2016 Update
Jan. 4th, 2017 12:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
devilsrobot2016 sucked for just about everyone, so I won't bother rehashing how upset I am about the election or loss of celebs that I admired. Discounting all of that, on balance, 2016 wasn't a bad year, personally. Here's a list (in no particular order) of things that happened in 2016:
I enjoy picking up new skill sets (in the past it's been stuff like lock picking, card magic classes at the Magic Castle, photography classes, and learning some advanced cryptography stuff), so I taught myself how to do some basic coding for the Arduino as well as learning how to solder. With that information I was able to cobble together some neat electronics projects. I also built an arcade game emulator out of a Raspberry Pi (no coding or real skills needed for that, though). I even learned how to do some basic computer network penetration testing using a Linux toolset (also took Linux classes). All fun stuff, and some of it with actual value. :)
Our cat, Abby, passed away in August. Carly had let her outside in the morning before work and a coyote managed to jump our backyard wall and got to her before she even knew what was happening. Thankfully, the coyote ran when Carly tried to scare it off, so we were able to recover her body and have her cremated. I was absolutely devastated, as she had been my friend and companion for almost 7 years. We now maintain a small shrine for her with her ashes and paw print upstairs.
About two months ago my boss surprised me by letting me know that the company had conducted a salary review for my position,determined that I was being underpaid, and that, effective immediately, I was to receive a 20k salary increase. We've always had a pretty good degree of financial freedom, but this increase has really opened up some nice opportunities for us. I've only been with the company for a little over 3 years now, and already I've gotten a substantial promotion and doubled what I was making with my previous employer. I couldn't be happier here.
C was thinking of leaving her position as a forensic specialist with her department and getting a job with the city. She's been unhappy with some of the conditions at work and being on-call so often. She went through four interviews with the city, passed her background check, and was ultimately about ready to accept the city's offer when her Captain at the PD offered to improve conditions for her. I think that she's much happier that she doesn't get called in for minor crimes now and I'm grateful that she didn't take a job that would have meant a significant reduction in salary and moving in to what was going to essentially be an entry-level position.
In addition to all of this, we've really settled in to our new home and neighborhood. We've become good friends with many of our neighbors and they're now our "go to" when it comes to socializing. We hang out, brew beer together, go out for drinks and dinners, host game nights at our respective homes.... A total 180 from living in Pasadena where we didn't know a single soul and *hated* the people who lived next door. It's so nice to live in and be a part of an actual community.
So, while 2016 didn't exactly redeem itself it wasn't entirely awful, either. I'm looking forward to seeing what 2017 brings.
I enjoy picking up new skill sets (in the past it's been stuff like lock picking, card magic classes at the Magic Castle, photography classes, and learning some advanced cryptography stuff), so I taught myself how to do some basic coding for the Arduino as well as learning how to solder. With that information I was able to cobble together some neat electronics projects. I also built an arcade game emulator out of a Raspberry Pi (no coding or real skills needed for that, though). I even learned how to do some basic computer network penetration testing using a Linux toolset (also took Linux classes). All fun stuff, and some of it with actual value. :)
Our cat, Abby, passed away in August. Carly had let her outside in the morning before work and a coyote managed to jump our backyard wall and got to her before she even knew what was happening. Thankfully, the coyote ran when Carly tried to scare it off, so we were able to recover her body and have her cremated. I was absolutely devastated, as she had been my friend and companion for almost 7 years. We now maintain a small shrine for her with her ashes and paw print upstairs.
About two months ago my boss surprised me by letting me know that the company had conducted a salary review for my position,determined that I was being underpaid, and that, effective immediately, I was to receive a 20k salary increase. We've always had a pretty good degree of financial freedom, but this increase has really opened up some nice opportunities for us. I've only been with the company for a little over 3 years now, and already I've gotten a substantial promotion and doubled what I was making with my previous employer. I couldn't be happier here.
C was thinking of leaving her position as a forensic specialist with her department and getting a job with the city. She's been unhappy with some of the conditions at work and being on-call so often. She went through four interviews with the city, passed her background check, and was ultimately about ready to accept the city's offer when her Captain at the PD offered to improve conditions for her. I think that she's much happier that she doesn't get called in for minor crimes now and I'm grateful that she didn't take a job that would have meant a significant reduction in salary and moving in to what was going to essentially be an entry-level position.
In addition to all of this, we've really settled in to our new home and neighborhood. We've become good friends with many of our neighbors and they're now our "go to" when it comes to socializing. We hang out, brew beer together, go out for drinks and dinners, host game nights at our respective homes.... A total 180 from living in Pasadena where we didn't know a single soul and *hated* the people who lived next door. It's so nice to live in and be a part of an actual community.
So, while 2016 didn't exactly redeem itself it wasn't entirely awful, either. I'm looking forward to seeing what 2017 brings.
