A New Chapter Begins...

So, the time has finally come for me and my better half to leave the comfy confines of the beach and move on. But, this move is not all hum-glum and doom - there is much to rejoice over! The reason we are moving is because we have, after years of throwing our money into an empty bucket, saved enough to purchase our very own home!

We are will be the owners of a 3-bedroom, 1.5 split in a very nice section of Long Island. We're sitting on a quarter of an acre (large by Long Island standards - still not up to the just-shy-of-an-acre lot I grew up on) in a quiet neighborhood. Honestly, we couldn't be happier!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Long Time, No 'See'

Once again I find myself being more than delinquent in my frequencies of updating this page. So much has happened in the last few monthes. Let see if I can get a quick update...

Work
I moved to a start-up nanotech company (we're still trying to keep our anonymity - although it gets harder by the day). I'm absolutely, 100% loving it. We're really starting to spread our wings and could have a break-out moment any minute now. I'm not stuck in the same, coddled rut that I was bfore. Right now, I'm the primary design engineer on our tools (we'll be hiring a more senior guy eventually) and I'm also highly involved with the Motion Team and the CAD/PLM Implementation Team. My hands are in many pots and it's keeping me busy, but I honestly couldn't be happier.

The people I'm working with are just awesome too. I can honestly say that I wake up every morning looking forward to going to work. Hopefully it stays that way - I don't see why it wouldn't.

Personal
WOW! Where do I start. Well, back on my birthday (March 16^th), I got the coolest present of all - a black labrador! We adopted him from the North Shore Animal League on Long Island. I wanted to name him Bruschi after the most kick-ass Patriot on the current roster, Tedi Bruschi. My wife didn't like the beer double entendre, so we went with naming him after my favorite Red Sox, Jason Varitek. This dog is the shiz-nit! He knew all his commands and he is really, really smart (sometimes too smart for his own good). He loves playing catch, is great with kids (Marissa's cousins had a blast with him at a family barbeque), and is absolutely enthralled with being in the water. I couldn't have asked for a better pet.

My workout schedule has gotten much better since I started at my new gig (almost wrote the name of the company there :) ). We have a Gold's Gym right down the road from us (walking distance) and at least two of us - sometimes three - get in there about 3-4 times a week. It's great. I'm really starting to get back into shape, although tightening up my diet would really help that. Once October rolls around, I'm gonna start a 5x5 workout and see if I can kick it up a notch. I don't think I'm gonna be playing flag football this season as I'm busy with other stuff. I've been surfing as much as possible too...this current flat spell is driving me batty!

The wife and I are doing good. We're seriously starting the house hunting process - basically getting our finances in order right now. We can't get real serious until after my sister's wedding in September due to all the craziness that we're involved with in that. Other than that, we're just cruising.

I'm sure there's a lot I left out here, but these tidbits have been the basis of what's been up with my life lately...hopefully I'll be a bit more consistant than doing quarterly updates here.

Greener Pastures

Here I go again. I can't sit still. I can't create a foundation. I can't enjoy consistency. I can't stand the status-quo. I always wonder what-if. I can't say 'no' to a potential change. I can't stand stagnation.

That's right, I'm changing jobs again.

For those of you that know me, this shouldn't come as any great suprise. I have this tendency to go to a job, do a great job up front, make good contacts, get bored and move on. Hey, give me credit. I lasted about 2.5 years this time :)

I'll write more about the new job later - I'm on a (current) work computer right now. Needless to say, it's a move in the right direction for my wife and I. I'm very excited/anxious/curious/scared about the new position. But, that's nothing new. Those are all emotions I've felt every time I've switched jobs. OK, more new later...I'm going home soon :)

Managing Incoming E-mail

This PDF file lays out a great little plan for managing day-to-day email overload - both at work and personal. I have been following this plan today. It has really seemed to help my productivity as I am not checking email constantly and dealing with frivolous shit as much.

I highly recommend it.

Managing Incoming E-mail

MiT?

Management in Training?

One can only hope/dread... The long story turned short is that my boss, the Mechanical Engineering Supervisor, had jury duty last week and is in Malaysia this week for work. The guy under him with the most seniority was finishing up his last week here (off to greener pastures), so I was left in charge. Apparently my robust 2.5 tenure here as allowd me the benefit of being the most suited for the job.

