Like the end of previous years, I like to do a wrap-up of the year just closing, and look ahead to thoughts & plans for the coming year. (end of 2006, 2007, 2008)
My www.grumpywookie.com blog has been stacking up the cobwebs lately – not as many posts or bits & pieces as “normal” – only 56 posts in total (only 4 for my other blog) – previous years were over 200 !!
Had a few ‘update” posts – July + October.
Previous wrap-up’s have covered my GOALS and SCOREBOARD for the categories of WORK, REST & PLAY – ie. career+nerding, family, house & self.
This time, I’m just going for a “splat” approach – what’s happened in the year, and some predictions & plans/thoughts for next year.
2009 – has been a tough year in retrospect. If I could suggest a tag word for 2009 (like the largest word in a tag cloud), it would probably be the word “SURVIVAL”.
Having three kids has been a lot harder than I’d thought it would be – was kinda easy with two kids – sorta like “one each” for Donna and I.
With three, there’s always someone with “TWO” to deal with – usually me – as Donna would be feeding, or attending to the “new born”.
Charlie has had more than his fair share of troubles, and still not sleeping great – which means Donna has been very tired & run-down.
But – has been some great joy as well – first smiles, first Christmas – and he’s now crawling (!) – but has been a juggling act for all of us – and the word “tired” has been the most-used-word for the last few months.
Some full-on stuff happening with work as well – big project coming to a close in November – with a few frayed ends of sanity showing through – with some “frustration” being observed by colleagues & customers alike (not good).
“Time” is precious – with small bursts of time to get stuff done, and then little time left over for stuff that *I* would like to do – and for Donna too (mostly).
We’ve had to resort to email & phone call chats a few times – the lost art of communication !
So, here’s hoping that 2010 is a little ‘easier’ – but before delving into thoughts/plans for next year – here’s some bits & pieces of 2009.
Had a look through the blog posts I’ve done (was only 56 of them !) – and some TwitPic bits to get a feel for what the year has been :
Twitter (my main outlet these days – 140 chars is easier than a blog post)
- Twitter notify from Live Writer
- Twitter – hot under the collar (quoted on SMH !)
- Optus Twitter Response Team
- 10,000 tweets FTW !
SharePoint
- New SharePoint How-To’s
- SharePoint 2007 Service Pack 2
- Connecting people, process and information
- Cool SharePoint diagrams in Visio
- SharePoint Search Provider + Windows 7
- SharePoint Custom List template missing
- People Search Data Fields (XSLT – XML)
- SharePoint Conference 2009 Keynote
- Site Feature – Include Custom Icon (GIF)
- New SharePoint site gone live !
- Infrastructure documents within Central Admin
- FullTextSqlQuery throwing exception – this site is not assigned to an indexer
- SharePoint Saturday – Search
- … and lots more blog posts awaiting completion (drafts)
Nine Inch Nails (lots and LOTS !)
- Gift from Trent Reznor (has just landed last week – full edited DVD)
- The Beginning Of The End ?
- Festival Hall show PLUS SoundWave – Nine Inch Nails
- Nine Inch Fool’s (April Fool’s Day NailGun)
- Interview with Trent Reznor
- Trent goes Webby
- NIN on tour (again)
Music / Bands
- Nine Inch Nails (Festival Hall)
- SoundWave
- Slayer / Megadeth – disappointed !! Ended up as a Slayer instrumental !
- Karnivool – just incredible !
- Lamb Of God + Devil Driver
- Updated list of concert tickets/setlists on blog
- Got tickets for next year’s SoundWave – and Fear Factory – w00t !
Family
- Cameron –> Mr.4 (Go Karting ! 1 2)
- Liam 18 months
- Family Tradition – ANZAC Day (Pic)
- My three sons (CHARLIE ! 1 2 3 4)
- Pram all stocked up with three kids
- Star Wars Expo
- Charlie’s trip to hospital – all OK now – bad allergic reaction, had to call an ambulance at midnight on Saturday night (early November)
- Liam is now two !
- Built a Cubby House (assembled, not built)
- Gardening – new planter boxes, got the spa working
- Lego – lots of ! Both Cameron AND Liam ! Mr.2 is obsessed with building towers (“Daad, plray bwocks ?”)
