Wood and Lucas County areas. My typical ride departed from my apartment, traveled through Side Cut Metropark, and ended at Fallen Timbers Mall. My longest (and most adventurous) ride: a full 36-mile round-trip from my apartment to Oak Openings Metropark via various bike trails.
I took a mini-vacation in the second week of July to attend the Build Responsively workshop in Columbus. A continuation of my responsive web design interests, this two-day workshop was a deep-dive into RWD and proved to be very enlightening. The Polaris area of northern Columbus was just as fascinating as the event itself, the area being a mecca of shopping malls, stores, and just about every major restaurant I can fathom.
Summer came to a close with the extremely-traditional Wood County Fair. The fair continued to shrink this year, with a couple of vendors missing (compared to last year). Despite the smaller size, I believe the fair was as busy as ever, although extremely stale. This is a county fair so steeped in tradition that I find it harder and harder to go every year. Still, I enjoyed plenty of greasy food and the company of good friends during the most comfortable week of the year.
Fall
The weather seemed to change right on cue this year: fall hit with a comfortable rush of cool air and light rain throughout September and October.
Luckily this change of weather impacted none of my favorite fall festivals. This year was dense, with the usual Fulton County Fair, Roche de Boeuf, and Apple Butter festivals interspersed with some unique events. I took a week off work to enjoy a much-needed vacation in the first week of September. I spent three days at Kalahari Resort and had an absolute blast.
I wrapped up my Summer of Biking in early September, having logged over 800 miles in four months.
The Hollywood Casino in Toledo hosted several concerts: Fuel, Sixpence None The Richer, Sponge, and Candlebox. All four bands were solid. Fuel was great live in 2005 and even better with an acoustic set in 2012. Sponge was a surprise - an aging but great band with catchy songs. Candlebox absolutely blew me away with their set - loud, energetic, and well-played. Despite lots of great shows this year (including two Trews concerts), Candlebox was the best of the bunch.
I hit up the Toledo Zoo Brew for the second year in a row, did a couple of successful Reboot Weekends to clear my mind of unnecessary stress, and fell in love with Disney's latest animated film, "Wreck-It Ralph." Because of personnel changes at work, I stepped up to take on much more responsibility, and spent lots of time in and out of work studying up for a great 2013 for my professional career.
Overall, 2012 was a great year. If 2011 was a year of great change, 2012 was the year that I hit my new stride and ran with it. I expect 2013 will be another year of change, so stay tuned for a look ahead at the new year.
B3 out.
This is my 2012 Year In Review.
Winter
Theoretically 2012 started off on a horrible note. Having a good, close friend in Aryn re-enter my life was one of the pillars that made 2011 so good. Less than two weeks into 2012, then, was when she delivered some less-than-exciting news that saw us split back apart as if we never knew one another. What made this worse? This all occurred while I was otherwise having a great time at CodeMash 2012. I took the news hard at first, but this was definitely a second chance coming to a hard, brutal close.
CodeMash was the launching point for my interest and career with responsive web design, a concept best displayed on my website (resize your browser to see how content changes to fit). I have spent all year making RWD a major focus of my web development career and plan keep improving my skills with it.
I finally took the plunge into photography in January with the purchase of a Canon T3i DSLR. I have been growing my collection of equipment, investing plenty of money in new gear, and practicing all kinds of photography in my free time. As you will learn soon, I plan to go places with this.
Spring
In early March I upgraded my old Linux web server to a Windows-based box with the purchase of several new computer parts. I took this opportunity to mix-and-match parts from my desktop machine, and after several key component upgrades, ended up with a powerful web server and a top-of-the-line desktop PC. I have generally aim for an "affordable" desktop PC, but this time I went all-out and have a PC that should last me for years as a top-end machine.
Another staple of 2011 came to a close in early April, when my weekly love affair with O-Deer dDner ended. After visiting the ice cream shop twice a week for a full year, I finally moved on - much to the benefit of my health. I still stop in for the occasional sundae, and I love the peeps that work there, but I have definitely been tempering my sweet tooth this year.
Early January saw me in concert at Frankies to see one of my favorite new bands, The Trews. Early May saw me at Frankies again to see... The Trews again. While the first concert was awesome, it was the May 11th show that blew everything out of the water for me. The Trews had become one of my de-facto favorite bands, and I enjoyed the show immensely. It was easily one of the best concerts of my life - they played every song I wanted to hear and the crowd was energetic.
One surprising event this past spring: an introduction to the new Hollywood Casino in Toledo. I have never gambled or considered myself a casino type of guy, but I ended up loving the casino after just one visit, and I make it a staple to visit every couple of weeks.
