Saying Good-bye to 2010 and Hello to 2011

In 2010, a lot has occurred. 

1. Straights As for first time in college
2. Got admitted in to DAAP
3. Got a new job
4. 3 years with the girlfriend
5. Had my first car accident
6. Volunteered with the Tarbell for County Commish Campaign
7. Lost 50 lbs
8. Started biking
9. Started running
10. Spent my first New Year's Eve party outside the house.

It was a great year overall. I accomplished a lot: had a few setbacks and a few firsts. 

For 2011, there are going to be a lot of changes in my life. I'm going to be graduating from college finally, and I'll be shoved headlong in to the working world. With that comes having to pay back student loans, being completely independent from mom and dad, and the uncertainty of the current job market. Elyse and I will also be moving. I really want to live in OTR, but we'll see... 

2011 is going to be scary, but I have a few goals I want to accomplish in the next 12 months.

1. Get more involved in my community - I live in CUF, but will be moving in August. I want to get involved with a community council and activism. There are a lot of good things happening in Cincinnati, and I want to be a part of it.
2. Network - I want to use every opportunity I have to network with new people and reach out and get involved with the things I am passionate about.
3. Post on this blog at least 5 times per week - This one will be tough because school is going to be busy this winter quarter. I also need to complete this full website and put up my full portfolio.
4. Lose 20 lbs - This is last bit of weight I want to lose. I want to have it off by March. This will make my total weight loss 70 lbs, from 220 to 150. 
5. Complete my "30-by-30" list - Elyse and I are working on compiling lists of the 30 major things we want to accomplish before we turn 30. We're both turning 25 this year and have absolutely no idea what we want to do with the rest of our lives. By putting these lists together, we hope to at least know want we want to do in the next 5 years.
6. Travel - I want to go to Chicago (never been) and Phoenix. My sister lives in Phoenix, AZ and has been bugging me to go visit. 
7. Get a full time job - I'd love to have a full time job right after I graduate in my field, but I know the chances of that are relatively low. But I'm definitely going to try.
8. Bike over 4000 miles this year - I love biking, and I've seen larger part of the city from my bike seat this past year. I think 4k miles is an ambitious but achievable goal.
9. Run as many 5Ks and 10Ks as I can - I've found a love for running, so I want to maximize this as much as possible.
10. Learn to dance - I'm thinking salsa dancing, maybe some ballroom-style dancing, swing dancing; I want to know how to dance when the opportunity arises, feel confident, and not look like a fool on the dance floor. I know Elyse will appreciate this one. 

I'm looking forward to a new year with new opportunities, challenges and rewards. 

My Favorite Things - In Pictures!

I figure I should do a photo-list of some of my favorite things. Some are in Cincinnati, some are back home. All the pictures were taken over the last few years with my Canon point and shoot. Enjoy:


Animals:

Shelly - 11 years old. My favorite Calico. She's at my parent's house

Caley - 6 years old, I think. Also at my parent's house. I'm her favorite. When I'm at my parent's house she never leaves me and sleeps in the bed with me.

Ozzy - 3 years old. At the parent's house. Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The MOST energetic dog ever. And I'm allergic to his slobber.

Death Ray - 5 years old. My old roommate, Nick, and I got her when we lived on Euclid with some other guys. When she was a kitten, she would dart around the house and up and down the stairs. The name came from the fact that she seemed like she would take out anything in her path... like a death ray.

Maddy - 3 years old. Had her when Nick and I lived together. Two years ago, I gave her to my grandma. She is now much fatter.

 Plants (One of my new-found passions is horticulture):
             My mom's gardens:

           Krohn Conservatory:

Cincinnati: 

Downtown

West End and Queensgate with Union Terminal featured

Western Hills Viaduct

Fountain Square

Carew Tower - Where I currently work on the 28th and 29th floors
AND my beautiful girlfriend, Elyse

 New York City:

Chrysler Building from Empire State Building

Cincinnati in NYC

Grand Central Station

Church... can't remember which one now. St. Patrick's?

Hotel from Home Alone 

 Other:

BEER!!

Elyse at her 24th bday at Murphy's Pub in Clifton Heights. <3

I love urban 'ruins' - I spotted this in Eden Park.

Old Cincinnati Water Works building in Eden Park. I believe this building was the control building for the old reservoirs that were next door in the park.

Old retaining walls from the previously mentioned retaining walls.

Old wall that contained the lower reservoir.

Detail

This photo reminds me of something one might find in Rome or Greece.

Union Terminal - a beautiful art deco building. Formerly was the major train station for Cincinnati. Now houses the Cincinnati History Museum, Natural History Museum, Children's Museum, Cincinnati Historical Society, Omnimax Theatre, and Amtrak station with 3 day-per-week service with the Cardinal. Maybe someday we will see real passenger rail service return to this grand building

View from inside the rotunda. 

Nipper Stadium - one of the oldest college football stadiums in the country. Home of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats Football Team... and the Bearcat Bands