2008 in review

Yep – the obligatory annual review post.   Often good to look back, and look forward.  

Always better than a “what the hell happened + new year’s resolutions that get forgotten by February”…    

(Thanks to @andyneumann – who started me on the annual tradition – with the “2006 review” as my first).

Here’s my post from the last “Christmas – New Year period” – end-of-2007, I even had a “6 monthly” check – back in June 2008.

That’s the best thing about *MY* blog, I treat it like a personal journal – good for ME, and will be great for my kids to see what their Dad was up to when they were young.

All up – was 206 posts for the year, that’s about 4 per week – some weeks many more (like when I was in America in April) – other weeks a lot less (CBF’ing).

Without re-reading my old posts, this year has felt rather long in parts.   The biggest “happening” of the year began just before the start of the 2008 calendar year, with the DWS-SDM merger/take-over thing happening.

For those who know me, I’ve left SDM now, and have been working at Dimension Data for a few months now.   But I was (and still am a little, some days) rather bitter and fvcken angry about how it transpired.  

My “work life” and “friends life” are/were mostly the same thing – with a young family, I don’t have much time to see other mates.  So – work friends are MOSTLY my closest and “best” friends.   To have a good work place, good “work” and good friends all ripped away from me was rather devastating.

Anyway – I’m not going to dwell on that.  Suffice to say that it was the “lowlight” of 2008.   And – I’ve moved on, with the burial of the SDM name, and no longer checking/laughing at the DWS stock price.  

On the up-swing, there’s a lot of AWESOME stuff that happened to me, and in my vicinity (some highlights – in no particular order) :

• Cameron turned 3, and had a trip to Puffing Billy.   He’s already excited about turning 4 in FEB – as we’re taking him go-karting !   
• Had a great day with Cameron at the Motor Show – feeding his love of cars even more.
• April Fool’s Day Joke – about running Windows Server 2008 on a PS/3
• Went to America !!     Denver, Colorado for the K2 Insider’s conference – lots of “firsts” – including travelling on my own, going skiing, driving on the left, driving in snow, driving a Lexus (!), seeing Ministry live, visiting Red Rocks – oh yes, and there was a K2 conference in there somewhere too !
• Lots of Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts, The Slip, and the “Lights In The Sky” tour.
• Saw HELMET live – awesome !!
• Made a nerdy “SharePoint” video with Cameron – lots of fun
• Bought a Nintendo Wii – been playing Excite Truck, and Guitar Hero
• Wrote a chapter in a BOOK !    “Professional K2 BlackPearl” is due out in early 2009 – this was a BIG achievement in 2008 – and wasn’t on the to-do list either !
• New glasses (July) – first new set of specs since 2003
• Lots of outside work on patio – including stripping old fibreglass roof sheets, re-painting, new lazer light, and leveling off for concrete
• Day at the snow with family – Cameron laughing & giggling on the toboggan, and Liam padded up like the Michelin Man !
• Saw a few movies – Batman The Dark Knight, Star Wars Clone Wars, 10,000 BC (Gold Class with Donna) – new James Bond movie, and Burn After Reading – another date with Donna
• Took Cameron to the airport to pick up Nanna & GrandDad – lots of fun looking at the planes, and just hanging out together
• Handed back my stickerised laptop (SDM337).    😦
• Had a great last-day prank on a workmate who was on leave at TechEd.
• Took Cameron to his first footy match – Richmond vs. Hawthorn.   We left at half time.  Richmond won, we just weren’t there to see it !
• Blogged about the cars I’ve owned – been driving for 1/2 my life…!
• Family holiday to Apollo Bay – and lots of photos with the new EOS 450D
• Liam turned one – had a BIG birthday party at our place, on the NEW patio !   Here’s some BEFORE and AFTER photos.
• Family day out to Port Melbourne – wander on the beach
• Had a mini anxiety attack – following DWS+SDM stuff, and new baby news !   (lots of changes happened/and still YET to happen) – and one week later, feeling much better.
• Re-formatted my PC, to clear out some old beta stuff
• Took Cameron to the Armageddon show (NerdFest) – dressed up as Darth Vader !
• Compiled a list of cars that Cameron can recognize – 35 in total !
• Liam began walking only a month after turning ONE – just in time for Christmas
• Had a great Christmas Eve with Donna’s family – and then “our” family on Christmas Day – and then a drive to Avoca, and a few days with “my” family for Christmas
• A new addition to the family due in 2009 !

