2009: Year In Review

This was an especially productive year for me in several ways, which is interesting.

There were a few setbacks - for instance, the Peace Corps were entirely too full. It's strange because the week I was told this, I watched a TV news report in Gainesville how, with the current recession, the number of applications for the Peace Corps among young professionals had jumped by 60% in the past months. I damn near had a heart attack!

But that was short lived, as it always pays to have a backup plan: my application to graduate school at Florida State came through over the summer. (That reminds me, I have to swap out the buttons...)

I'm right now in my second semester getting a Masters of Information Science with a concentration in Web Design and Database Management. I may, after giving the matter some thought, switch to the School Librarian track, to create some synergy with my educational certification.

In further news, I am proud to announce that I have lost, at present, over 45 pounds since August. As an undergraduate and in the working world, I did gain some weight...a result of bad sleep schedules and studying and so on. But now that I'm a little freer now, I've been able to exercise and cook for myself and enjoy salads.

One of my resolutions was to get under 200 pounds again by the end of the year, which was achieved recently (not so bad for a 5'11" guy like me). This is just the beginning of course.

Finally, my good friend Mark Romero and I have been talking about writing some open license adventure books for his roleplaying game company, Fahrenheit Games. I actually am not entirely sure what I can say here, except keep watch!

There's something else on the horizon...something big...but no need to jinx it by mentioning it here early. Stay tuned!

The Legend of Julian

I don't like to use this blog to talk about myself, an activity I always thought was self-absorbed, however, this time it's important and significant enough to mention.

First, you might have noticed there are more updates than normal, as the school year has wrapped up.

Second, the Peace Corps responded to my application. The good news is, I've been nominated to a program in Eastern Europe to teach the English language. Right now I'm in the process of doing my health, dental and psychological forms. Their background checks did turn up a few little gremlins, but nothing I'm terribly worried about as entirely significant. The good news is, I will probably be shipping out thereabouts the end of summer. After that, I'll promise to spend part of this blog with updates and photographs from my new location.

My ride in the Weinermobile

In January, when I get my teacher's certification, I'm leaving either to accept a teaching position with either the Peace Corps, or a "roadless" school district in rural Alaska (depending on who responds to my resume).


You'd think that fulfilling one lifelong dream (teaching abroad) would be enough.


Oh, no!


This year, I got to actually ride in the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile!


A dream since I was six years old. The current spokesperson for Oscar-Mayer is Magaly Estrella, a good friend of mine and an FIU student, so the Weinermobile was at the FIU parking lot.

For those that have never been in the Weinermobile, it was incredible. The whole inside had that new car smell. The interior was brilliant red and yellow, like a box of french fries, with rich airplane-style leather seats. You're even higher up than on most Grayhound buses; the windows are huge and panoramic, like a fighter plane. Even the glove compartments are sculpted to look like hot dog buns!