I saw in 2009 with my boyfriend. It was just the two of us. We were just moving in together “officially” (yes, I had been in Canada a really short amount of time for that to happen – long story) and we were sorting out the apartment. We drank some champagne and went swimming. It was nice.

Fast forward  a year – last night we threw a huge party, over 40 people came. When it turned midnight I was jumping up and down on the roof with a big group of people. It was awesome.

A lot can change in a year. At the start of 2009 I was, in many ways, going back to the beginning – the two girls I’d been spending time with had left Ottawa. I didn’t really know that many other people – perhaps a result of taking three courses and working, and falling in love.

I didn’t know a bunch of people at last night’s party before they came. Those I did know, the vast majority I met in the last year. I’m sure with this is a sign of more great people entering my life in 2010. I’m excited about it.

What did I Achieve in 2009?

2009 was quite a year for me, personally it was the year I settled in and felt at home in Canada. It’s brought a ton of great people into my life. I’m very thankful for that. I also:

• Worked in Shanghai
• Had a curriculum I developed taught across the US and in China
• Figured out what I’m researching, and did the bulk of the work for my first paper (to be submitted in January, hopefully)
• Had something I made go viral (over 100 tweets) – with my conversation networks!
• Stretched myself by TA-ing in French
• Gave the Holiday Science Lecture
• Started using Twitter and blogging, finally built my website (now I typically get over 200 hits a week – this is awesome!)
• Became President of WISE, and was part of the team that got it moving
• Has 6 posts featured on Brazen Careerist
• Went to Japan, Berlin and Boston
• Started going to tech events and meeting new people outside university
• Ran introductory Java and Processing Workshops in Wave (more to come in the new year)

Planning 2010

I don’t really go with resolutions. I think clearly defining goals and planning to meet them is more effective. So I’ve drawn up some goals that I’d like to achieve this year and defined some of the steps that I think will help me meet them.

Goals

Get a Great Job

• Get an appointment at the careers service to go over my CV
• Send it out to tech people I know and respect and ask for feedback
• Ask people I’ve worked with to recommend me on LinkedIn (if they’re comfortable with that)
• Ask people for recommendations for companies to apply to, and referrals where possible (already started on this)

Get a Paper Published

• Meet with supervisors to talk about what I have so far
• Incorporate suggestions
• Submit paper, and hope it gets accepted

Graduate

• Determine how much more work I need to do.
• Do it.

Create More Stuff

• Get together with other people, Processing Jam next week is a good start
• Make time for the things that are would-like-to rather than must do.

Be in Better Shape

• Go back to kickboxing
• Work up to 3 times a week
• Organize transport, and take ski instructor job
• Cross-country ski
• On days I haven’t exercised, force myself to put on my swimsuit and walk to the pool before I go to bed (inspired by this post by Penelope Trunk)

Be More Balanced

• End my week on Friday, so I don’t frantically try and complete things over the weekend.
• Ski at least one day at the weekend (during the season)
• No working after dinner, use that time to stay current (blogs, twitter), exercise, play wii fit, spend time with friends, or relax.

Make More Time for my Boyfriend

• Regular date night
• Watch movies that he wants to see
• Hug him more

Random Aspirations

• Be More Awesome
• Write an e-book
• Go somewhere new
• Do things that scare me (previous things – TA-ing in French, Holiday Science Lecture, moving to Canada)
• Do something awesome (previous things – working in Shanghai, moving to Canada, qualifing as ski instructor, training in martial arts in China)
• Take every opportunity
• Learn, every day