Yes and No

Hanging out with some of my classmates tonight made me realize that...while I'm looking forward to graduating from my 38 week program at ICB, I'm definitely gonna miss the 3 times a week where I get to laugh with the dozen+ people that I've gotten to know throughout our 114 classes. Everyone always has the clichéd "We became best friends through school" stuff, but this is actually my first decent-sized group of friends I've made in a school and feel like I will keep. Elementary school friends I can count on one hand as far as the one's I've even talked to in the past year. Junior high, about the same. High school- I know a lot of people, see them a lot around town (usually at local pubs), but never really connected with many of them. And first college (U of I)- I talk to one person from there. Maybe it's just my personality, or maybe I just never cared (for the most part) about the people around me in a learning setting. With these folks, something about them that makes me think this will be different.

We just finished our last project (music videos). We had a blast making ours. I love the editing stuff, and wouldn't mind pursuing something in that (at the very least I'd like to keep doing it recreationally). It'll probably all hit us around April 19th when there's no class scheduled on a Tuesday for the first time in 10 months, but it's starting to hit me a little now. The true test of any friendship formed at a specific place (work or school) is when one or both parties leave that particular setting for good. I believe once this setting is left, the personal bonds we've made will continue on. Maybe I'll be wrong, but just a gut feeling.

So in essence, Yes- I am looking forward to moving on and graduating the program in hopes of using my video editing skills obtained here. No- I am not looking forward to the lacking daily interaction between all of my peeps.

Let's make these last 3 weeks count folks. I'm already missing you guys.

Stairway to 2011

April 1st is around the corner, which roughly marks the start of the 2nd quarter of the year. It also marks the start of my brief demise last year after battling some personal issues. As I said during that stretch, sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before you climb your way back up. I'm hoping that personal rock bottom was achieved, because ever since I got back on my feet fully in mid July (the start of school and a new job), I've been heading up for the most part. This applies especially in 2011. Some personal achievements:

(1) Approaching the end of my 10 month program with the Illinois Center for Broadcasting and I've figured out what I want to apply for- video editing positions. I know there's plenty for me to learn about editing still, but I know I can get better and have been getting better with each assignment.

(2) I was able to meet my company at Tango2 (a consulting company) for the first time in my 9 months on the job in Puerto Rico. As many of you saw through pictures, I was able to enjoy 4 days in awesome weather, which played a part in all of the company mingling and getting to know each other for the first time. This trip will make me work harder to get my co-workers more work in health systems.

(3) Our bowling team won the 1st half championship and can clinch first place money by winning 2nd half. With my new bowling ball, I have improved my average by 7 pins in 9 weeks of bowling (172 to 179) by averaging over 190 in that span. Likewise, much of my team is making awesome strides and getting better as the season progresses. The worst we can finish for this session is 2nd place.

(4) To cap off an awesome weekend which was primarily based at Tim Wolfs and included the company of many of my great friends from the past 12 years, I was able to enjoy the company of one of my best friends (Spence) and his/our friends this past week as part of Mr. Spencer's bachelor party. Whenever a group of friends can get together after a long hiatus, it reminds you of the great past you have had as friends and what a great fortune it is to have great friends to share your future with.

(5) I continue to meet and be introduced to awesome people. Unlike some people who grow older and close off the expansion of their friend base, I love meeting new people and striking up conversation with whoever is willing to listen to my loud voice. To those I've met recently that have become part of my daily rotation of conversation, I'm glad we've met and I hope we continue to get to know each other.

(6) Our family took in a foreign exchange student about a month ago. I must admit at first, I didn't know what to think about a new person living in our house for three months. However, Maria has been nothing but a delight to have around. It's nice being able to pick the brain of someone who is experiencing American culture for the first time. Someday, I'd like to think I'll come up in stories in Columbia where a Spanish to English translation of  "I have no idea why Brian had so much gas" comes up.

That's about all I got for now. I hope you read it and enjoy.

All I know is that the first quarter of this year has proven to be awesome and will only continue to get better.

Thanks to everyone for contributing to the above and I hope we continue to share awesome times together.