2012: A Year in Review

It turns out that as you get older time really does fly faster. This year went by in a blink of an eye.

Accomplishments:
Took the LSAT in October.
Graduated in December.
Started working part-time at a law firm.
Started dancing ballet again.
Became the Social Media and Customer Service guru for my dad's car washes.
Got a story published in a literary magazine.
Voted (again)

It's not of a list that I would like, but many of my big long term projects were completed. Overall, I feel pretty good about it. I also think that 2013 will be another big year. I really want to focus on taking care of myself. I really let myself go this past year. I want to refine, and mature while working towards my goals.

1. Become a better extreme couponer. It doesn't count if you leave your coupons at home when you go to the store.
2. More ballet. More yoga!
3. Decide something about my career.
4. Write more.
5. Read more.

So here's to the next year always being better than the last.

Crafting: Etched Wine Glasses

For the second year in a row, I've done etched wine/drink glasses as gifts. I must say they look awesome this year. I wanted to create something unique, but also something that I know would be useful. Behold, the first names of the receivers written in Chinese, etched onto wine glasses. It came out so well, that I was thinking of selling a set on Etsy, but then I saw how much of a cut they take.

Both of these glasses took me about 4 hours. Drinking an energy drink prior to etching is not recommended. Right now my head is spinning with ideas for my next project, including ocean themed items.

If you are interested in purchasing a personalized etched wine glass with your name written in English or Chinese. I'm charging $25.00 a piece. Shipping is included, but it definitely won't get there before Christmas. No refunds.

A Treatise on Tragedy

The tragedy of life is in what dies inside a man while he lives - the death of genuine feeling, the death of inspired response, the awareness that makes it possible to feel the pain or the glory of other men in yourself. - Norman Cousins

Like many people, I'm trying to wrap my mind around the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. Suddenly, the third-wall of tragedy broke, and everyone feels vulnerable. It's never a bunch of child molesters or bad criminals that get killed en mass, instead it's the most innocent. People just going about their daily lives.

There will be many debates in the future. Some will say that more guns are the answer, others will say that they are the problem.  I don't think that there is an answer, because the root of the problem is not guns. I believe that tragedies happen because people have lost touch with humanity.

How many times a day do we all avoid contact with people.  Some of us are forced to, but how many of those those interactions are genuine? I know that I am guilty of text messaging or emailing as oppose to calling. Avoiding eye contact with strangers. I find that I'd rather troll the Internet than going out. Others find joy playing video games and only interacting with others who are also playing in this cyber universe. With more technology making the world smaller, it is also isolating us.

I get that statistically these events are overall are rare, but I foresee an increase in tragic events because people no longer understand other people. Without those physical interactions, strangers become objects. Other people's feelings and emotions are just background noise. And sometimes fantasy can blur with reality.

Tonight, President Obama said in his call to action that "To end them [tragedies], we must change." Obama and many others mean to change laws. People clearly do not always follow laws. I think to end tragedy, we must change the world culture. We must remember that we are not alone. We live in a world with others. We may not like the other people, but they're still there. We must learn to be tolerant and sympathetic. We must learn to listen, and to understand the struggles of others. Only then, can we truly end the hurt.

We owe it to each other and to our future kids to try to stop these tragedies from happening in the future.

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I am amazed by the stories coming from Sandy Hook. Stories of heroes and the people who lived their lives so passionately. I am sad for the families and I hope that they will all find peace.  I spent a lot of tonight reading about the people and children who died. Victoria Soto was my age. I am struck by her beauty and her bravery.

Jessica Rekos was 6 years old. This blog entry is dedicated to her. I find myself instantly drawn to this girl, for her smile, her leadership ability, and her love of orca whales. RIP Jessica and all the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary.

Thank you speech - Graduation 2012

Today is December 12, 2012, and I am graduating from Valencia College in Orlando, FL with my Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies. Despite already having a Bachelor's degree, I wanted to go back to school, to pursue what I thought, at the time, was "my bliss."  I learned so much along the way and worked so hard. My commute to and from school was an hour both ways, three times a week after work. Now it is done. There are many people to thank that helped me along my way.

