Looking Back on 2009

To stray from my traditional blog posts, I'll start out by getting to the point. Two Thousand Nine was a monumental year for me with many moments that will live with me forever, and they almost all include my beautiful baby daughter. My life changed a lot this year, partly because of magical little Layla Marie, but other on-goings kept me going on. Let's look at where I started and where I find myself now.

Professionally I started out knowing this would be the last year as ELDP manager and by the end of the year I would be in a new job. Starting off 2009 I got to manage one of the best, most mature programs with some of the strongest stakeholder support. We had what I would argue the top participants in any program whose intelligence, drive, enthusiasm and humor were contagious in a way I can't describe, but it made me leap out of bed every day.

I knew that the awesomeness of that job would not be matched. Some would say that's lowering my expectations, but I call it setting the right expectations. The circumstances of the job are just too unique to expect lightning to strike twice. Professionally the year pretty much turned out as I suspected, but was it a self-fulfilling prophecy?

I moved on from the old job feeling that I left nothing on the table. I experienced so much, learned about myself, expanded my network, skills, and met tons of cool people whose success I look forward to watching unfold in the coming years. I'm in a new job, I like it, so let's call this area of life recapped and move on to something more exciting.

How about grad school? Earlier in the year I said now is the time to go for it. Actually, it was more like, "well, its not going to get any easier, so why might as well get to it?" I'm now 8.5 credits into pursuing a Villanova MBA and its going well. I haven't taken more than one course at a time yet, so we'll see how the accounting and finance course load pans out in 2010.

Oh, and this year I completed my Toastmasters Competent Communicator. For those keeping track that 10 speeches that bring me further away from sucking at public speaking. Thus far it's been one of the most rewarding personal or professional development endeavors I've ever done, and I recommend Toastmasters to everyone.

So that's the business side of life. How about the fun stuff?

We went to scores of parties, dinners, cooked a lot of great meals, had people over, attended a wedding, and all that before Layla arrived. How many infants can say they've already been to a Weezer, Blue October, and Blink 182 concerts along with a couple comedy shows? (none because infants can't speak. duh.)

On September 14th my life changed forever in the most wonderful way possible. I guess my perspective changed a bit, but I don't know if my habits changed much yet. I still get my game on, managed to still hit the gym, completed the ACS bike-a-thon, and remain on top of all the latest Joystiq posts.

The last three months are a blur, but I like that when I shut my eyes and think back I can see the baby's smile. I can see her finding her hands for the first time. Focusing on Jackie and me realizing we're two different things. My first baby projectile vomit. First 2am night wondering what the hell is wrong with this baby and what the hell is wrong with me and oh...she smiled! Seeing how much joy she brings to Jackie and me and the family and friends that meet her. Enjoying my renewed relationship with my mom now that we have the baby to bring us together.

Finally, I feel most grateful for my loving, patient and beautiful wife. I'm far from a perfect person, but when you find someone that sees you for the nucklehead you are, but loves you anyway, you gotta thank heaven every day. As if tolerating my bad jokes, inability to prioritize, workaholism, vanity, stubborness, and other aspects of the Ugly Side was not a gift enough, she brought Layla into the mix thereby proving she is, in a word, amazing.

Where are we going next?

As we look into 2010, the game plan is simple. All about the baby. This is the year of firsts. First tooth, first crawl, first walk, first fall, first birthday, first word, and I intend to be there for all of it (while also kicking ass at work, pulling a 4.0, riding another bike-a-thon, and all the other distractions along the way).

Happy New Year indeed!