So – that’s what’s happened – and what’s been “blogged” – but how does that compare to my “plans for 2008” ??

2008 Plans / Goals (ripped from 2007 review) + 2009…

Work >>  more SharePoint, some exams (!), get more into the user group stuff like MOSSIG.   Ensure SDM continues on a safe & true tracking.   Ensure the DWS angle is to my advantage, some career & financial opportunities (potentially).   Rather than mumble & complain, need to think/act positive, and make it the best for me.   Be an infectiously “positive” person.   (and make the most of the new office location in South Yarra    *yay*)

ScoreBoard >>  yep, lots and LOTS of SharePoint – but no exams.

User groups – have been to most of the MOSSIG meetings to see friends mainly (!) – but haven’t presented this year (I don’t think).

Kinda *FAIL* on the SDM/DWS front though – but I did fvcken try – really, I did !    Tried and failed, unfortunately.

Changed jobs, and into Dimension Data – lots of K2 and SharePoint from a “Solution Architect” level.  Lots of pre-sales, demo’s and presenting to clients – but not as "technical” or “hands-on” as I’m used to, no coding or development work (yet) – will see what 2009 brings to the fray – new projects, and new people joining the team (hopefully).

Next Year (2009) >>  more SharePoint, get some development work happening, and K2 projects – hopefully see K2 BlackPoint (finally).

Office-14 (SharePoint vNext) – will be great to see/hear some new features, hopefully get a BETA slot soon.

Exams – yep, need to do some SharePoint exams – SOON !

Dimension Data – get more involved with other teams, cross LOB projects & undertakings, push SharePoint + K2 from within

User Groups – present some sessions at MOSSIG, maybe (maybe NOT) get involved with the board/organizing, etc

Rest/Play >> again, less TV mode, and watching movies.  Need to get more into some VM’s for K2 & SharePoint (now have a capable PC to do so).   Play some XBox as fun way to relax – and more book reading (novels).  Get more squash games happening, consider joining gym (near new SDM office ?), or cycling to office, or lunch times.

ScoreBoard >> yep, bit less TV, been too many good shows to watch though !    Have dropped off Heroes and Sarah Connor – but gotten hooked BIG time with Dexter – and still love Top Gear (of course).

A bit of VM’ing – tried out the new Windows 7 beta, and keen to try out the Office 14 (SharePoint vNext) – due soon in 2009.

Play some XBox – well, we bought a Nintendo Wii, so that counts, right ?    Have read a few books – one that took me all of 4 days I think – but none for a while now.

Squash – yep, been playing lots – every Wednesday, when work allows.   And dieting/eating better has meant I’ve lost close to 10 kg !  Have had lots of people comment, which is nice – I’m back to my “end-of-Uni” body weight, which is about 15 years ago…

Cycling – have taken Cameron out a few times, including a ride to Knox, to avoid the Christmas chaos.  I think 2009 will be my “re-acquaint the love affair” with cycling (hopefully)

Next Year (2009) >>  spend some relaxation time with some gaming, and teach Cameron some more fun with video games.

Squash & cycling – do more of – and make sure I stay fit, and don’t put on that 10 KG I’ve lost !

Reading – hit the couch with a book, instead of plonk in front of ZTV or PC.   And sort through those old boxes of CD’s, MP3’s etc.

House >> finish back patio area, and get spa working again (only been 4-5 years !)   Get play area for Cameron & Liam in back yard – and vegie garden for Donna to get her Jamie Oliver kitchen/recipes happening.   Complete the mower strip in front yard !