It was actually a good experience for me. I've been thinking about which direction I'm looking to go in - management or technical - and this gave me a flavor of the management side. I, obviously, have a feeling for the technical side. Now, after being able to eat from both sides of the table, I'm not sure which way I want to go. The technical aspect is great - I get to be on the leading edge of technology and build the 'machines of tomorrow.' Meanwhile, the management side is very interesting because I can help mold the direction of the company while being responsible for certain projects.

I tend to lack a general confidence in my technical ability and that, along with my innate sense of needing/wanting organization, is actually making me lean towards the management side. There are a LOT of things I need to work on, however, if I'm going to be a manager. Just to name a few:

• Ability to say NO: I'm a pleaser. I always have been. You need that print? Let me stop what I'm doing and get it for you. You need a solid model of that assembly? Give me 15 minutes. I need to be able to step back, access my situation and be able to tell someone that I'll have time at the end of the week or that I simply can't do that in the time frame they are dictating.
• Quick Thinking: My thought process is a bit more plodding and methodical than most and I tend to not be able to think quick on my feet. It's something I need to build on.
• They aren't going to eat you: Upper management is a fear of mine - I'm afraid to say the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person. It takes a great build up of nerve for me to disagree with a superior. Going back to my thought process - I tend to try and think what they are thinking before I disagree and that tends to make me look slow and more like a 'yes man' than I need to be.
• Total Recall: There's a reason why I write things down - my memory is shot. I don't remember specifics at all. I know exactly where I need to dig to get specs, technical info, notes, etc. BUT, I suck at recalling them off the top of my head. I'm horrible with names as well.

All that being said, management is looking like the option for me - at the moment (I reserve the right to change my mind). I like organizing everyone and having my hand in the pot a bit more. I guess there's also a little bit of ego/power-trip going on there too. I like being the go-to guy - as long as I have the info. That was the hardest part of this week. I was the go-to guy, but I didn't have access to schedules, data, budget, or product specs like a normal manager would. That made making some of the decision rather difficult. All in time though.

So, guess I should start looking into that MBA a bit more now :(

Movie Review: Lord of War (2005)

Lord of War

Nicolas Cage	Yuri Orlov
Bridget Moynahan	Ava Fontaine
Jared Leto	Vitaly Orlov
Shake Tukhmanyan	Irina Orlov (as Shake Toukhmanian)
Jean-Pierre Nshanian	Anatoly Orlov
Ethan Hawke	Jack Valentine

Plot Outline: An arms dealer (Cage) confronts the morality of his work as he is being chased by an Interpol agent (Hawke).

I was looking forward to this movie as its title gave me the illusion of illustrious gun battle and chaotic mayhem running rampant through the movie. While the movie had quite a bit of gun-play and the locations were exotic, I found myself waiting the entire two hours for "it" to happen. Whether "it" be a over-dramatic gun fight between the main character and one of his nemesis or the main characters eventual slip up, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for "it". In the end, "it" never came.

That doesn't mean the movie was bad though. My interest was held throughout the entire length of the movie. Seeing Yuri Olav (Nicholas Cage) act quickly on his feet and get out of some hairy situations with some less than honest men was actually quite entertaining. I did see a good deal of similarity between the way Cage portrayed Olav and Cage's character from Gone In 60 Seconds. I'm not sure if it was intentional or just due to Cage being Cage, but the sometimes quirky mannerisms and manners of speech made the comparison quite obvious to me.

Ava Fontaine (Bridget Moynahan) was a secondary character throughout most of the movie, only being used to flesh out the human element in Olav. Her role does become more important towards the end however. Personally, I found Moynahan's acting uninspired and lacking. She didn't seem to really feel the role.

Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke), while not a major character, lent to the credibility of the story. Having the noble good-doer chasing the evil wrong-doer made the movie more interesting, moreso because Valentine is a by-the-book lawman and Olav is anything but by-the-book. Seeing them interact and dealing with the intracacies of the law was quite amusing.

Overall, I found myself entertained and amused. The plot, for the most part, was realistic (despite the authors large lack of knowledge on gun-running) and seemed authentic. All that being said, I was much happier watching in the confines of my living than paying an exhorbanent fee to watch it in the theatres.

Grade: B

Change Sucks Sometimes...

Far be it from to begrudge someone a chance to grow and follow a new path. Lord knows I've done it more than my fair share in the past three years. But, sometimes change just sucks - especially when it involves your best friend.

