Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008: The Year in Review

In keeping with RSS tradition, i felt that it was only right to look back at the year. Review my highs and lows, my victories and failures, and highlight anything else that took my fancy during 2008.

My highs of 2008

FOWA London 08
My first tech conference. It was a great experience. I met a lot of people that i would never have met otherwise. It also gave my twitter account a reason to exist. However, the best part of it was being surrounded by other people that knew what i meant when i said something, and more to the point, said things that went completely over my head. Part of me would like to go to the miami event, however not sure if i can slip it in given my workload.

Netro 42
Having been locked up as ASP programmer, i have to thank the folks at Netro42 for letting me break my professional PHP duck. However thats not the only reason that i enjoy it, it also gave me a chance to work with a smaller (not quite startup) company, and see what that is like. Best of all i got the job via facebook!

The return of a friend
One of my best friends had changed over the summer of 2007. Don't quite know how to describe it, but they were different. Anyway, when they returned to uni in 08 they had returned to their old self. It was like getting a whole new friend.

A New friend
Sure i met loads of people during the course of 2008. However some stick out more than most. This year that person was Yasmin. Don't know why, but we just get along really well. Like my other friends i'm blessed to be able to meet nice people.

Fulham/ Jimmy Bullard and Roy Hodgson
Amazing, simply amazing.

Working with Non-Brits
Thanks to FOWA, i got to work some nice guys from holland. Unfortunately our project, an iPhone application hit a snag, and won't be rolling out anytime soon. But it was one of my long term aims. I'm now really considering moving abroad to work.

Chinese Speaking
Ni Hao, wo shou zhongwen! Never thought that would happen, but it did in 08.


My Lows of 2008

Amit going home
This was a sad moment, just because he had been a constant character while i've been at Uni. Part of me felt responsible for not trying to help him more. But hopefully his absence won't be the end of our association.

Looking for work
This sucked. Full stop it sucks, ultimately it had a positive outcome. But during the search it sucked.

Wanting to leave uni
After returning from the summer break, i felt that uni had run it's course. Having tasted the big bad world, i wanted more. Maybe it was the paycheques going to my head, or maybe it was something else. But after moping around, and being told i'm a fool by most people i decided to stay, and look i'm writing this post now ^_^.

Some of my standout moments of 2008
  • Tunde smashing a window when manchester united won the champions league.
  • Quickly followed by a random guy dancing and screaming in our house.
  • Being mistaken for a homeless person
  • Helping Joel home after a messy evening envolving a bottle of rum
  • Meeting Lorenzo Barbosa
  • Working on the Kings Road, Ahem, Chelsea Ahem, West London Ahem.
  • Spending £80 on a coat, never thought i would see the day
  • Not buying a single piece of tech this year, although not without trying (thanks expansys).

Overall 2008 has been good to me, the lord has been good to me. Despite my attempts to mess things up via over thinking, and who knows what else, i'm still alive and well.

Targets for 2009
  • Travel
  • Go to China/Hong Kong
  • Start making some damn software already
  • Be slightly less boring (seriously)
  • Get closer to God
  • Learn another language
  • Read more
  • Speak my mind more
How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg?' The answer: `Four, because calling a tail a leg does not make it a leg'
One of Abraham Lincoln's favorite riddles

I love high brow quotes as much as the next guy, but it wouldn't be the same without some of my favourites from the year...

"Chamonsters" - Yasmin
"All Right, Dear Diary, Jackpot" - Family Guy, Tunde, Josh, Jai
"Wee Ooh Wee Ooh Wee" - Lil Wayne, Ms. Officer
"Manage Expectations" - Any office anywhere
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