Hello!

This year has been pretty crazy. I started the year looking for a job and working on the theater at TKA, spent the summer looking for a job and finally landed at Scalix.

As I prepared to put this letter on the web, I realised that it was very self centered -- it is all about me! In the end, I decided that this page is supposed to be about me and what I did/felt/thought so that you have an opportunity to get to know me better. Truthfully, I don't know why I made this section so long. I guess that most people will stop reading just about now because they are distracted by the grass growing! Well for those who like a challenge read on!

Details: I started the year spending loads of time working on the theater at The Kings Academy. I project managed the installation of a new lighting system and new sound system. I did a lot of the work myself, managed contractors and managed the expenses to a budget of over $175,000. The goal was to complete the renovation in time for the spring musical - Music Man. The play was a smashing success and all work was completed on time and on budget! Although I spent tons of effort on this, I had the time of my life.

After that, I settled into a job-search routine. One thing about this semi-retirement was that I really became relaxed. I would take time to do things that I never did before. Little things, like keeping my car clean. Or investigating the chemicals in the mosquito fogging the county was doing in our area. Also, I played the drums a lot and got invited to play with James Garcia about once a month at PBCC.

By now, I was very open to lots of different kinds of opportunities. Lynda and I discussed the possibility that I would take a cut in pay to do way different jobs. If I continued the type of work I was doing at TKA, and she got a job, we might be able to survive but we would limit our ability to save for college or retirement. We prayed a lot that we would get some direction as this was literally a life changing decision. Yet, we were confident that if this were the direction the Lord took us, that it would be for the best.

I can't say that I got a clear answer to that prayer. Instead, I found that my job search efforts were turning up nothing. Absolutely nothing. By mid-summer, I was getting pretty discouraged. So, I started studying for the Project Management Professional exam, and took on a few small jobs thinking that maybe this was where I was being led.

Suddenly, in late July, I found myself talking to 6 companies! Eventually, I decided on Scalix. I started on 9/11. Similar to Garp's attitude in "The world according to Garp" when the plane crashed into his house, I figured enough bad things happened on that day already.

However, at the end of my 7th week there, two out of three of my local reports announced their resignation! This was a heavy blow and, ultimately, resulted in my having to spend significant amounts of time to get Scalix Release 11 out the door. One of my areas of responsibility is the web client which is an AJAX application. The good news is that I was able to roll up his sleves and dive into the code. I enjoyed this but would rather have kept the original team members.

I was very nervous that with Lynda starting her job, Travis moving back in, ALex being a Senior and Ricky learning to drive that things around the house would get pretty out of control. Forutnately, the last quarter went very smootly (if not quickly!)

Well, thank you for reading about me. On the whole a roller coaster type of year but it ended well. With next year being a lucky '7' type of year, we are all looking forward to what the year will bring!

May it bring you blessings and good fortune.

RayB

(BTW, the song you are listening to is from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. In fact, much of the music on these pages is from them. Music used without permission so please don't copy it and sell it to your closest billion friends!)