My best friend has been fed-up with his current gig as a On-Site Manager (means he lives there) of a self-storage facility for I don't know how long. He's always had ambitious goals about changing it, but they've always been either put on hold or not pursued. Well, not this time. He went down to Ocean City (OC), Maryland (MD) and tried out for the summer supplementary police force. As luck would have it, he got in. He'll be a police officer down there during the summer rush (it's a resort-type town for those of you who don't know) and he'll most likely have a good shot at getting on the force full-time if he performs well.

I'm estatic for the kid, I really am. He seems so happy and excited about it. I know the feeling of leaving a job you hate for one that looks promising and rewarding. It's such a rush. What I don't like is the fact that, right now, he only live about 1-1.5 hours away. We can surf, snowboard, and generally hang-out as much as we want. OC, on the other hand, is 5.5 hours away! So much for weekend surf sessions and Sundays at Creek. I'm super bummed out.

Some of you probably know how much I detest the area of the country that I live in. Housing prices are over-inflated, population density is out of control and, to top it all off, I'm surrounded by Jets and Yankees fans! The only two solices I had were A) I live with my lovely, caring, beautiful bride and B) my good buddy was a short car ride away. I'll still live with my wife, but my buddy isn't going to be there anymore. It sure puts a damper on living on Long Island.

So, yeah, change pretty much sucks! I want to be happy for the guy because I know it's what he really wants, and I know he feels the same way about leaving the area (we both are of the quality over quantity mindset with friends), but it's going to be tough to see him go.

I need to start looking for a gig back in Boston I think...yeah, the wife will loooove that one.

Move Review: The Island (2005)

The Island

Ewan McGregor	Lincoln Six Echo/Tom Lincoln
Scarlett Johansson	Jordan Two Delta/Sarah Jordan
Djimon Hounsou	Albert Laurent
Sean Bean	Merrick
Steve Buscemi	McCord
Michael Clarke Duncan	Starkweather

Plot Outline: A man (Ewan McGregor) goes on the run after he discovers that he is actually a "harvested being", and is being kept along with others in a utopian facility.

I had extreme trepidation when starting this movie as A) it's a bit sci-fi for my taste and B) it didn't exactly bowl over theater-goers. I must admit that I was pleasantly suprised with the overall movie. It was a captivating story that seemed far-fetched, but not out of the realm of scientifically possible. The story was told in a well-thought-out manner with the story line developing quite nicely. Some parts were predictable and some were over the top, but overall a solid movie.

The beginning of the movie was a bit confusing as you are thrown into this futuristic world where many of the women are pregnant but male/female 'proximity' is prohibited. It leads one to wonder what the hell is actually going on. The main character, Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor), is shown struggling with his existance and environment all the while being told he's 'special' because he avoided the 'contamination.'

The story evolves as Lincoln explores the outside world and what it holds. The plot turn that explains his existance is a bit interesting, so I don't want to give it away. Needless to say, the adventure that he and Jordan Two Delta (Scarlett Johansson) go on after their escape is what the movie is mostly built on.

Overall a quality, entertaining movie. A little long in parts and a bit unbelievable in others (but isn't that why we go to the movies?)

Grade: B+

Movin' On Up

I had a nice talk with my boss this week. Just a little background - late last week (or the week before) he had asked us for a self-assessment for 2005. Instead of putting my usual 2 minutes of effort into it, I spent a few hours on Saturday actually sitting down and defining accomplishments, goals, and areas that I want/need to improve. Anyway, when I was happy with the wording and presentation of everything, I sent it to him.

In the middle of one of our usual design discussions, he started talking about the future and how my company is trying to make career paths solid and identifiable. It seems as though I'm at the point where I'm almost ready to pick whether I want to go down the management or technical path. After getting a sneak peek at the 'corporate ladder,' it looks as though there is a point where you can cross over - something that's good if you made the wrong choice ;)

But, he has also been, slowly, loosening the reigns on me and letting me go. I like the idea of being able to 'sink or swim' a little bit more on my own. I feel a renewed sense of purpose and ambition here. I think it's just what I need. It's been a crazy week, but it ended off nicely. We got great news (can't say too much, it's not public yet) at work and also set up snowboarding plans for tomorrow. I'm pumped :) Life is good - even if I'm broke at the moment.