Summer
My summer started with one of my favorite events: the kickoff to my Summer of Biking. Between June and September, I did two to four bike rides per week around various locations in the Wood and Lucas County areas. My typical ride departed from my apartment, traveled through Side Cut Metropark, and ended at Fallen Timbers Mall. My longest (and most adventurous) ride: a full 36-mile round-trip from my apartment to Oak Openings Metropark via various bike trails.
I took a mini-vacation in the second week of July to attend the Build Responsively workshop in Columbus. A continuation of my responsive web design interests, this two-day workshop was a deep-dive into RWD and proved to be very enlightening. The Polaris area of northern Columbus was just as fascinating as the event itself, the area being a mecca of shopping malls, stores, and just about every major restaurant I can fathom.
Summer came to a close with the extremely-traditional Wood County Fair. The fair continued to shrink this year, with a couple of vendors missing (compared to last year). Despite the smaller size, I believe the fair was as busy as ever, although extremely stale. This is a county fair so steeped in tradition that I find it harder and harder to go every year. Still, I enjoyed plenty of greasy food and the company of good friends during the most comfortable week of the year.
Fall
The weather seemed to change right on cue this year: fall hit with a comfortable rush of cool air and light rain throughout September and October.
Luckily this change of weather impacted none of my favorite fall festivals. This year was dense, with the usual Fulton County Fair, Roche de Boeuf, and Apple Butter festivals interspersed with some unique events. I took a week off work to enjoy a much-needed vacation in the first week of September. I spent three days at Kalahari Resort and had an absolute blast.
I wrapped up my Summer of Biking in early September, having logged over 800 miles in four months.
The Hollywood Casino in Toledo hosted several concerts: Fuel, Sixpence None The Richer, Sponge, and Candlebox. All four bands were solid. Fuel was great live in 2005 and even better with an acoustic set in 2012. Sponge was a surprise - an aging but great band with catchy songs. Candlebox absolutely blew me away with their set - loud, energetic, and well-played. Despite lots of great shows this year (including two Trews concerts), Candlebox was the best of the bunch.
I hit up the Toledo Zoo Brew for the second year in a row, did a couple of successful Reboot Weekends to clear my mind of unnecessary stress, and fell in love with Disney's latest animated film, "Wreck-It Ralph." Because of personnel changes at work, I stepped up to take on much more responsibility, and spent lots of time in and out of work studying up for a great 2013 for my professional career.
Overall, 2012 was a great year. If 2011 was a year of great change, 2012 was the year that I hit my new stride and ran with it. I expect 2013 will be another year of change, so stay tuned for a look ahead at the new year.
B3 out.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Christmas Party Success
This past Friday was the annual Computol Christmas party. This was only my second party, but I felt immediately comfortable with everyone's families. Dinner at Stella's was excellent this year (I had the best prime rib in years), the dessert decent, and the presents... well, yeah.
This year we received lots of fun little gifts along with our usual "big ticket" item. A desk calendar, a Chick-Fil-A promotional calendar with free food, a McDonalds holiday promotional packet, a fantastic LED flashlight, a bungee cord (exactly the kind I need in my hiking kit), and finally... a new laptop!
The laptop is an HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4t-1100. This is a mid-range consumer "Ultrabook" that is generally designed to compete with systems like the MacBook Air. The big wrinkle: it has a 10-point touchscreen that works wonderfully with Windows 8. I have yet to finish analyzing the machine, but so far it definitely hits all the marks as a solid desk machine. It is a bit heavy at 5.5 pounds for my back, and the screen is a little dim for my tastes, but I will definitely find a home for it in my daily or weekly workflow. All in all, a great gift.
I have tomorrow off work (mandatory vacation to use up), so I am taking this long weekend to visit Sandusky for a small trip to Kalahari Resort. This coming (short) week of work will be a pre-holiday sprint to finish three projects at work, so I will be plenty busy. Next weekend kicks off a Reboot for myself, followed by our family Christmas and all the fun of two 4- and 5-day holiday weekends.
B3 out.
Sunday, December 09, 2012
All Sleigh Bells, No Christmas Hells
This year's holiday season is shaping up to be a great one. After a few years of generally coasting through the holidays (time constraints, lack of interest, etc.), I am looking forward to the next four weeks. Christmas and New Years is timed very well this year, allowing a mix of vacation and Computol holiday time off. Beginning this week through the middle of January, I will be working 2, 3, and 4-day work weeks. Thanks to this varied schedule, I will get lots of time to relax, travel, spend time with family, party, exercise, hike, and work on writing.
In other words, I am excited for Christmas for the first time in years.
