2017: Level completed.

Happy New Year to the 2 people that might read this blog post!

Another year in which I haven't done any reflection... I must try harder next year. 2017 was quite a tumultuous year. I can't say that it was the best year, because it was extremely exhausting and stressful, but there were some very bright spots in the middle.

The bad:

• Trump. 'Nuff said.
• My company had multiple rounds of layoffs this year. Ben was not affected, but most of his department was. I was not affected, but have several friends who were. Morale at the company has been pretty bad all year.
• Job stress. Related to above, but also because I changed roles again this year due to a re-organization, and got a new boss. The position and the boss are fine, but I feel that I lack the knowledge or expertise to do my job. I have been working 10-12 hour days regularly and it is exhausting. 
• My anxiety has been flaring up more, probably due to all of the above. Need more chill pills.

The good:

• Ben and I got married! And it turned out to be a great day, and everything went smoothly. A lot of my family that I haven't seen in years flew in from around the world, and it was wonderful to have the people I love spend the day with us.
• We went to Spain for 2 weeks for our honeymoon. It was awesome! Visited Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Granada, and Sevilla.
• Ben got a new job at another company. He loves it, and I love it because their healthcare benefits are awesome and they have a fantastic holiday party.
• Spending more time with family and friends this year. Not only due to the wedding and associated planning, but also I went to visit family in Toronto for my grandmother's 90th birthday, we spent Thanksgiving in New York City to meet my new nephew, and we were in Asheville over Christmas to visit Ben's parents and his extended family.

'Twas a beautiful summer's day

Since Kevin posts new states/countries/airports/airlines visited in a given year, I will do the same. Not as much travel this year, so not a whole lot to add.

• New states visited: None
• New countries visited: Spain
• New airports visited: DUB, BCN, MAD
• New airlines flown: Aer Lingus, Iberia Airlines

Hoping for a smoother 2018! 

End of 2016 Reflection

Since I completely failed at doing any blog posts this year, and Hans and Kevin did their blog posts, I figured this is my last opportunity to do this (it is 10:30pm as I am writing, so 1.5 hours until the New Year starts).

2016 was certainly an exciting year, and a year of lots of changes. As I now reflect back upon the year, I realize how much has happened, and how quickly it went by. It certainly didn't feel like it was flying by at times.

2016 Lows:

• Getting altitude sickness at Alta and having to be put on oxygen, getting carried down via ski patrol. General panic attacks on the slopes, lack of confidence in my skiing abilities.
• Generally, not too many personal low points to point out, so I guess a pretty happy year for me.
• Most of my low points this year were a lot of depressing events in the general ways of the world... divisiveness of people, the rise of facism, the US presidential election, violence and terrorism around the world. There is so much unrest and unhappiness in people's lives, and it is worrisome. I've been living in a bubble for so long, thinking that everybody else looks at the world in the same light. So it has been fairly shocking to me to see just how divided our country, and the world has become. I think we all need to be a bit more empathetic to each other.

2016 Highs (in chronological order):

• Ski trip to Utah - skiied at Alta, Snowbird, and Solitude. It was awesome (minus the thing I mentioned in the 2016 Lows).
• Going to Germany and Amsterdam for work! Meeting up with coworkers that I have talked to many times on the phone, but had never met in real life. Ate Mexican food in Germany, which was strange... and then spent a day in Amsterdam with my Mexican coworker, walking the entire city by foot. 

One of the many canals in Amsterdam.

An old wind mill, which is now the site of the brewery Brouwerij 't IJ

• Awesome Chicago trip with college buddies. Saw a Cubs game (which is why they won the World Series this year, I mean obviously we influenced their season by watching a game). Drank lots of beer, ate Korean food, ate all the other foods. Took lots of photos at the Bean.

I did not take this photo, but this is a great photo of us at Navy Pier on a beautiful day in Chicago.

• GETTING ENGAGED! Not a real surprise since we had spent months custom designing our ring. But it was awesome, and he proposed at the top of a firetower on a hike in the Catskills (Overlook Mountain hike). Along the hike, we also got to explore some awesome ruins of an old hotel.

