Turning Pages of 2012

Today is the first day of 2013.  2012 is officially over.  The New Year’s party at Sarah and Derek’s new house was fun-tastic.  We had a great time with great friends.  It was a nice way to wrap up the year.

2012 was fruitful.  We moved into our Crownwood house on February 29.  Crownwood is my parents’ retirement home, but we are looking after it for them for now.  Because of the space of Crownwood, Anya and I decided to host home stay students.  I was once a home stay student and benefited plenty from the program.  Giving back seems like a nice thing to do.  Plus, I like learning new things from other cultures.  Wael, Alex and Billy have all been awesome students.  We’ve been very lucky.

I started my new position at the Ministry of Health as Performance Management Analyst on July 23.  Working as a performance management analyst is very different from being an information analyst.  I don’t need to do any programming any more.  Instead, I need to analyze the data my previous branch produces and turn them into meaningful reports and diagrams.  My director, Juanita, has also assigned me a research task on holistic health system monitoring and measurement.  I’m hoping my masters thesis on systems thinking and integrated care will be helpful to my new job.

In the fitness department, I finally quit my group class instructor job at the Ian Stewart Complex.  I still remember that it was Monday, December 3.  I walked out of the ISC building after teaching my last TRX class.  I felt sad.  I have been working there since 2003 from a Strength Trainer to Personal Trainer to Group Fitness Instructor.  I will miss that gym.  It was my stomping ground as a fitness instructor.  I chatted with Amy, my supervisor, about my situation and finally quit my job.  Amy didn’t try to convince me this time.  She knew I wanted an end to this career.  Amy had convinced me to teach group fitness classes after I tried to quit as a personal trainer back in April.  I saw the value in teaching fitness classes, so I agreed to take on the challenge.  Spin classes and TRX circuit classes had been fun, but they are very time consuming and distracting to my study.  I really need to focus on finishing my thesis.

Other things happened in 2012 that are worth mentioning are:

  • Chris and Anudeep’s wedding on August 5 in Toronto
  • Liona and Barry’s wedding on August 18 in Victoria
  • Dragon babies: the Martins (Koen), the Stretches (Lila), the Wongs (Iyla), and the Ungs (Sarah)
  • My basketball team, Hammerheads, got our first championship in December in the VSSC league
  • My first participation in Tough Mudder
  • Also first participation in Movember
  • Anya got laid off from UVic

I’m excited about 2013.  I hope I can achieve the following goals:

  • Finish writing and defending my thesis
  • Read six books: three fictions and three non-fictions
  • Travel more with Anya

Bring it on, 2013!