FOUR. YEARS. LATER.

I cannot believe it's been over FOUR YEARS since my last update! 

Given that it's February of 2021, I think it's OK to chalk 2020 up to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  But what about 2017—2019, you ask?  

*welp*

Let's take inventory of the highlights, shall we? I must note that most of these don't really count toward the Top 20 in 20...

• 2016 — Mostly #1 Take Photos of Top 20), #8 Climb a Huge Mountain (maybe), and #14 Get (Another) Master's Degree
• July: Last update posted. At the time I was waiting to hear back about my MBA program and guess what? I got in! 
• Also, July: Visited Iceland with my Cousin. While playing on a glacier then descending into a Glacier doesn't count as #8 (Climb a huge mountain range). I feel like it should get honorable mention...don't you?
  
  See our IG hashtag #iceicebabyroadtrip for all the photo highlights! 
  
  
  
  
  

  

  On the Glacier
  
  
  

  

  Into the Glacier

  
  
• August: Started the program and did opening residency and made friends.
• September–December: A blur, but I guarantee it was something like Work. School. Repeat.
  
  
• 2017 — No Top 20 Action, but enjoy these memorable highlights, instead!
• Still in MBA program
• April: Checked out the Infinite Kusama exhibit with my college roommate before she jetted off to Germany
  
  

  

  Infinite Kusama Exhibit with JME - April 2017

  
  
• July/August: Returned to Korea for the first time since I was stationed there in 2003–2005. And get this...one of my battle buddies from that time was stationed there when I visited, so I got to SEE HIM! Visited Vietnam for the first time.
  
  

  

  Korea - July 2017

  
  

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  Vietnam - July 2017

  
  
• September: Got some ink (aka a tattoo!) after some deep spiritual messages & interconnects in Korea, Vietnam, and Germany
• October: Girl's international trip takes us to South Africa! Check out our tag for this one: #wpbg03travelssa
  
  

  

  South Africa - October 2017

  
  
• Also October: Changed companies!
• December: Welcomed my twin nephews to the Earth
  
  
• 2018 — #14 Complete...again! 
  
  
  
• January: Welcomed my godson to the Earth
• June: Wrapped up MBA after an April Capstone trip to Liberia!
  
  

  

  Graduated from Georgetown University with my MBA

  
  
• October: West Point milestone reunion
  
  
• 2019 & 2020 — No Top 20 Items. To be honest, in 2019 and 2020, I just worked...ALOT. I did manage to squeeze in a handful of good trips...
  
  
• In 2019, I went to the Bahamas for my birthday and Singapore for NYE. 
• The Bahamas trip happened about a month after the Hurricanes, so we were able to take 4 suitcases of donations from Bahamian Red Cross Wishlist and deliver them to the islands affected—so maybe this was like #16, lite: Champion a Cause?
    

  

  September 2019 — relief items hand carried to the Bahamas

  
  
• Singapore was cool bc I got to meet up with one of my Georgetown Classmates who was visiting her parents who resided there. 
  
  

  

  Singapore Dec 2019

  
  In 2020, I managed to get to Mexico and Jamaica (for the first time!) before COVID-19 put a screeching halt to travel. I met my cuzzo in Mexico for her birthday and met up with my bff to see her grandmother and celebrate Gal-entines. 
  
  

Which brings us to today, more or less. February 2021. I started a 6-Month Sabbatical from work and dusted off this blog to see what things I need to accomplish before I go back to work and which things I can make progress toward! But we'll save that for a dedicated post!

Until then...Adventure On!

>{KJ}<

The Instant-Gratification Monkey and my Semi-Annual Update!

Well, well, well...here we are again.

Admittedly, my trigger to update is 1) bc I am giving in to my "instant gratification monkey" and am procrastinating and 2) a message I received on a "Wait But Why" update (more on that in a bit).

Seriously though, this Wait but Why blog (next to the Scandinavia and the World Comics) is one of my prouder internet happen upons that I share early and often with those I meet! The writer prides himself on substantive web content and I've got to admit that the blogs are thoughtfully written and almost always hit the nail on the head.  How does any of this equate to an update on my own blog, you ask?

Get this:

Wait but Why is doing an event in real life called "Wait but Hi" bringing their readers together to do fun things that they have in common in real life.  AH-mazing, right? Read more here.

