New Year's Resolutions 2006

As if having a birthday that's overshadowed by the observed birth of Christ isn't bad enough, my special day (December 26th) will henceforth be mourned as the anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Oh, and it's Boxing Day... whatever that is. After almost three decades of celebrating my "Merry Birthday" with absent friends, post-xmas farewells, throngs of unknown travelers, and now televised mourning the world over, I'm over it. Except, well, this past birthday I turned 29... and now I can't stop freaking out about the fact that I have a fleeting year to accomplish everything I was supposed to do "by the time I'm 30." AHHH!

Marriage? Unlikely.
Graduate Degree? Umm... I guess not.
Property? Maybe if my options valuation doubles in the next few months...
Optional Retirement? Hahaha... that was my "stretch" goal. :-/

Luckily, my age brings with it some sense of clarity... I am incredibly blessed with good health, a strong mind, the nurturing love of my friends and family, and infinite potential. And instead of racing against time to accomplish things over which I have little control, I'm deciding to work torwards some sensible goals... my resolutions for 2006:

1. Take Cal Train to work more often
2. Learn or re-learn a foreign language
3. Go to Tahoe at least twice to ski
4. Travel outside of the US at least once (unrelated to work)
5. Re-engage myself with some social entrepreneurship organization
6. Be better about staying in touch with friends (call at least one remote friend every two weeks and try to send birthday cards (making it quantifiable))
7. Make 10% of my 2006 income from an outside investment/venture (interest payments, option grants, & ESPP disqualified)
8. Eat Tiramisu
9. Whine less
10. Blog more

And to you my loyal readers, passersby, and solicitors... have a safe and happy new year.