1999 – The Year in Review

Well, it's the end of the year, and the start of a new one; a new century; a new millenium (well actually, if you're a stickler for historical accuracy you could point out that new millenium doesn't actually start for another year – but that would just ruin the whole flow of this first paragraph, wouldn't it?). So, in this spirit (not the spirit of historical accuracy, the other spirit), I too will be starting something new.

After over five years at CBS (the longest I've been anywhere), I am moving on to other pastures (after having pretty much eaten all the grass in my current corner of the world and left it a muddy tract suitable only for pay-per-view WWF events). I am moving on to a start-up company which is developing on-line professional development tools for teachers; hopefully, helping teachers to teach.

The company is currently called Minerva (which is either a goddess of wisdom, or an exclamation heard at a dentist's office - depending on how you stress the syllables). They have some great ideas and are developing some interesting partnerships with educators, researchers, developmental psychologists, technologists, and the American Turnip Growers Association (but that's a completely different story). My job is twofold: make the coffee, and empty the trash. On the side, I will also help the company put together their on-line technology and go to different school systems around the country to help them implement it.

Those of you who know me – aside from wondering about my bathing habits – know that I have always had a keen interest in teaching, and have thoroughly enjoyed the bit of it that I have done. This job seemed like a great opportunity to use the skills I've developed and work at something I really believe in. There's also free donuts on Friday (but that only influenced by decision about 50%. Well maybe 60%. Definitely not 100%).

The transition is starting even as we speak &nash; er – I write. And over the next month I will sort of be working at both jobs. My official last day at CBS will probably be January 1st as I ring in he start of the new millenium parked in front of a computer screen woofing down tortilla chips and popping the cork on a vintage 1999 bottle of Cola des Coca. Wahoo!

Unfortunately, the new job will mean a lot of travel over the next year, but – as always – Sugayo is very supportive (and seems to even like the idea of not having to fight me for the remote control all the time). She continues to work hard both at home and church. Despite last years' scare, her breathing apparatus all seems fine this year. In fact, this year it was Paul's and my turn to have lung problems while on our family vacation (we both caught pneumonia when we went out to visit the family in Michigan and Wisconsin – and this was in the middle of summer!). We all eventually got better and still have great memories of the kids (with the dads helping only a little bit) building gigantic civil engineering masterpieces in Uncle Mark's sandbox (hey, you have to put your degree to work somehow).

Paul entered Kindergarten this year and is thoroughly enjoying it. He continues to hone his LEGO building skills with Star Wars vehicles. He has moved on from drawing pictures to creating whole books of drawings. Need I even mention that he is heavily into Pokemon? OK. I won't. Mayumi, though still in pre-school, assures us that she, too, is ready for Kindergarten. She loves to make up stories and songs and continues to be a font a wisdom. Some of my favorite lines over the last couple of months include: "Daddy, why did you pick us at the baby hospital?". And when Grandpa asked her if she wanted to play Fish, she pondered the fact that he and Paul had won every game the previous day and responded "Not today, Grandpa." Pause. "Not ANY day."

Of course, the answer to Mayumi's first question was that God picked Paul and Mayumi for us and – as every year – He continues to pour blessings down upon us. It's my prayer that he continue to bless you all in the new year and – yes, historical accuracy aside – the new millenium.