So no kidding, there I was, completing the survey hoping to be a participant and one of the questions was "what's on the top of your bucket list"...and I thought to myself *I dunno, let's go see...!*

And then...I realized I hadn't updated in a while and figured that I would.

Here we are.  Updates in 3...2...1....

I have none. Ha!

However, here are some interesting events that have occurred or are pending:

• I got promoted at work last year.  Pretty exciting and scary at the same time -- lots to learn and grow from. It happened the same weekend we hosted our customers at the PGA Championship Golf Tournament
   
• Last year around the time of my updated post, college gfs and I revisited my old stomping grounds in Dubai for a girls vaca!
  
  
• I will visit Scandinavia, specifically Iceland in two weeks with one of my cousins.  We will rent a tiny car and commence our #IceIceBabyRoadtrip and drive around the country getting into as many shenanigans, making memories and leaving with as many stories as possible in 7 days. Woot!
  
  
• Whilst a PhD is still nowhere in sight -- my boss recommended that I get my MBA.  Have applied...interview is next...awaiting final decision.

That's pretty much it. 

Procrastination.

Procrastination complete.

Until next random update trigger -- ADVENTURE ON!

>{KJ}<

Yearly Update! Ha.

I suppose this is the rate of my updates and progress against my top 20!  I am now tour (4) years into this endeavor. Whoa!

So what's new?  Let's see...

#14 - Get a Master's Degree: COMPLETE!

On May 15th 2015 I graduated with a Master's of Science in Systems Engineering from THE George Washington University. Graduation was beautiful. The backdrop: The Washington Monument in Washington, DC.  Tim Cook was the Commencement Speaker and I showed up in full character and got to be the standard bearer (for no other reason that I VOLUNTEERED to be the ring leader)!

Pics TBP.



#16 - Champion a Cause: INITIATED

A classmate and I have decided to start a social venture called Athena's Shield: www.athenas-shield.org

Our vision is a world where all women are confident, empowered, and inspired to create a positive impact across the globe

More to follow, but we have goals to host a workshop and get going by the end of the year...

That's all for now, folks!

Adventure on.

>{KJ}<

Top 20 ~ Item #14: Get a Master's Degree -- COMPLETE

Coursework complete: 8 NOV 2014

Diploma received and dated: 1 JAN 2015

Commencement activities: 15 MAY 2015


I am officially a holder of the degree: Master of Science in Systems Engineering from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. I originally had zero plans to attend the school graduation—you know, the one where your name is called and you get to walk across the stage and have people in your life cheer for you?

Yeah.

I had plans to bail on that for more "important things", such as the Old Gray rugby alumni weekend! It looked something like this:

• Friday - Drive up to West Point for Alumni Weekend, hang out for social 
• Saturday - Watch alumni rugby match, Pick-up BFF, head back down to DC
• Sunday - Attend Commencement Ceremony w/ keynote.

I planned to drive up Friday night, then drive back down on Saturday night in time to be rested for the much more exciting University Commencement held in front of the Washington Monument on the National Mall.

Welp.

When you tell your mother that you have no plans to give her a reason to be a proud mom and cheer for you (and each of your fellow Cohort members) you *quickly* change said plans.

Plans changed to:

• Friday - School of Engineering Ceremony
• Saturday - Drive up to West Point for Alumni Weekend, Pick-up BFF, turn back around and eke out 4 hours of sleep, wake up in time for...
• Sunday - Big Commencement Ceremony w/ keynote: Tim Cook (CEO of Apple)

And another year bites the dust...

Yet again, no regular updates.  Surprisingly, however, some progress on the top 20!

Let's see what's happened in the past year in terms of the list!

Well, we know that with my "able" surgery that numbers 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 are physically not possible (FTR "able" is common typo that my smart phone generates for the word "ankle" and I quite like it!).  I have been able to get closer to three of my other items - notwithstanding the fact that I decided to add them to list at the present point in time.  This leaves only three empty TBD spots to go on my list!

#14 {Added} : Get a Master's Degree -- In August of 2013, just a week after my return from Dubai, I started an accelerated program in pursuit of a Master of Science in Systems Engineering at the George Washington University.  I decided on this particular field of study to balance the programmatic management skills I currently possess with more technical knowledge and activities. The intent is to prepare myself for increased responsibility in the management and oversight of more complex systems, projects and / or programs.