Woo hoo! Engaged at the top of the fire tower!

• Island camping in Lake George over Memorial Day with friends. Our friends rented out the entire island, and we camped there for 3 days. Water was still freezing, and it was rainy at times, but lots of fun! 
• Finding groups of friends that played tennis with me regularly after work, friends who love skiing with me, friends who enjoy rock climbing with me has really helped me stay active and find fun ways to exercise and keep me motivated. 
• Several reunions with some of my best girlfriends who are now my bridesmaids. Honestly, it had been a while since I met up with them regularly, but it was back to old times, and lots of reminescing. Watched some movies, went hiking, rock climbing, and ice skating, made hot pot at home. More plans in 2017 for more wedding planning but also a ski trip and other fun things.
• Lots of travelling for work and for fun
• Asheville with my parents to meet Ben's parents
• Cincinnati to visit Ben's hometown, watched my very first NFL game! The Bengals won! (They played the Browns)

Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati before the game. Who Dey!

• Rochester for Ben's cousin's wedding
• Greenville twice for work, meeting up with our good friends and future officiant/groomsman
• Visited Ben's sister in Austin and ate at her new restaurant over Thanksgiving.
• Went skiing twice in December (wish it were more ;-P) but a good start to the ski season, and far better than last year for sure.

While 2016 had a lot of joys with lots of trips, or with strengthened or renewed friendships, it also contained some big life changes:

• Well... getting engaged is a pretty damn big life change. 
• I changed my position and have a new manager, so I am still getting into the swing of things. It is a very different role than my previous one, so there will definitely be quite a learning curve!
• Moved into Ben's house. After all, we are getting married! But certainly living with someone is still another step forward, and we will have to learn to deal with each other's idiosyncracies even more. ;)

So while 2016 may not be the best year that the world has had, it has been a pretty good year to me, fortunately. 2017 will be a busy year - wedding planning is in full force, and way more work than I ever thought it would be. However, I know it'll be worth it in the end! And of course hope to create more great memories with friends and family and loved on.

Since 2016 has been a year of ups and downs for many, in whatever case it may be for you, my reader: the world will still move on and although there is a lot of uncertainty, we should only look forward to 2017 with optimism that life will go on no matter what.

Where did winter go? And other year end's thoughts.

I tried to make myself a goal to blog more often. However, I admit that I haven't been doing a good job of this.

In my last post, I expressed my happiness that the long brutal winter of 2014-2015 was done.

Now I am wondering where winter is. Don't get me wrong, sunshine and warmth are great things. But I believe in moderation :) Also, I want to go skiing. Badly.

No real major trips this year after the Salt Lake City trip which I talked about in March. I spent some time in the Adirondacks with Ben's family. Thanks to the lack of internet and phone service, I was able to disconnect completely and forget about the outside world.

(Note: I did not take any of these photos in the Adirondacks)

 

Calm, peaceful mornings on Fourth Lake

Had some tubing action. I asked for Ben's dad (boat captain) to increase the intensity. He did.

Roasting marshmallows over the campfire one evening

The only other major trip of note was visiting Ben's parents in Asheville, NC for Thanksgiving. What a great town - yes, it may be almost too hipster for me... but the beer... the food... and the great scenery. There is a lot to love.

A whole site dedicated to sour/barrel aged beers? Awesome. I love the Funkatorium.

Asheville is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, right along the scenic and twisty Blue Ridge Parkway (although we did get carsick)

Took a short "hike" to the peak of Craggy Gardens, at 5892' elevation. Great view, and great weather for Thanksgiving Day!

Since it is the end of the year and almost the start of the New Year, I feel it is appropriate to keep talking about my goals for the next year and reflect upon where I have done well this year.

Of all the nerdy activities I do (which is pretty much everything, considering I work as an engineer full time, and then do more nerdy things are home), I decided that I need an external source of motivation to achieve my goals. This external source of motivation came in the form of fake "gold" and XP in an online RPG community called Habitica, in which users can gain experience, buy equipment, and gain gold by completing daily tasks, checking things off their to-do lists, or engaging in good habits.

