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2005 Retrospect

As an annual practice, I usually post about my thoughts on the year that just passed along with some thoughts on the upcoming year. This is the part of my website where I document my life.

The past year has been very weird for me and I have a confession: For many reasons I don’t feel that I accomplished much during 2005.

Let me explain, I am, by and large, a goal oriented person. My usual end of year routine consists of reflecting on what I’ve accomplished in the year and making a new list for next year. Last year, however, I didn’t do that. Why? I can’t really be sure since there was a lot happening during this time last year (I.e. teaching at two schools, ICBC related project finishing up and the normal Christmas time preparations… [Insert other lame excuse here]).

Don’t get me wrong, there was a lot accomplished. I got into my routine at Vancouver Film School. I got used to the systems and refined my course plans. I was involved in many ICBC related projects (one of which was ICBC.com) and I took a lead role in many as well. I learned new programming languages and web development techniques through my peers and on my own. I had my first experience being in a spa with Ernie and Archie. I even managed to sneak in some minor contract work. All of which I cannot dismiss because these are hefty accomplishments.

But I still don’t feel it: that sense of accomplishment, the pat on the back where you could tell yourself, “Yea, lots done this year! Take a day off and relax, you did well!” Maybe, I’m being too hard on myself but there is a lot to be said about putting a list together and crossing off the items one by one. Maybe, I’m just nuts and I need to be on some medication. Whatever!

2006 will be different. The list is made and here are some highlights:

Read more. Ok Ritchie, It’s not like you’re illiterate but you could choose to read more intelligent things than Shopaholic Takes Manhattan. Who do you think you are? Fantasia? So pick a book…

Lose weight. Ok that extra flab you’ve been carrying around in your gut has got to go. People might think you’re in line for those carnival sumo games. I know the flab keeps you warm and cosy at night like whale blubber but face it, we don’t live in the Antarctic. That’s why people invented blankets. So here’s what I want you to do…

Rediscover chess. You’re inner geek has to be rediscovered! What’s with all the GQ and Cargo magazines? Why you frontin’ like you a Filipino version of Jude Law? You’re pocket protector is collecting dust! You would’ve never let this happen in high-school. Breakout your old chess openings book and …

Don’t ask me why I write my year-end list in the third person. It’s funnier (to me, since I’m the only one that reads it).

I don’t know how the next year will pan out. Whatever it is, it’ll be great I’m sure!

Happy New Year everyone!

2:16 pm 5 Comments

A fresh idea, fresh face to the world.

Yes folks, I’m back. If you didn’t know (and if you didn’t then you probably don’t visit here often enough… shame, shame on you) the site was down for a few weeks. Thanks for the e-mails asking if I was dead or if I had fallen into a vat of chocolate and still attempting to crawl my way out. As you can probably tell, I’m not dead.

I’ve been on vacation; that actually means that the amount of work being acomplished by yours trully has been nil or close to nil. Ok fine, I’ve still been working.

So the first question is: what happened to the old site? Well, it’s still somewhere there. Actually, to be more accurate I’ve switched my blogging tool from blogger to wordpress. So the old site is still in blogger. Which brings me to the second question. Will I be bringing the old posts back? The plan is to do a bit of manual clean up and just take a small amount of posts over to the new world. I’m not planning on moving everything since 80% of that old site was pretty bad in the first place. So if there is a post that means a great deal to your heart please let me know in the comments.

I’m spending my Christmas eve with my parents and we’re sitting around before dinner watching It’s a Wonderful life. Sometimes a quiet Christmas after a hectic year is really what the doctor has ordered up.

How about you? How are you spending your Christmas?

Update: Ohhh, I ate way too much and am in great need of sleep. Happy holidays kiddies, be safe out there.

7:49 pm 3 Comments

What I ‘ment to say.

I’m never good with speeches. So tonight, when I won the award for excellence in instruction I was pretty tongue tied. I would like to ask the vfs class of dd02 to disregard the garbled thing that I said and replace it with the following:

First of all, thank you. Thanks for the opportunity to teach you guys (and ladies). To be honest though, instructors can’t really do much without the students. Students have to contribute and contribute you did. That being said, thank you for being such a great bunch of students. You all have taught me so much and I’ve always been in awe of what you guys are capable of.

Next, its quite an honour to be in the presence of each and everyone of my collegues. Its true that when you’re surrounded by greatness you get pushed to be great yourself. So thank you to all my collegues. I mean that. I really do.

8:18 pm 1 Comment

Christmas shopping

Yes folks, I’ve been shopping for my Christmas presents (or the materials for them at least). In my search, I’ve been frequenting the malls and it has been hell. So I’d like to post my rant about shopping for presents in malls.

First of all, what is up with stupid kids and the uncontrollable urge to pull fire alarms. In the 4 hours that I was in the mall, I heard the fire alarm set off at least 5 times, each one declared false. A small message to those kids: Chill out, it’s not as funny to everyone as it is to your retarded little brains. Fire fighters need the authority to sever children’s hands with the jaws of life. That would make me extremely happy.

Next, I know it’s the holiday season, with the snow and the romantic holiday thingy. You don’t have to use the mall hallways to declare your undying and immortal love for each other but if you decide you do, here are a few tips. Don’t be all smoochy faced with your partner in the crowded walkways blocking incoming and ongoing traffic. This holds true especially when you have a pissed off Filipino carrying at least 5 heavy bags of holiday cheer. Take your smooching to the movies, your bedroom, your parents bedroom, the bondage room in the 4 seasons or better yet DON’T DO IT!

To the Asian ladies who almost trampled me in the process of fighting for $30 dollar toaster ovens in Zellers: $30 dollar toasters isn’t worth trampling me for. Thanks.

Next year, I’m doing all my shopping off the Internet.

6:39 pm 0 Comments