Status Report

Work - After floundering for the last couple of months, I feel like I'm finally starting to get my groove back at work. We are currently working on a service pack for a major release which means that we are primarily in bugfix mode. It's not always the most exciting work, but I'm starting to cruise through my buglist, and I was even able to sneak a renegade feature in while noone was looking :)

This is also about the time that we start working to design the next major release of the product. This is something that I'm usually pretty excited about, but I've been having a tough time getting into it this time around. I think that it's because we have recently hired a full time usability guy that is now responsible for doing all the fun parts of the design work that I used to enjoy doing; like mocking up screenshots of new features. We also did so much design work for the last release that we could practically take all of our leftover ideas from last time and turn them into the feature list for the next release.

Finances - I've heard from several sources now (one of them very reputable) that bonuses this year are going to be slightly less than they were last year. Although I'm always glad to get any sort of a bonus, I'm still kind of bummed. I think it's mostly because I heard several weeks ago that bonuses were going to be better this year than last and my expectations had been elevated. My expectations were also a little higher this year since I feel like this year more than any other that I've worked here, that I really busted my ass and went above and beyond the call of duty to get things done.

I was hoping to use the money to make the final payment on my student loans. Yes, I was one of those irresponsible people that borrowed way more money than I needed to go to school. Oh well. Even in the worst case I should have the loans paid off in the first couple of months of 2006. I'm kind of pumped for two reasons: (1) It's going to feel awesome to know that my education is finally bought and paid for and (2) It will free up $1000 a month for fun money; and trust me, I've already thought long and hard about what I can do with an extra $1000 per month :)

Fitness - As of this morning there is nearly 70 lbs. less of me than there was 6 months ago. I never could have imagined that I would have this kind of success. Yet, despite all my success, I'm still not happy with where I'm at. My next goal is lose another 5 lbs. by the end of the year and then another 25 over the next 3 months. I haven't a doubt in my mind now that I will be able to pull it off.

However, I have kind of hit a temporary brick wall lately. I've been hovering within a couple of pounds of the same weight for the last couple of weeks now. It's frustrating because I feel like I'm working out harder than ever and I haven't significantly modified my eating habits. One possible explanation is that I'm not dropping weight because I have been putting on muscle mass as the result of stepping up my weightlifting over the last month or so.

I am currently spending an hour on the exercise bike 5 to 6 times a week in the morning (running at about 75-80% of the maximum resistance) and spending an hour lifting weights 4 to 5 times a week at night. I know, it's nuts. But I feel great. Although, I have to say that I much prefer the spring and summer months where I could get my exercise through outdoor activities instead of being holed up in my basement.

Adventure - It's been way too long since I've had a good adventure. Discounting the time that I've spent with Holly lately (which may very well qualify as adventurous), I think that the last minor adventure that I went on was when I climbed (most of the way up) Spanish Fork Peak, and the last major adventure that I had was Barcelona.

This weekend I hope to find some adventure out in the snow. I'm thinking of doing either some snowshoeing or some cross country skiing. One of these days (real soon) I'd like to try downhill skiing but it doesn't quite feel right for this weekend. I'm thinking that I'd like to take a weekend sometime and head down to Brian Head Ski Resort in Cedar City to learn to ski. Their rates are reasonable and I've heard that the slopes are much less crowded down there.

For next weekend, assuming that there is enough snow by then, I'd really like to head down to Bryce Canyon National Park and hike the rim in the snow. I stopped by Bryce Canyon earlier this year with Owen and Kim and the red rock formations look almost surreal blanketed in snow.

In the longer term, I'm planning a snowmobiling trip with a bunch of guys from work up in West Yellowstone. We are planning for the last weekend in January. I can't wait. I was up there a couple of years ago with Dale and Bethany and had a blast. It should be twice as much fun though with a group of rowdy guys (well, as rowdy as a bunch of Software Engineers get anyway).

Christmas Plans - Unfortunately it looks like I won't be able to spend Christmas in Milwaukee with Holly like I was originally hoping. Her schedule over that week is such that it would be an inconvenient time for me to visit. Oh well, hopefully we'll get a chance to see each other sometime in January.

For a fleeting moment, I had considered hopping on a last minute flight to Hawaii for the week. But then I looked into the price of last minute flights to Hawaii over Christmas and had second thoughts. I might have still considered it if my bonus had been really spectacular but it looks like that's not going to be the case. Sorry Mom :(

Ironically, I may end up in the midwest anyway over Christmas break. I was talking to my buddy James last night and we tossed around the possibility of getting together for New Year's. James currently works in Milwaukee during the week but then goes home to the Twin Cities on the weekend. So, if the plan comes together, I may end up flying in to either Minneapolis or Milwaukee.

Whatever the case, I've decided that I don't want to be in Utah for New Year's this year. I don't think that I can take another alcohol free New Year's eve. Although now that I think about it, I got pretty shitfaced last year; Montri's family came down from Colorado and I tied one on with his brother and sister. That was fun :) Montri's sister, Missy, spent the entire next day puking her guts out. She should have known better than to mix pink champagne and Thai whiskey. Silly girl.