ScoreBoard >> yep – finished back patio !   Was lots of hard work, with a goal of being ready for Liam’s 1st birthday (25th Oct) – and it was !

Mower strip in front yard is done now too – only took a few years (he he)

Spa – getting that underway today actually – still a while off being usable, but 2009 will be spa-able – 100% guaranteed.

Next Year (2009) >>  complete the spa and back yard area.   Work on a few “maintenance” projects, like new guttering and kitchen pantry area.   Save $$ along the way – work on plans for new house to be bulldozed & re-built (5 year plan)

Clean up side of house, remove old rocks & junk – maybe build a “bike shed” area

Family/Friends >> more fun with Cameron (will turn 3 in 2008) – and enjoy Liam growing & changing (will turn 1 in 2008).   Try for some “date nights” with Donna – maybe in the new financial year !    Accept that other time with other friends will be lesser & lesser – already is the case.   (try make some time for “mates”)

ScoreBoard >>  Cameron is sooo much fun lately, we are best of mates – he even tells me “you’re my BEST friend”. 

When I arrive home, I toot the horn, and he yells out “Daaad !!  Stay in your car !!”, and comes out to open the door, pop the boot, etc – one of our little rituals.  He’s my little shadow on weekends – in the garden (mowing) or out for a bike-ride, or washing the car – he’s just “ace”, for sure.

Liam is just amazing too – a great laugh, and happy nature, and has begun walking already !   (Even after having boots+braces, etc)   Will be great to see his personality start to shine through in 2009.

Date night – have had a few outings with Donna, and was really starting to be “back to normal” with a few drinks, and some outings, etc – and then…   pregnant again !    Will be a busy 2009 for us, and we’ll have to make sure we get some “us” time – even more important now than ever before – but, of course, will be lots of “work” ahead.

Other friends – yep, seem to need some work in that area.   I have a few buddies I see once or twice a month, but they’re very “single” and a different life place to mine.   Need to make some effort to either see “common-interest” friends – or old work mates – or make some new friends (with all the spare time I will have after baby #3 arrives !)

Next Year (2009) >> Have heaps more fun with Liam now that he’s more able to “play” – and his personality is developing.

Lots of Dad time with Cameron also.   More bike-rides, have a camping trip in the back-yard, take Cameron fishing, motor show, maybe to see V8’s at Sandown.

Support Donna with the family & workload within the household, with arrival of new baby !    Make time for “us”, even if just out to a movie, or playing cards together.

Somehow, find more love to give to a new little’un – due in June.

Other >>  continue blogging for “myself”, get more SharePoint articles posted, outputs from project work/findings, explore more K2 & blog.   Pay some $$ off mortgage this year (less reno’s !) – and, get a digital SLR !

ScoreBoard >> Yep, lots of blogging, without any regard to what people want me to say, or not say.   Lots and LOTS of SharePoint articles, and outputs from work, and some good comments, and hit-counts.   Averaging about 300 hits per day – which is kinda good (or so *I* reckon !)

Have become a big-time, hard-core, 12-step-program addict – with regard to TWITTER !   Great to keep in touch with friends – and have had bickering fights, D&M discussion, confidential chats and lunch-arrangements via Twitter – enjoying the Twitter-sphere immensely.

Mortgage is looking pretty good, although the shares have taken a tumble – might be a good time to buy some more !    On that note, I sold the shares I’d been allocated from DWS – and…  bought a digital SLR !!     Loving the Canon EOS 450D – lots of fun, and some GREAT photos.

Next Year (2009) >>  More of the same, with SharePoint articles – will be LOTS to talk about with the new SharePoint version (of course – observing any NDA’s, etc !)

Get along to the Professional Developers Conference (PDC) – as an overseas trip with another work colleague.   Consider carefully – with regard to $$ and time away from wife + THREE kids.

Make time for “me” – will be harder than ever before, but important to stay sane !

So – there you have it – 2008 is just about done – in 12 hours from now.

Hope you have a great 2009 – safe & prosperous in what ever you & family attempt/achieve.

And – hope the hangover to start the year is not TOO bad !

🙂

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