In short, it happened.
To expand:
Professional:
I spent half the year continuing to lead a team working with a dream client, including an absolute bucket list brand within the organization. I’m really proud of all of the work we put out, and more importantly, the team that I helped build during this time. It really energized my love of my role. After some internal changes starting in the mid-summer and further changes as the year went on, I bounced around a bit – spending time as an embedded engineer, co-leading two teams – until finally joining my current team late in the fall. I jumped on a project just as development started and it became a bit of a beast. We launched the site just before the holidays and although there were challenges, I’m extremely proud of my team and how we stayed focused and supported each other.
Personal:
This has been a hard year, especially the past 3-4 months. In mid-January, we said goodbye to our 17 year old dog, Jack. He was my best friend and I miss him every day. We spent time in the Catskills, which has become one of our favorite places, and it was so nice to get outside and be in fresh air. We also travelled to our favorite resort, Finest Playa Mujeres, for some sun and relaxation. It was slightly soured by some health news my wife received and which we’ve since been dealing with, including a surgery. Our dog, Moki, tore her ACL at Thanksgiving and needed surgery. She’s doing a lot better now, but still recovering. Both of these things coincided with the extreme busyness at work, so the past two+ months have been extreme.
Looking Forward:
I’m cautiously optimistic that 2024 will be less eventful for me and my family. While my wife’s health issues are ongoing, we’ll hopefully get clarity about next steps soon. We have two trips to Mexico planned for this year, in an attempt for maximum relaxation. Hopefully we can sneak in some other trips as well.