First,my family and friends. You all were my support network. No dolphin can swim without their pod, so it was very good to have one that was always there. I was absent for so many things, and had to sacrifice so much time to pursue this degree. I am just glad that no one thought any less of me during my self-loathing stressful moments.


Second, my employer who has always been generous with providing me a flexible work schedule.  Also having the benefit of tuition reimbursement and a strong support network in my office, always encouraging me to do more. My co-workers have been my idea boards and my stress-relief.

Next, my car. Oh Nissan Sentra, you have shuttled me back and forth to school and work, then back again, without fail. We've traveled over 30,000 miles in the past two years. You've been my shelter - providing my a safe place to sleep, to wait, and to study. My kitchen, my closet, and at times, my dumpster. We nearly died a couple of times on I-4, but you never gave up until we got home safe.

My teachers and mentors. I didn't realize what a strong network I had until these past few weeks, with my mid-mid life crisis. I've learned so much and am humbled with the knowledge and guidance bestowed upon me. I have grown in maturity and professionally.

Katie Lewis - We started this crazy journey together, literally driving around East Orlando, because of a Yahoo article that we read. I am glad that we can help each other and motivate each other.

Finally, my classmates. We have been through this together, it was hard. Even going to BU, I was so sheltered from the struggles that real people faced. I've learned a lot from you all and hope that today's class is not the end of some of our friendships.

So, thank you all for your support. I feel like I accomplished a lot. While I do not know where my path will lead next, it is safe to say, that I would never be anywhere or move forward without all of you.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom: Clever Operations

Facts: Walt Disney fans love to collect things. People like free things. The Magic Kingdom tries to reinvent itself frequently. Disney is always at the forefront of technology.

Given all these facts it is no wonder that Disney created this card game. It's a mix between the old Kim Possible (from Epcot) meets Pokemon. Guests wishing to play sign up for Free at the Firestation upon entering the Magic Kingdom. You're given a Key Card and a set of five playing cards per person. After a brief introduction you are sent on your way.

The Plot:  Disney's villains are doing something bad in the Magic Kingdom. It is your job as the sorcerer to use your magic cards to stop them.

Once you begin you are sent on your way to find your first Portal. The Portals are located in each of the Magic Kingdom lands, except for Tomorrowland. The technology is quite fascinating. The key activates the Portal, either by QR code, touch, or magic. You watch the screen for the plot and are prompted to use the cards. Then you are sent on your way to the next location. Overall the game take hours to play.

From an operations standpoint, it is an interesting way to manipulate crowds. I'm sure it's not manipulating too many people, but since there are so many combinations and locations, the game can move people to less crowded areas. I found myself running from one side of an area, all the way back to another. My feet hurt.

When you add the Disney factor to anything, you have die hard people. I found a lot of them today. People who "professionally" play this game. We saw people with binders of cards, traveling alone, just playing. There are unofficial trading locations where people gather to trade cards. There's even an underground economy, where people buy these cards on eBay. Right now, the highest price card on eBay is going for $999.99. So, apparently, it's a big thing.

John and I felt like n00bs using the map to find the Portal locations. A number of times, people just told us where to go to get us out of the way. Despite playing for five hours straight, we did not finish the game. I cannot say that I am "hooked," it's not my thing, but I will definitely go back and play this again. It's good for kids to keep them occupied, but I would not pay full priced admission to run around the park all day.

Interesting concept. Fascinating subculture. Only in Orlando.

Orlando Science Center: The Crosby Observatory

John and I decided to have a date night and visit the Orlando Science Center's Crosby Observatory for SkyWatch.

I never been to an observatory in Florida, but spend a lot of time staring at the sky when walking the pup at night. Being an Aquarius, I also have a natural fascination with the stars.

As a former OSC volunteer, I love the dedication to education the science center offers. The observatory is on the sixth floor and features a powerful, 10-inch lens refractor telescope.