Getting Pulled In a Million Different Directions

This week has been crazy - all kinds of stuff pulling at my mind, body, and patience. Here's just a few things that have been pissing me off!

Weather
The weather has sucked, plain old sucked, this week. We had frigidly cold weather this past weekend with about 4" of snow on Saturday (which made house hunting - see below - oh-so-much fun on this past Sunday). But, for the most part, it's been dry and cold. Well, we finally get some percipitation roll in. It's the middle of January, so you'd expect it to be snow right? NOPE! It's freaking rain - and tons of it. As I type this, we've gotten about 4" of rain in the last 24 hours. Now, mind you, we had an exceptionally warm January, so the slopes (most notably Mtn. Creek) haven't exactly been dripping with snow. This storm is not helping them by any stretch of the imagination. Speaking of imagination - could you image what this storm would be like if it was snow. 40" of snow would do wonders to the ski/snowboard economy in the area. I'm just hoping to break even on my season pass at this point.

Working Out & Diet
With the cruise we're taking about 5 weeks away, the wife and I jumped back on the South Beach that we had so much luck with before. It's been two days, and I've already dropped 6 lbs. My body totally responds to this kind of diet. I'm also trying to get back in the groove of working out. So far, so good - although I kicked my own ass yesterday. Too much, too soon - I think. I'm trying to do a combination of weights, cardio, and yoga as a way of training for my main sports - snowboarding and surfing. I'm gonna try to put some swimming into the equation around March so that I won't be spent for surfing - although, I said that last year and it never happened.

Right now, I'm just going through a bit of carb withdrawals, so I'm sure that my mood and petulance for all things before me are partially due to that. It'll all be worth it in the end though as I'll look good and be healthier when it's all said and done.

Podcasts
I've just started looking around and playing with these. I figured they'd be a good way of learning about what's going on in the world while I'm at work - better than having Ozzie blasting into my ears all day long. Not that there's ANYTHING wrong with Ozzie, but learning something here and there won't hurt either :)

Work
I can't wait until this project is done - too much crap and not enough recognition. I don't even way to get into it.

Home Buying
This activity is something we just got into. This past weekend our landlord upped our rent by $60/mo. Now, that's nothing - $15/wk. Totally affordable. BUT, we've gotten to the point where we are sick of paying rent every month in an amount that would take up the vast majority of a mortgage payment. So, we're looking. We attended about five or six open houses last weekend and will do so again this weekend. Long story short, we beginning to define what we do and do not want/need in a home. Unfortunately, we're looking at spending $400k - $450k for a home and putting down, maybe, 5% downpayment. That's sad.

Oh, The Places I've Been..

Wow - September 30th was the last day I posted in here, huh? Amazing. Well, a lot has happened since then and nothing has happened since then.

First off, I finally got new tires for my truck. BF Goodrich Radial All-Terrain T/A KO 31x10.5x15's. Great tire, nice look, and a good price. Due to an insanely high electric bill (A/C, come to find out, wasn't working correctly - i.e. always running), I had to shelve the idea of the M/T wheels for now. Soon though - very soon. I have, however, been able to do other modifications. I bought clear corners for the front and also had some custom door lock pins made up. I'm in the process of refining that design and possibly even exploring the option of making a larger quantity to try selling. We'll see how that goes.

Thanksgiving and Christmas both took place in MA this year - well, Christmas always does, but having Turkey Day with the folks was a nice addition this year. We didn't go to the game, however, because the weather was horrendous. It looks like I'll miss out on the game in two years because my cousin, Greg, will be a senior at Milford High and I'll most likely go to his game. That means that I won't have seen a KP Turkey Day game for six years by the next time I go to one! I've never gone that long.

The New Year has brought a ton of snowboarding! January 13th and I've already got 9 days in. For a weekend warrior, I can't really complain with that. Ris and Court said they want to take a lesson, so we might do that one of these weekends. My annual WICed Fest group trip was another success with 19 of us heading up to Okemo Mountain for three days. There's talk of a trip out west next year - Big Sky in Montana and Whistler in BC tend to be the two leading candidates right now. I've got to get on that.

Other than that, we're pretty calm. I'm looking forward to a week long vacation next month. We'll be cruising the Caribbean. I've never been on a cruise before. Hopefully we'll be buying a house by this time next year and there's even (small, very small) talk of thinking about starting a family in the next year or two :) All good things....