This week sees a birthday to celebrate, several Christmas dinners in Toledo for local tech groups, and perhaps the most-anticipated event of the fall season: the Computol Christmas Party. Families, dinner, drinks, and gifts - this year's party should be a great time at Stella's in downtown Perrysburg. Friday cannot come soon enough.
Next weekend sees me gone for a three-day road trip across northern Ohio to visit friends in Akron and Sandusky. A viewing of The Hobbit is probably in store, a trip to Melt's is certain, and a surprise or two is very likely.
A week later will be the beginning of my Christmas vacation. Things kick off with a much-needed Reboot Weekend, one I intend to use exclusively for hiking and writing. That following Monday and Tuesday will be Christmas celebrations with my family and plenty of relaxation.
The final weekend in December sees me taking five days off work to celebrate the arrival of 2013 and - of course - a moment for me to reflect on all of 2012's accomplishments. This is going to be a great end to the year.
B3 out.
In other words, I am excited for Christmas for the first time in years.
This week sees a birthday to celebrate, several Christmas dinners in Toledo for local tech groups, and perhaps the most-anticipated event of the fall season: the Computol Christmas Party. Families, dinner, drinks, and gifts - this year's party should be a great time at Stella's in downtown Perrysburg. Friday cannot come soon enough.
Next weekend sees me gone for a three-day road trip across northern Ohio to visit friends in Akron and Sandusky. A viewing of The Hobbit is probably in store, a trip to Melt's is certain, and a surprise or two is very likely.
A week later will be the beginning of my Christmas vacation. Things kick off with a much-needed Reboot Weekend, one I intend to use exclusively for hiking and writing. That following Monday and Tuesday will be Christmas celebrations with my family and plenty of relaxation.
The final weekend in December sees me taking five days off work to celebrate the arrival of 2013 and - of course - a moment for me to reflect on all of 2012's accomplishments. This is going to be a great end to the year.
B3 out.
Sunday, December 02, 2012
The Reshuffle
My agenda for the remainder of 2012 and early 2013 was turned on its head two months ago when our development team at work shrank by one. The increased workload and responsibility that I was given did not phase me, but I knew that my at-home studies and priorities were going to change. As December gets underway and the holidays are upon us, I have a whole new routine, a new set of short-term goals, and new studying to do. The big focus points:
Hiking the Appalacian Trail (2014)
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I am taking full advantage of while I am young, employed, and ready to go. I began training (endurance, strength) and buying gear (expensive but necessary) this year and will continue to push myself all through 2013 in preparation for six months in the wilderness come March 2014.
Writing
I have always been an off-and-on writer, but lately I have been making big inroads on several small short stories that are more or less coming together into a cohesive novella. My goal is to have the stories polished and published in 2013.
Technology Shift
In mid-2012 I began a six-month program to study specific technologies as a way to expand my software developer ambitions. Thanks to the chances at work, those initial plans were tossed out in favor of another set of skills that will be more pertinent to my current and future jobs. I am studying for a Microsoft Certification test in January, learning native Android software development, continuing to follow my interests in JavaScript, and working on a presentation on responsive web design that I hope to tour with in 2013.
Photography
I finally pulled the trigger on my passing interest in photography in early 2012 and have made it a serious hobby. In 2013 it looks like I will be going one step farther by getting an Ohio Tax ID number and setting up shop as an amateur photographer. I intend to focus on what interests me the most: artistic night shots, daytime portraits, nature/wildlife, and HD video production.
B3 out.
Hiking the Appalacian Trail (2014)
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I am taking full advantage of while I am young, employed, and ready to go. I began training (endurance, strength) and buying gear (expensive but necessary) this year and will continue to push myself all through 2013 in preparation for six months in the wilderness come March 2014.
Writing
I have always been an off-and-on writer, but lately I have been making big inroads on several small short stories that are more or less coming together into a cohesive novella. My goal is to have the stories polished and published in 2013.
Technology Shift
In mid-2012 I began a six-month program to study specific technologies as a way to expand my software developer ambitions. Thanks to the chances at work, those initial plans were tossed out in favor of another set of skills that will be more pertinent to my current and future jobs. I am studying for a Microsoft Certification test in January, learning native Android software development, continuing to follow my interests in JavaScript, and working on a presentation on responsive web design that I hope to tour with in 2013.
Photography
I finally pulled the trigger on my passing interest in photography in early 2012 and have made it a serious hobby. In 2013 it looks like I will be going one step farther by getting an Ohio Tax ID number and setting up shop as an amateur photographer. I intend to focus on what interests me the most: artistic night shots, daytime portraits, nature/wildlife, and HD video production.
B3 out.
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