1 Year Anniversary

Today marks the 1 year anniversary since I started my full time employment at my present employer. So I brought in Bagels from Panera Bread to celebrate. They sure went by FAST! I am just glad that I was able to get my 1 chocolate chip bagel, hehe! Nonetheless, it was a typical work day, followed by 2 workout sessions, and choir practice. I accomplished a lot in my first year here.

I truly feel that my career is off to a great start! I had a one-on-one with my manager and just basically gave him a presentation of my career from my point of view. I let him know of all the skills that I have that the department is and is not taking advantage of, and what I have been doing to keep my skills not being used, well, fresh. Also, I reiterated my desire for international travel. I made it clear that at some point I want a 1 year international assignment somewhere outside the known 50 states and US territories. And that my engineering career goals still include becoming a licensed professional engineer, because it will take me far if I do decide to go into consulting, or project management, even general management. You have no idea how many clients will not consider you if you can not prove that you have at least ONE licensed professional engineer. Trust me, it is a lot! Which increases my desire to get it.

I also told him that with or without the company's 'blessing' I will be a full time MBA student in August 2014, and that nothing will make me happier than to resume my career with the company I am with now to apply my new education in the post MBA timeframe. Basically, with a career plan mapped out, we both have direction on how to shape my tasks, assignments, and opportunities.

I also made a lot of strides outside of work. Since before coming here, I made it my point to make several stands. And I made several personal declarations. Among those include finding a church home before the first Sunday after my arrival, being active in church, trying new things, and losing all the weight I gained during undergrad and grad school. All goals, I feel were accomplished beyond anything I could possibly imagine.

On the religious front, I am active in the young adult ministry and the gospel choir. I participated in prayer sessions, and during lent, the caterpillar challenge. Through prayer, being with the right people, my spiritual life has taken on new meaning. God has done great things for me. With the grace of God, and the mercies of a certain choir director, I went from never singing in a choir, to singing the Exsultet solo for Easter Vigil. I feel a stronger presence of God in my life now, and the church I attend DEFINITELY has a lot to do with it.

On the physical front, I paid a terrible price for my education by letting myself go. Eating and sleeping, and not exercising. Even in the post-USC timeframe, I was exercising but it was not enough. When I arrived in the Containment Area, I made a promise to myself to intensify all workout cycles. I still ate what I wanted, but I started doing 2-a-days in the gym... At first it was 30 minute cardio twice a day, but that later evolved to two 1 hr cardio sessions everyday. I did not start my weight training until the first week of January of this year, and I have been keeping track of my progress. When I started my weight training, I made sure all my meals were as balanced as possible to make sure I was eating the right amounts of carbs, proteins, fats, calories. When I went vegan for lent, I had to substitute all animal products, including meat with synthetic proteins, but now I am back to eating meats and eggs etc, but just more aware of alternatives. I take advantage of the alternatives as much as possible now.

As a result of my newfound drive and resolve, I am 50+ pounds lighter and I went from wearing XL/2XL clothes to wearing Mediums. None of my clothes fit me anymore and I ended up buying new outfits. I look a lot healthier than I did one year ago. I have way more energy now, and I am very stress free at work. It is amazing how exercising does not cause any more headaches for me or make me feel all fidgety or whatnot when I am in the lab.

Socially, I am meeting new people and making new connections, but it has been very slow. I get out every once in awhile for salsa, but even that (and dating) has stalled mostly because of what I am about to write below but I still have a desire to be a more social person. This is something I need to work out in year 2.

The highlight of my 1st year accomplishments rests with the fact that I was able to become a homeowner before my 1 year anniversary of employment. To me that was a very hard and ambitious task -- To save enough money to put down on a home. I even had to stop taking Golf and Salsa lessons to accomplish this. I knew one thing for certain: I was not going to be renting for a second year. That was my motivation to put down on a home. It is the financially responsible thing to do, especially since I will be here for awhile.

I do not know what year 2 in the Containment Area for Relocate Yankees will bring, but year one, with all the ups and downs, ins and outs, highs and lows, was a great year.

And the best is yet to come!

HERES TO YEAR TWO!!! EL YAY!!!!!!!