Wishlist 2014

Before I begin spewing off things I plan to accomplish this year, I'll take a look back at my wishlist last year and see how I've done.

• Finish my paper for my Asian Literature class on February - March. DONE. I passed.
• Find a way to dedicate at least 40 hours for my current client, who's been too gracious, kind, and generous to a fault. Suffice to say, I intend to return the favor. Not only am I not only doing "at least" 40 hours for my client, but I've also left my current job to pursue a full-time position for current client. It's been a difficult decision on my part, as I have been more than content with my office work for the past two years. I have learned lots of things related to my expertise that I can apply in the future once I start my own business. But great things only happen when big choices are made, and my departure from my full-time job to work for my client is a step towards that direction. Let's just say that my move was worked well for me and my client.
• Get promoted ASAP. Refer to answer below. Technically, I treat my move as a promotion. While there are some downsides on moving away from my previous employers, there are just too many positives with taking my client's offer that I can't ignore. I have more freedom, can do more experiments using different tools for work, and have the trust that I feel I deserve. 
• Be able to help more for my family, in some capacity. Jury's still out. I remember around six years ago that I regularly contribute to the monthly expenses for the household, thus providing financial relief somewhat. Last year, I still felt my contributions weren't enough. I really need to do a better job at managing my finances and prioritizing what needs to be spent first. In some way, and embarrassing as it sounds, I wasn't able to put the family as the top priority. It is understandable to some respect because I was saving money to get married, but I just feel there's so much more to be done on my part.
• (Re)learn German. This one has to be put on hold for now. For my MA, I was supposed to take a foreign language exam as part of the curriculum. However, I just changed my track from comprehensive oral exam to thesis, which allows me to play within my strengths and buys me time to do ample research about the subject I'm more comfortable with. Thus, my language exam has been moved back so I can finish the remaining units of my course.
• Finish my graduate studies, which seems to be an insurmountable challenge at the moment. Not yet. Refer to answer above. In fact, this will have to be pushed at least a year from now. Aside from the language exam which will take one semester to finish, I will have to do at least six months of research and implementation for the thesis I plan to write and present for college. Honestly, and I've been saying this for years now, I'm tired of studying. I feel there's no intrinsic and extrinsic benefit in finishing a course that I only pursued as a hobby and has no bearing with my professional work. If I finish my MA, and that's a big "if," my life goes on, I won't get any raise because of it, and I won't be teaching the subject anyway. It is frustrating since I've almost at the finish line but felt all the passion and desire to finish the course leave from my body. It feels like I'm doing this as a favor for my family, which is fair reason enough for me to finish. Before then, the MA course remains a monkey on my back.
• Purchase a second-hand electric guitar with a fixed bridge. I can't remember the reason why I wished for this. Maybe because I got tired with using a floating bridge which is limited to the tuning you set for it. But this didn't push through for whatever reason. For what it's worth, I did have a tremolo stabilizer installed to my floating bridge, making it feel like a fixed bridge.
• Learn divebomb. I really need it. No. And I don't need it as much as I did. See answer below.
• Write 5-6 songs for the band. I made this wish because the other guitarist, who's the guy responsible for write most of the riffs and songs, lost interest playing for the band we've built for the past eight years. I felt that this was my time to shine and show that I'm more than what they've been seeing from me lately. However, plans changed along the way and I have to put my metal dream on hold for now. I'm spreading myself thinly on my other priorities that everything else suffers. Therefore, I have to cut back on playing in a band. It didn't feel like a compromise at all because the reason I've been in a band was to share the gift of music that was imparted to me when I was young. Music has always been a driving force in my life and playing in a band was my contribution to the world. It is not only something that you listen to for leisure, but a way of life that pushes you to be stronger and think independently Along the way, I've felt being in a band was holding everything back that I believed in music. I was holding the band of the progress they should have been making without me, who just comes in during gigs and leaves immediately after. I was holding myself from doing the things that I should have been doing. It was only logical for me to leave. Rest assured, I will be back playing music soon.

2014 Wishlist

• Save a reasonable amount of money (around six digits) in our checking account by the end of the year
• Get my wife to bear a healthy and beautiful baby on September to October
• Meet all the metrics I've set myself for work this year
• Finish paper for literary theory this February or March
• Relearn German just in time for exam on September or October
• Start thesis composition with a workable strategy starting June
• Buy an acoustic guitar
• Buy a new and better desktop computer