I started using Habitica sometime in the spring, and it has really helped me feel more motivated to get things done so I can buy imaginary equipment or gain random foods to feed my pets. Why does having fake pets, fake gold, and fake armor and equipment motivate me? I have no idea, but it seems to work, so I don't question it further.

So as a result, I have been going to the gym much more regularly. When I go to the gym now, I actively have a plan of which muscles I would like to focus on. Although I still look pretty much the same (skinny), I feel stronger and there may be a small hint of a bump on my upper arms, where my biceps should be :)

Some of my goals for 2016:

1. Continue to exercise, but do it with some goals:
- I want to ski moguls and trees this year. I may not be an expert overnight, but I do want to gain the confidence to be able to take on a good number of mogul trails and glade runs at any given resort.
- I want to ski for longer with less fatigue. I think doing more leg exercises at the gym and more cardio will help me in this effort. I certainly need this when I head for Alta and Snowbird this coming February!
- I need to rock climb more often. Sadly I am perpetually stuck at the 5.9 level and would like to progress to climbing 5.10s regularly. However, I think that because I am becoming more serious about weight lifting, I can focus on muscles and strength that can help me.
- Continue to go to the gym on a regular basis. Help my tight muscles relax with the use of a foam roller.

2. Make plans to have fun.
This was on my goal list for 2015, and it will remain on my goal list this year. I have felt as though I have become closer with some friends and found some people that I really like and do hang out on a regular basis. They enjoy similar activities and so we invite each other to various activities. I like that and would like to continue the trend.

That's it. Two goals. Make it short and simple. And attainable. I thought about adding some goals about being ambitious in work, but then again... it's work. Let's enjoy life!

Warming up after a long winter...

Finally it's nice and warm... 40 degrees. This has been a brutal winter, and although Boston got more snow than we did (not that we didn't get enough here...), we sure got cold. Several days of -20 degrees Fahrenheit or more.

Got snowshoes from Ben as part of my Christmas presents. Used them on February 2nd to go urban snowshoeing (basically just walking outside my front door and around my neighborhood). While we were snowshoeing, saw several cars spin out, and we walked over and offered our assistance, but she didn't take it.  :-(

My roommate and I went urban snowshoeing around our neighborhood.

Some days were too cold to go skiing. But we still went, when we could. So far for the season (I hesitate to call it over, but I am frankly a bit weary of cold weather and snow), I have racked up a vertical of 125,622.6 ft and about 141.4 miles. Not too bad, considering I can't make it out as often as I'd like. Did have some ski trips - one to Sugarloaf, Maine, and another to Salt Lake City, Utah. Sugarloaf is really far away, so we stopped over in Boston for the night. But I have to say, I really enjoyed the resort. If it weren't so far away, I would definitely like to explore it more.

We took a trip to Salt Lake City earlier this month. Kind of crazy to see the West without their usual snowfall, while having some great conditions in the East. However, the trip was still a lot of fun, and I really appreciated having 40 degree temps while skiing, as opposed to the -25 with windchill while at Sugarloaf just a few weeks earlier.

Nice warm spring day at Park City Mountain Resort. 

Got 17 runs in that day at PCMR, which is pretty good for me.

Top of the Strawberry Express Gondola at Snowbasin - great views and awesome runs. Hit my personal record of 45.4 mph from one of these runs.

In non-winter sports news, I've been trying to start rock climbing more often again. Been learning to do more overhang ones, and getting better at hanging with my arms straight, so I don't get them all tired out. So making some progress on fitness, I think. My arms are still sore from climbing yesterday.

Food-wise, haven't been religiously taking photos of food like I used to. However, we did make a delicious triple-berry pie for Pi Day (Ed's birthday). It was really good. I like it even more than apple pie.

Might have overdone the egg wash, but the purple berry mix pops out from beneath the Greek letter pi.

Continuing the MyFitnessPal tracking, trying to make sure Kevin keeps up as well. I feel that it does help me control my portions (aka, make me feel guilty when I eat too much or eat crappy food). 

