Thursday, January 25, 2007

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Dearest Blogger,

I don't quite know how to break this to you, so I'll just say it... I'm moving on. While we've shared many cherished moments over the past year or so, I've grown and my needs have changed. I've found a new blogging service. She's just more flexible and accommodating... easier to be with. I learned a great deal from you, and I hope that we can still be friends.

If you ever need me, you can find me here: http://eseema.wordpress.com

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Super Bowl, Super Bears!!

I am no die-hard sports fan... in fact since college I've pretty much limited my game watching to the post season series. I usually pick things up around the Sweet 16, NBA Playoffs, NFL Playoffs, etc... It's almost like skipping ahead to the end of a book (which I don't really do) - you miss the build-up, but if you're looking for efficiencies it's a good way to go. Well, this is one football season where I wish I had walked the road with my team... this year's NFC Champions: the Chicago Bears!!!

Thursday, January 18, 2007

My baby's a boxer.

Over the holidays I visited the local humane society with a friend to find a dog for his mother. Didn't find the right dog, but we did come across a beautiful 9-month old russian blue that almost knocked me out with his left hook. I thought about it, but in the end decided against adopting since my new roommates might not be cat-friendly.

So much for reason. The next day my friend came over with cat-in-a-box and changed my life (well, at least my day-to-day). Meet Smokey Cassius Clay. (Smokey was his name at the shelter; Cassius Clay was tagged on b/c it befits his boxing polydactyl paws). I always thought of myself more as a dog person than a cat person... but the cat thing is a much better fit for my current lifestyle, and this guy is the BEST! :-D He's very playful, very loving, and *very* curious. He cuddles up with me while I work, and is fascinated with water. This is a pic I took of him pawing at running water for the first time. So adorable... I love you schmoke, muah!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

2006 Retrospective

Damn, is it already 2007? I distinctly recall sitting on the opposite side of this very table writing my "New Year's Resolutions 2006" post, as if it were yesterday. (On a side note, why do I feel like a loser for being at the same dining table I was at 378 days ago? Maybe it's that being in the same physical place makes me feel like I've gone nowhere in the last year... Or maybe it's that I'm sitting here on a Saturday night having opted to blog instead of go out. Whatever.) In any case, here is a quick run-through of how I performed on my '06 resolutions...

1. Take Cal Train to work more often
-- A+. I'm flying through those eBay commuter checks.
2. Learn or re-learn a foreign language
-- F. I think I actually just forgot more of the little I did know. Carrying over to 2007.
3. Go to Tahoe at least twice to ski
-- C. I did go once, and that was awesome.
4. Travel outside of the US at least once (unrelated to work)
-- D. Wow, this is a recurring one that I never fail. I started to plan a trip with a friend to South America, but we deferred it to this year for a number of logistical reasons. Boooo. I did go to Maui, but that doesn't really count.
5. Re-engage myself with some social entrepreneurship organization
-- A. Go Kiva!
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))
-- C+. I don't remember sending any birthday cards, but I do think I was better about calling friends.
7. Make 10% of my 2006 income from an outside investment/venture (interest payments, option grants, & ESPP disqualified)
-- F. No new outside investments or ventures. Definitely carrying this over to 2007.
8. Eat Tiramisu
-- A+. I love getting credit for being a glutton.
9. Whine less
-- I really have no idea how I did on this one. I definitely whined in 2006... hopefully less than in the previous year.
10. Blog more
-- A. :-)

Happy Belated New Year!