- Charlie – has started crawling, lots in store for 2010
Personal
- Mountain Biking – got new bike after doing a website for a buddy – try to get out a bit – mainly with Cameron in tow, not on my own much
- Was on a health kick for a bit, walking from Richmond station to the city (1 2 3) – but have fallen off the wagon since – after having an “operation”.
- BUT – I did ride my bike to the city one day (only once so far) – from Mitcham to William St – in the pouring rain – was sopping wet – but great experience.
- Dexter – was sooo looking forward to new season – and didn’t disappoint !
- Got an iPhone – loving it actually
- Lots of $$ shelled out this year
- New oven
- New pantry
- New outdoor setting
- Cubby house
- TechEd
- Planter boxes
- Spa
- Lego Death Star
- New BBQ with hood – rotisserie roasts at Christmas !
- …there’s nearly $12,000 right there !
- Mortgage is doing OK though surprisingly.
- September FTW !
- MTB, WRC Rally, Nine Inch Nails, TechEd – oh my !
- Lego Death Star for Christmas ! (will take a while I think)
- 3D wookie ! Home made glasses for episode of CHUCK.
Work
- Quick update – moving to OBS – left Dimension Data, and have been with OBS for 9 months already – wow ! Lots of great people, some good challenges, and technical know-how – and thoughts of “yep, this is the way is SHOULD be done” + “this is where I wanna be”…..
- Tech Ed – looking forward to
- Tech Ed Gold Coast 2009
- Big project completed in November – new SharePoint site gone live !
- Presented at MOSSIG – and runner-up on presenter-of-the-year
- Presented at SharePoint Saturday – Search
Other stuff (posts)
- Windows 7 – was using the Beta, then RC, then RTM – probably installed it close to 10x during 2009 (1)
- K2 book was launched – yep, that’s me on the cover !
*phew* Has been a very full & busy year – fairly tough in parts – with some big highs, big challenges, and big lows – even Christmas was hard work. Poor Donna was a wreck by the end – we’ve just been doing days of NOTHING in the last week.
Whoever said THREE kids is not much more difficult than TWO kids is a fool !
But – I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hearing Liam say “best Dad evaa” just melts me – or heading out for a bike ride with Cameron and he yells out “to infinity and beyond” when zooming downhill – jeez, he makes me laugh !
And to see little Charlie’s smile – it makes me forget the cries & yelling & sleepless nights. And amazing that he’s crawling already – will be into LOTS of stuff soon.
And Cameron’s little art projects to take to work – he just made Donna a “sun hat” with a tube & flat circle piece – dunno where he gets the ideas from !
Donna has been amazing too, running on empty for a long time now – she deserves more credit and thanks than I give her – I am in “awe” of how she does it some days. X
Family is what it’s all about these days – and there’s now FIVE of us – or SIX if you count the dog too !
So – yes, there will be lots more work / action – but a lot more fun & joy as well.
🙂
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So – what’s next ? What’s in store for 2010 ?
Who knows ! If 2009 has taught me anything, it’s that ANYTHING can happen…
As far as some thoughts/plans :
- Family / House
- Holiday – family to QLD
- Finish off the spa (completely) – and stop the big $$ outlays !
- Birthdays – Cameron turning 5, Liam turning 3, and Charlie will be 1
- Outing as a family to Werribee Zoo, Aquarium, Jells Park
- Work
- SharePoint 2010 – will be lots in 2010 (and Office)
- MOSSIG – board member
- Personal
- Get to know Donna again – not much time for “us” in the last 6 months
- Enjoy some reading – and biking (if/when time permits)
- Spend some time with friends
- Watch as much of the WINTER OLYMPICS as I can (!)
- Blogging – lots more posts
- New (final) season of LOST !
- …and a ’secret project’ – if I ever get time to bring ideas to light….
We’ll wait and see what transpires, eh ?
Hope you all had a great Christmas & Silly Season – and all the best for the New Year – hope the hangover is not TOO bad !
Have a great 2010 – see you soon !
🙂
Grumpy Wookie 
6 thoughts on “End of 2009”