That's all I really have for the first three months of this year. I hope that warms up even more, and then I hope to do some cycling, hiking, and maybe even venture outside for some climbing!

2014... was ok

And now another end of year/beginning of year post. I've failed miserably on posting much at all this past year. In fact, I had 2 drafts saved from the summer which I failed to post and now it's just too late.

2014 was ok. Ups and downs as there are every year. Nothing super exciting but nothing super bad either. Just trying to think of what I did in 2014, and I can't really think of much. Is that good or bad?

Went to Hong Kong and Thailand. Skied some more. Bought new skis. Got into rock climbing. Went to a friend's wedding in Saratoga Springs. Parents came to visit me in Albany. Went to Montreal and finally ate at Au Pied de Cochon. Went to New York City and visited my girl friends. Went to visit Ben's parents and sister in Asheville and ate some awesome food, drank some delicious beer, and went to a spa. Visited some guy friends in DC. Went to Hong Kong (again) during Thanksgiving. Got in two days of skiing in December before the big thaw and rainstorms came in at the end of December. Had a relaxing Christmas and New Years in Boston and Albany.

Some obligatory photos:

Beautiful flowers this summer at Ben's house

 

Some delicious food that we cooked up this past year

Beautiful Robert Treman State Park in Ithaca

Let's see how I did compared to my goals last year: 

2014 Goals:

• Be less judgmental of people, talk less shit about people behind their back - Ehh... I don't think I achieved this goal. D
• Have better relations with family, both immediate and distant - I think I did okay at this. B
• Be more appreciative of what I have, not be jealous of others - Uh, not really. C
• Be more financially aware - I've been managing my stocks, IRA accounts, and been quite good at saving money. A
• More personal reflection of my own goals & interests - Nope. F

Now, the 2015 goals:

1. Get stronger, build endurance. This means hitting the gym. I signed up for gym membership and I'm paying each month, so I better drag my ass there. Also, strength would help me improve my rock climbing, and I want to build endurance so I can ski for longer. Since I enjoy skiing and rock climbing, I need to remind myself of these goals every time so I can motivate myself to go to the gym.

2. Blog 3-4 times a year. Personal reflection is a good thing and I should do it more often. Since I failed this personal reflection goal last year, it's back.

3. Cook & eat healthy. With the exception of the holiday season, I've been doing pretty good at this. I would like to keep it up. Starting to track my calories/macros with MyFitnessPal this year, I think that it helps keep me aware of how much I am eating and adjust portion sizes accordingly.

4. Start drawing again. I don't think I'm terrible at drawing, and I started to get into it again last year but then didn't keep doing it this year. I would like to draw on a regular basis and maybe even have some worthy enough of framing up at art in the house.

5. Plan to have fun. Sometimes I get lazy and don't plan things, and then when things get boring or I feel like it's all work and no play, I get sad. I am a planner through and through, I love making to-do lists and checking things off. So I need to plan fun things to do every weekend, doesn't have to be big, but stuff that I can look forward to so that I can balance work and play in a better way.

Flying by

And it is already the end of February! Already, a sixth of the year has gone by so quickly.

I did spend a good 2 weeks in the very beginning of this year traveling to Hong Kong and Thailand. We were very overdue on visiting relatives in Hong Kong. And since we had flown all the way over there (16 direct flight, ftw), we figured we mind as well take a short side trip to Thailand as well. Below are some photos from Thailand and Hong Kong:

Thai bird chilies in a street market in Bankok

Gold covered building at the Grand Palace in Bangkok

Some cool bird statues on the facade of a building in the Grand Palace

Rahul and I at The Peak, with a view of (cloudy) Hong Kong

Been making some pretty awesome food already as I work to improve my culinary skills. For Valentine's day, we made an awesome filet mignon wrapped in bacon with seared scallops in Manhattan sauce, with lemon drizzled asparagus over a bed of smoked gouda mashed potatoes. It was really damn good!

This was an awesome dish. And plating didn't look too bad either, although it could still be improved.

