just bought our tix to winter music conference. we’ll be chillin poolside in miami from 3/22-26, catchin rays and cool beats from the best dj’s in the world. i can’t think of a better getaway. i haven’t been out of town since burning man!
this is “the list” of events - last year there were 281 event listings, with 1782 artists and DJs performing over 6 days.
it’s been a year now at my job, and i think it’s safe to consider it officially a good move. i was really tentative about it at this time last year…a job offer from yet another small unknown startup, right as i was coming off 15 months of unemployment and with 3 failed startups in my past. not to mention i’d just moved back to nyc, and if it failed i’d have to find another job really fast considering the cost of living here.
i remember questioning them a lot about their finances, and they said things were strong (as they all do) - but these guys had existing customers to back it up. turns out they were telling the truth, as 2004 turned in 150% revenue growth from the year before. since joining, it’s been non-stop ‘trying to keep up with all the business.’ and then there was the acquisition by our new fortune 500 parent company (which provided a payout exactly when i needed it in my home buying process).
though we’re part of a large corporation now, things have hardly calmed down. the goal is 100% revenue growth this year. and though we’ve doubled in size since i joined and are hiring as fast as possible, we’re still only 100 people.
i feel good about where we are. our group is 5 people strong, and we’re hiring at least 2 more immediately. i’ve proven myself on large projects, so there’s no more of the new hire ‘i’ve got to prove myself’ feeling. there’s a good balance between the amount of responsibility i have, and the amount that i want to have. i’ll be content for some time exactly where i am, as a senior member of our group.
it’s been a month now, and there hasn’t been a day that my body isn’t sore. but the level of soreness has evolved…from full-body, hardly-able-to-move pain in the beginning to more of a subdued level now. now it’s a ‘good’ soreness.
class is 3 times per week, so the day off in-between is just enough to recover. in the beginning it was too much, but now i’m feeling up to it every other day. class is 2 hours long, plus a nearly mandatory 1/2 hr of stretching beforehand (starting class cold is a bad, bad idea). it’s pretty much non-stop, repetitive practice of the postures and forms, with about 3 stretch breaks (where the stretching can be so intense that it’s not much of a break at all).
right now, i can hang with the main class for about 20 minutes before they get to the more complicated forms that i haven’t learned. beginners retreat to the back room where we practice on our own for about an hour, then more advanced students come to help us and teach us new moves. meanwhile, the main class continues at an insane pace. i figure it’ll be at least a few more months until i can do the whole class.
class is great. i like profusely sweating for 2 hrs. i like the focus on stretching - my hips and lower back especially, which i’m paying more attention to than ever. i like that there’s no socializing or chit chat, though there is plenty of cheering, shouting, and vocal support. the kung-fu is good.
|
|
my inner nerd |
|
