Happy new b'ak'tun!

(or, I looked up stuff on Wikipedia to jazz up our "end of the world" conversations and party a bit)

I'm in Cleveland for the holidays and it is nice. My feeling mildly out of place here in Cleveland serves only as a counterpoint to how well I am settling into place in Pittsburgh. How well is everything firing on all cylinders? My job, fellow students, advisor, professors, house, roommates, new friends, old friends, and lady friend are all wonderful. It's been a whirlwind, but I don't think I could have hoped that it would all turn out this well.

And dang, it's gone so fast I am afraid I will forget it all. This semester, I (and I mean this in the spirit of reminiscence and not boasting):

- laser tagged like a champ

- looked at birds

- been told not to look at birds

- worn a garbage can

- danced much more frequently than previously

- DJed for expert crepe makers

- passed a test to DJ on the radio again

- went to Ubicomp in Pittsburgh, Quantified Self in Palo Alto, UIST in Boston

- struggled through helping make, then demonstrated to the founder of Adobe, a faceboard

- made a website

- made so much Indian food my roommates got sick of it

- made a bunch of Friendship Drinks

- threw furniture into a fire in our backyard

- got yellow carded for "verbally intimidating" soccer opponents

Whah! Among others. It's been a good end of the b'ak'tun. Here's hoping that you're settling in equally well, wherever you are; and if not, here's another bit of hope that if you've not yet found a good niche, you will eventually. Thank you for everything, I have no complaints whatsoever.