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So what have I been up to for the past year? I am glad you asked! 2013 has been an eventful year, with much more traveling than I expected, plenty of work, opportunities to see many friends and family members, and a chance to make some new friends along the way! I hope you enjoy a glimpse of what I have been up to over the past twelve months.

After returning from Ohio in early January, I settled back into a “normal” routine. In February, I finally found a futon as the last component of furnishing my apartment. Also in February, I was involved in a minor accident, which, although I was not at fault, provided a unique (and a bit harrowing) experience of dealing with such events, including utilizing the services of a friend who happens to also be the owner of a body shop in the area.

Spring brought the opportunity to barefoot waterski again this year. I am very thankful for the opportunity to ski about once a week so soon after entering the workforce, and the practice I had during the spring allowed me to compete again over the summer.

I flew back to Ohio in May for my brother’s high school graduation, visiting family and friends while there. In June I made a quick trip down to Los Angeles to work for a few days and visit with several friends and co-workers. This was the first time I actually felt comfortable navigating the highways of southern California, making it nearly to Anaheim for lunch one day and over to Pasadena as well. This trip was followed by a quick journey to Indiana in mid-July for a wedding, visiting friends, and a chance to have lunch with my family!
In late July I drove up the Pacific coast to Washington state for the Western Barefoot Waterski Regional tournament. This was a great chance to get away from the city and see skiers I had not skied with for several years. I camped for the duration of this trip, enjoying the opportunity to drive back along the Pacific Coast Highway from Washington all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Golden Gate Bridge from Marin Headlands

The first week of August found me in Ohio yet again, skiing with family and joining extended family for a cousin’s wedding. On the way back, my brother Matthew joined me for the Barefoot Waterski National Championships, held in Lathrop, California, this year. We helped out in various capacities both during and after the tournament, and I reprised my role this year as co-Chief Video Manager. Matthew and I were able to explore the Bay Area some after the competition; although I have been out here for over two years, there are still many areas I have yet to visit.

Traveling to Indiana

October found me back in Indiana for Homecoming at HU, also visiting my sister Katie in her role as an admissions counselor there. My parents visited while I was there, and since my youngest siblings both attend another school in northern Indiana, it was a great opportunity to see them all again as well. I also had the opportunity to visit friends who were freshmen during my senior year of college, and it is hard to believe that they are in their senior year already.

Alumni Plaza Brick

The first week of November brought me back to LA for a surprise visit from Steve Leeper, one of my college animation professors, who was in the area for a conference. Unfortunately, I missed Jesse Nelson and Pete Molinero by a day, as they were in the area for the conference, too. One of the great parts of living in a highly populated area is that people actually want to visit for various reasons, which provides opportunities to visit with those who live in other areas of the country. While in LA I worked for a couple of days from the main DWA studio, and I was able to catch up with many co-workers, including Daniel Evans who recently started working at DWA and who lived in the same dorm as I for three years in college.

I spent Thanksgiving in Ohio, having a Sunday-after-Thanksgiving dinner with my dad’s cousins and families, whom I have not seen for a year or two. Seeing this side of the family was a primary goal for visiting during Thanksgiving this year rather than at Christmas, and it was great to be able to see everyone. I then returned to California for the rest of the year, only making a quick trip up to Sacramento for a lecture from my old boss at Jellyfish Labs, Phil Vischer.

Christmas was spent in California this year, Skyping with my family on Christmas morning and going back to bed shortly after as I had been out late the night before. I have enjoyed volunteering at church and running computer graphics for services twice a month or so, and I was excited to assist with a total of eight Christmas Eve services this year, even though it made for a very early Christmas morning talking with my family, compounded by the time difference.

Turbo Cake

I am still working at DWA, on a team that manages renders and various resources. I received a “Shrek” statuette commemorating my 1-year anniversary in the spring, and have had several opportunities to work on projects that have helped me to learn more about the tasks involved in production management at the studio. I have also assisted with a couple of small programming side-projects aimed at streamlining my team’s workflow. DWA released two movies this year, “The Croods” and “Turbo,” and my mom was excited to see a headband with Turbo’s eyes on it that light up. Oh, and to see my name in the credits as well.

I did not really know what to expect from 2013. 2012 was a year of transition and learning, getting up to speed with a new job and learning about a new area. In 2013, on the other hand, I ended up focusing more on becoming even more familiar with the area that I live in and expanding my knowledge of operations at the studio. 2013 was also a year of travel, visiting many friends and family members. Looking back, I cannot believe how many trips I ended up taking, which has reminded me of my love for traveling, of seeing new places and exploring new sights. I hope to travel again next year, as well as continuing to expand my knowledge and professional experience, and we will see what 2014 has in store!