Happy New Year

Here it is, 2005. I guess it's appropriate to do a little retrospective on '04 and take a look at what to expect out of '05.

This time a year ago I had just completed the last course in the CFP curriculum and was gearing up to spend the next two and a half months studying my butt off for the comprehensive final exam. The first quarter of last year is pretty much a blur since all I did was work and study. It paid off though, the results of the two-day, March exam were posted in late April and I was among the 56% to pass. Yippee!

A guy from a big Wall Street firm started calling and, after a few meetings, he convinced me that I should set up shop in his company's Oakland office. So far, so good, but I have set some pretty lofty goals for myself and I'll need to be pretty focused in the new year.

Mrs. THC decided last summer that her four-year hiatus from corporate life was getting a little old and she might like to stick her toe back in the water. She enjoyed the time she spent building her coaching and counselling business but maybe it would be fun to get dressed and leave the house to go to work. She found a great part-time gig with a private investment firm as their marketing director and is having a blast. She still has time to run her own business but she also gets to show off her marketing prowess for some folks that really appreciate having her around. I predict she will have a really fun and rewarding new year.

My old friend Bill Bloch died last summer after a fairly short bout with cancer and he will be missed. But the several visits back to KC due to his illness and death helped me reconnect with some friends and schoolmates from way back. We're looking forward to my high school class's 30-year reunion this summer. Whoa--that's a lot of years!

Mrs. THC and I were in bed asleep last night long before midnight. It's the only New Year's Eve we can remember that we weren't awake to welcome in. Oh well. Maybe it's a metaphor for launching the new year well-rested. Happy 2005!