Upon exiting the elevator, guests encounter a board with the rising and setting times of each of the planets and the moon. Planets come into view at night depending upon the season. Tonight, we were scheduled to see Jupiter. We were immediately greeted by a very knowledgeable OSC volunteer. (I regret not remembering his name). He took us up a spiral staircase to view the telescope. After a brief introduction, he pointed out a bright spot in the sky. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is one of the brightest objects in the sky right now.  We peered through the lens and saw Jupiter with its red and white lines very clear. We also saw four of its moons lined perfectly. We had a very in depth conversation with the OSC volunteer. You can definitely tell how passionate he is about space.

Next we went out to the patio. Not only does it have an amazing view of Downtown Orlando's skyline, but more OSC volunteers set up smaller telescopes for additional viewing. Unfortunately, a thick set of clouds rolled in and we had to cut our trip short. I definitely want to return in the Spring to see Saturn.

I highly recommend SkyWatch to astronomy enthusiasts. It makes a great date night location and also gets points for being highly educational. Admission included access to the rest of the Science Center too. 

SkyWatch occurs on Fridays and Saturdays on the first and third weekend of the month. Weather permitting. The cost of admission after 5:00 PM is $23 for adults and $16 for youth (ages 3-11). Student discounts available. 

Sweetwater Car Wash Baby DJ Marketing Plan

 
Goal: To gain 100 toy donations for Baby DJ toy drive from December 8 through December 20, 2012.

Materials Needed: Two large boxes, signs, wrapping paper.

Cost: 2-4 hours of labor. No monetary costs unless there is a need to supplement the lack of participation. 

Action Plan: Contact charity to receive logo collateral and details.  Place one box at each car wash location within the secured waiting room. The boxes will be marked with signs and decorated with wrapping paper. Printed signs posted in public locations. Gain publicity by updating with Facebook  and other engagement opportunities. Deliver toys on December 20th or December 21st to the warehouse location.

Challenges: Limited time frame. Saturated market in Ocoee. 

Catching 2012. Moving to 2013.

It's totally true, the older you get, the faster time flies. I did not do a blog of my 2012 New Year's resolution, but I can say that I met a lot of my goals and learned many valuable lessons. I set the bar high in 2012, and I think I met my expectations. Here's some awesome news: 

• Graduating next week with my A.S. in Paralegal Studies. Oh and I'm bragging that I won the Lambda Epilson Chi for highest academic record. AKA 3.99 GPA. Normally, I would not toot my own horn, but I worked so hard. I slept in my car, I never missed a day of class, I worked two jobs, I paid my way out of pocket without financial assistance. I did what I needed to do, and settled for nothing less. I did this because I know what happens when you don't give 100% percent. My first degree was given to me, this degree I earned.
• I took the LSAT and got a 149. I blogged a lot about my struggles and what I needed to do to get where I thought I wanted to go. When I took the LSAT with almost a year of preparation, I knew going in that I was not where I wanted to be. I received a 149, which is better than I anticipated. By the time I received the score my priorities changed. I need to find out what makes me happy.
• I also think I grew up a lot. I received a lot of helpful feedback and took advantage of the amazing network of people that I have around me. I've always said that each person needs someone to invest in them. I found a bunch of great people. I hope to give back, someday to. 

With that I'd like to unveil by 2013 goals:

• Back to basics: Find out what makes me happy and do whatever it is. I do not want to think anymore, why him or her and not me? This past year proved, that I can do anything I want, if I allow myself to enjoy and be brave. I need to figure out what I want, in order to move forward. 
• As always, read more. 2012 was sidetracked by practicing for the LSAT. I managed to read 12 books, but mind you the Game of Thrones series is ridiculously long. 
• Gain more experience in Social Media/Marketing. This is beginning of my next master plan. More details to follow. 
• Write more fiction. I started the first chapter of my book. I realized how lame it was so I stopped. But since the characters are still in my head, I should just finish it. 
• Take better care of myself. I'd like to actually use conditioner on my hair. Sleep more. Eat better. Exercise more. The better I feel about myself, the easier things will get. 
• Balance. I need better balance in my life. Less crazy person, more normal person. Look out for the mature, graceful, calm, less excitable, refined Kim. Not that I was not any of these things before, but I need the best in me to actually come out when it's time. (This will be a challenge in my current workplace that almost encourages this behavior.)
• Be nicer to Johnny.
• Motto: Inspire others by leading in a positive manner.