2016 Year in Review and 2017 Goals

Here's How 2016 Started

As somewhat of an annual tradition, 2016 began with an absolutely amazing meal. I decided to stay home and cook with my Basset Hound Sweetpea. I enjoyed a Petit Filet, Lobster Tail and Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Oil. One final annual tradition: I always have a cocktail or wine from a planned travel adventure. For 2016, that was Australia. I enjoyed a Layer Cake Shiraz from South Australia which was sublime.

I poured a glass of Spanish Cava as midnight drew nigh. They say who you are with and what you do as the New Year starts will be very important to you throughout the year. I put on my Basset Hound sidekick extraordinaire Sweetpea's leash and 'allegedly' carried my glass of Cava down to the local Dog Park. Woof.

My plans are to end 2016 in a similar fashion. I will actually enjoy the same menu. This time a Chilean wine will be on the menu. My new Basset Hound and I will enjoy a midnight walk with Beethoven, LaSalle, Jackson, Kendall, Suzy Q and Sweetpea welcome to come down from the Rainbow Bridge and join us.

My 2016 Goals

I crafted a 3-5 year Life Plan a few years ago. I review my progress quarterly and update it annually. This is based on truly living life and going after what I really want in life. OK, you're probably curious as to what that is:

• I want to live and be present in a spirit of happiness - not from a point to always seeking it through things or some perceived unmet need. 
• I want acknowledgement, validation and appreciation. 
• I want to positively impact others.
• I want to minister to animals.

From the above, I defined goal dimensions, priorities and action steps.

The end result are these 2016 goals.

My 2016 Goals

How Did I Do?

M'eh, a bit disappointing due to factors largely outside of my control.  Here's some highlights.

Complete a Race on Every Continent

I raised much needed funds for Paws Chicago as a charity runner for the 11th consecutive year. I was proud of myself for doing this.

Due to financial reasons, I was not able to complete my 5th of 7 continents.

Explore the World - Spiritual Pilgrimage

Again, financial reasons curtailed my 2016 plans.

Quantitative Software Development

I've honed in on my vocational passion. I am fascinated with exploring data and seeing what it can tell you. I completed heavily quantitative coursework as follows:

• Earned Data Science certificate from The Johns Hopkins University.
• Completed 4 of 6 courses in Machine Learning from U of Washington.
• Earned Financial Technology / Future Commerce certificate from MIT.
• Earned 1364 Hackos by solving over 240 Java programming challenges on HackerRank . 

I know so much more about many things than I did at the start of 2016. Yay me.

Be a Good Dog Dad

Last, but not least - my trusty sidekick for 2016 was Sweetpea was an important aspect of my life. I wanted to really make her a priority. I am happy to say I did. We walked a few miles most every day and went to a local dog park 1-3x most every day as well. She is good company and brings so much to my life. Sadly, she went to the Rainbow Bridge in late July.

I rescued Roscoe from Belly Rubs Basset Rescue. Again, we've walked a few miles most every day. He's such a good boy and I am happy he is in my life.

My Favorite Things in 2016

Here is some highlights of my amazing year.

Best Meals

Casual and Local

Red Square is a traditional Russian and Turkish Bathhouse operating since 1906. My very good friend Tatiana took me there. She speaks the language of her people. I did the full Bathhouse experience. It was Friday when all the Slovaks were there socializing. Tatiana met me for food. Suffice it to say, we had outstanding service and the best food on the menu. It was cultural immersion extraordinaire. It truly deserves favored meal status. I rode my bike there.

Michelin Star Experience Local

The restaurant earned 2 Michelin Stars in 2016. Was there anywhere else that was worthy of my birthday celebration other than my fav neighborhood restaurant Acadia that is also next to my fav dog park? I also rode my bike there.

Casual and International

No travel.

Fine Dining International

No travel.

Best Sports Moments

Most of my sports teams have experienced life-long futility. There did not disappoint.

The Cubs Win the World Series

This arguably could be the best sports moment of my life as a fan.

The Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl

All the Carolina Panthers did was string together a ridiculous 18 game winning streak which is 3rd longest in NFL history. They went 56 weeks between losing a game. They came up one game short of amazing.

My 2017 Goals

So what does 2016 have in store for me? My 2017 Goals look almost exactly like my 2016 Goals. I have just changed the Importance and Urgency of them.

My 2017 Personal Goals

Complete a Race on Every Continent

I am planning on running the Patagonian International Marathon for my South American race.

Quantitative Software Development

I plan to complete my Machine Learning, Probabilistic Graphical Models certifications and earn 7000 hackos in 2017. I also plan to begin using Codewars and earn 1000 kyus in 2017.

Move Daily - More Yoga, Less Running

I am going to make a higher priority of integrating yoga into my life in 2017.

Language Fluency - Spanish

I am going return to Conversational Spanish in 2017.

It's Going to Be An Amazing Year

Long story short, I intend to become more loving. I intend to become more learned. I intend to explore more of this great planet. I open my heart completely to all of these experiences.

I am going to enjoy this ride.

Mississippi Musings... Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blues

The Great Migration... in Reverse

Muddy Waters' House Mississippi Delta

My Sweet Home Chicago Blues Garden

Beginning in 1916 a metaphorical conflagration of bugs, wars, floods, depressions and agricultural machinery drove many African Americans to emigrate from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago for better work opportunities resulting in the South Side of Chicago being considered to be the Blues capital of the USA.

Flash forward to 2016 when a South Side Chicago boy and his beloved Basset Hound Sweetpea made a decision to depart from their home a mere block from the former site of Chess Records and emigrate back to Clarksdale, MS. for a life altering summer of adventure, soul searching, helping others, rescuing a second Basset Hound, preparing to run a road race in Chile for PAWS Chicago and completing a MIT course in Future Commerce.

I have found bugs, flood remnants, economic depression and agricultural machinery aplenty so apparently come things stay the same.

Regardless, the most interesting question of course is "How did you get there?"

Short answer - I wanted to shake my life up. 

Longer answer - Despite having both a Nuclear and Financial Engineering degree, an MBA-Finance, Chartered Financial Analyst designation, Data Science / Machine Learning experience and considerable technology skills, I seem to find myself drastically underemployed much more often than not.  I was paid well but just not engaged, nor fulfilled professionally. Well, an extremely accomplished, smart and talented friend of mine offered me a very interesting opportunity to come on down to the Mississippi Delta and shake things up, give back to the local community and accomplish my other summer goals - you know, adopting a second Basset Hound (Roscoe) and running another marathon in Chile for PAWS Chicago.

It seemed much more intriguing than doing a CCAR Stress Testing assignment at a local Chicago bank.

So let the shaking up commence.

It's an adventure y'all. And yes, I've decided to get the band back together..... otherwise known as to write about my experiences and share them with you on my blog.