#15 {Added} : Get a PhD -- What can I say?  The academic bug bit me and for the first time post-West Point, I was a great student again and quite enjoyed it!  I recently got accepted to the PhD Project and will need to step up my game on the GRE and get my applications completed before 1 DEC.  Luckily, I have three most-excellent professors from my master's program who are willing to write letters of recommendation. Oh! I designed a T-Shirt for my class to commemorate our graduation.  Woot!

T-Shirts I Designed for our Class Graduation

#16 {Added} : Champion a Cause -- For those who know me, I love supporting a good cause.  As I enter what my friends and I affectionately refer to as my "Jesus year" -- a nod to the age of Jesus when he made his biggest impact on the earth -- I think it's about time that I start something that matters to me, champion it, and make an impact...more to follow.

#17 {Added} : Visit Space or Mars -- So yes, I am an applicant and Round 2 Finalist for the Mars One Human Settlement. I will continue on the application path until the point in time where it either becomes a reality or is no longer a viable plan.  In pursuit of the path, I was recently interviewed by a reporter for the Washington Post.  I shared an email with her that I sent to my family with the "why" of my application to the program.  So here it is:

"...Ultimately, I am most excited at the possibilities on Mars and what it means for human life on Earth and our limited resources.  I am excited at the possibility of starting something new...coordinating with Earth to develop this new planet, and the impact that it might have in years to come.  

I've started something new before -- the women's rugby team at West Point.  This weekend I rang in the new year with a graduate from my ten year class who didn't know the academy without a women's team...who showed me how important that team, the values we created still matter and have evolved and are attributed, even a little, to the caliber of leaders that graduate as members of the team.  Of course I understand that these two things are drastically different, but I'm focusing on the core similarities: I along with my fellow settlers on Mars can attribute to creating something new...be it a creed, constitution, or something else.  It will grow slowly, but it will be something new and has the potential to be a significant impact to the world...universe as we know it. 

Call me crazy, but if it means being in the ranks of the explorers of the new world and those who traveled to the moon, then I'll gladly be labeled as such!"

If you're interested...here's a link to my Case Study on the Mars Mission... Slides & Paper.

Well, that's all for the update!

Adventure on!
>{KJ}<

*Ermagherd* Here I am, ANOTHER year later...

Well, I am now WOEFULLY behind on keeping up with this blog.  I vow to do better this year, in just over one  month I will only have 18 years to check off my list!

My last post was July 31, 2012.  On August 4, 2013 - I returned from living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for ELEVEN MONTHS.  I will update the accomplishments in detail, BUT here's a summary of my progress:

#1: I have some pretty choice photos of the entire Dubai experience to include visits from 8 friends / family and a few of my own {mis}adventures

#6:  While the continents of Asia and Europe have both been explored by me previously, I've upped my country count to 17 countries paying visits to Germany (Heidelberg & Frankfurt), India (Bangalore& Kerala - Alleppy), Sri Lanka (Colombo & Kandy) and Malaysia (Serembam & Kuala Lumpur). 

Germany

India 

Sri Lanka

Malaysia

 #9: I "snowboarded" at the world's ONLY indoor ski slope.  Well, you know, I took lessons and even got my first snowboarding injury.

#10: Completed a tandem jump in Virginia, ground school in Dubai along with 9 jumps toward my AFF (Accerlerated Free Fall) and several wind tunnel sessions.   

#11: Organized a 72km relay run in the Mountains of Hatta (City of Dibba in the Sultanate of Oman) - completed 15km total and raised $2,000 for Team, Red, White and Blue while we were at it.

#13: Does it count at all that I took the guitar ALL the way to Dubai and back?  A, for effort? No?  Well, just before moving to Dubai, I did take about a month's worth of guitar lessons and started to learn how to play Soak Up the Sun; Three Little Birds; and Dog Days... 

I'll conduct a more in depth recap in the days to come.  I'll likely be plotting my next exploits as well!

Adventure on!
>{KJ}<

Top 20 ~ Item #1: Get Awesome Camera, Learn How to Take Awesom Pics - Status: In progress...

This past Sunday I went on a photo field trip with Fernando, from Chimpsy, and seven other eager photogs.  We met up at Union Station where we had an hour of lecture on how to use the camera's features, followed by an hour of time outside putting theory into practice.  Below are my outcomes - enjoy!