Then, we made some deviled crab cakes with a jalapeno cilantro tartar sauce, and had it with the leftover asparagus and smoked gouda mashed potatoes. Very heavy, but absolutely delicious! And with tons more crab than what you would get in a restaurant.

Not quite Maryland fresh, but still pretty delicious.

Been trying to get outside as much as I could, as this has been a snowy and cold winter! Been skiing a bit, not nearly as much as last year in Oregon, but hoping to go as often as possible. I got to say, I kind of miss the softer stuff in the West. But if I am to be a good skier, I must learn to handle all conditions!

Got a new ski tracking app - gives tons of stats, as well as a visual placed on top of Google Maps so you can see your runs and where the lifts are!

Also wanted to go snowshoeing, but the state park guy lied to me and told me they would be open when they weren't. So we couldn't rent snowshoes, but decided to take a hike around Moreau Lake State Park anyway. Snowshoes would have helped in some areas, but due to the warmth it was already pretty packed down so it wasn't too bad going around in hiking boots.

 Walking through the trails at Moreau Lake State Park on a warm (40 degree) day. 

 As part of my attempt to get more exercise, I am trying new things - for example, learning how to rock climb (in a gym - The Edge in Clifton Park). So far, I've only gone twice but it has been quite fun! The only problem is that the cost adds up so if I am to go more often, it would make sense for me to invest in gear - shoes, harness, and the belay device & carabiner. After an hour and a half of climbing the easy walls, I am tired! I clearly lack the upper body strength needed to progress with harder walls, and my grip is pretty awful.

So, life has been busy and good. Still want to get outdoors more. Although I love winter, and I love having seasons, there are a few things I can't wait to do when it gets warmer:

• Wash my car! My rubber mats are crazy dirty with the endless salt and dirt from the roads. 
• Give my car an oil change - I don't want to go anywhere since I invested money in the jacks and stands, but my garage is still uncomfortable to work in when it is a few degrees outside.
• Bike. My poor bike is just sitting in the garage. The wheels are probably deflated as hell. I should have bought a trainer in the beginning of winter, but at this point I'd rather just wait for it to warm up.
• Hike. Without trudging through the snow. Otherwise, it may be time to invest in some snowshoes. 

Reflections & Resolutions

Made it. What a year! 2013 has certainly been a year that has been both exhilarating and stressful at times, but it has been a year that has shaped me, so I will be very open about reflecting upon my year and my goals for the future. I feel that I've grown a lot from my experiences this year. Maybe now I'm a real adult (just kidding).

2013 Lows:

• Surviving boredom in Oregon 
• Having to go to Canada every other week to work out issues with suppliers
• Stress of uncertainty of post-program full-time job attainment
• Relationship issues
• Self-esteem issues
• Family issues

2013 Highs:

• Got the off-program role I wanted, been busy in my new job, feeling like I have some importance to my team
• Getting much more into cooking (this is my domestic instincts coming out)

Spicy garlic miso udon with shiitake mushrooms. Om nom. I love noodles.


• Worked through relationship issues
• Started to invest in stock market (no real results so far as it was very recent)
• Did my own 30,000 mile car maintenance (and did not destroy my car)
• Bought new ski boots and ski jacket, they are awesome
• Seattle trip in Feburary with good friends
• Washington, DC trip in September with good friends
• Various New York City trips to catch up with old friends

Went to another hockey game at Madison Square Garden. Every time I watch these, we lose.

• Went on a few hikes in the Adirondacks and Catskills, getting to know this area better
• Muse concert in Boston with friends
• Real snowfall in Albany. I live in upstate NY, I expect real winters!

Ben is shoveling while I take this photo. About 15" of snow on the ground there!

Phew, what a year. But it turned out to be a great one, and one that I will remember for a while to come. And now, looking forward to the future!

2014 Goals:

In addition to the goals from last year (which I still need work on), here are some additional ones:

• Be less judgmental of people, talk less shit about people behind their back
• Have better relations with family, both immediate and distant
• Be more appreciative of what I have, not be jealous of others
• Be more financially aware 
• More personal reflection of my own goals & interests