Bon Anniversar!

Today is my birthday - the perfect time to quickly reflect back on my 30-something years of life and see what I accomplished. Over the course of time, accomplishments feel too few and far between, but unfolded on a few lines in a blog, it might look like a lot more. I'll only account for milestones achieved in my adult years. (why include the blue ribbon prize at the State Fair?) 1989: Dedicated my second year at university towards learning German and winning a scholarship to study overseas. 1990: won the scholarship and moved to Germany for a year. 1990 - 91: learned German, traveled Europe, and found my true calling. 1992: Passed my GSAT and got accepted to graduate school. 1993: Graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Arts, Minor in Business. Started Business School. 1994 (spring): Got my MBA and MIS and launched a recycling program at my university town. 1994 (summer): Road tripped to California where I lived on the beach and recovered from grad school. 1994 (fall) - 1996: Road tripped across the US again. Moved to Washington DC to work on a Pentagon program to get rid of nuclear weapons in the Former Soviet Union. Also helped kids in underprivileged DC neighborhoods with programs like midnight basketball. 1996: worked for the US Olympic Games in Atlanta and Athens, Georgia. 1997: Started with Microsoft Dynamics (formally known as Great Plains). Began their US consulting group and lived in Boulder, Colorado. Taught myself how to snowboard. 1998: Lived with a Cuban family in Havana to learn more about the country and it's people. Fell in love with the place. 1998: Traveled to the middle east for the first time. 1999: Moved to London, UK, to launch Microsoft's European based consulting practice. 2000: Expanded consulting practice across Europe, traveled to Venezuela, and countless other places. 2001: Expanded practice to India and the Pacific. Visited Viet Nam and many more places. 2002: Met my best friend and future husband. Traveled to China, Australia, and across the US. Launched my first business, Orbit8 Wireless, in London. 2003: Expanded business, taught myself a new world of technologies and got our first clients. 2004: Business growing even more. Branched out in more consulting practices. Traveled around some more. 2005: Got married in Bali. Introduced the in-laws and had a great party in the US. 2006: Excellent opportunity called us to the US. Started business State-side and made it through a really tough year. Which brings me to present day. And it doesn't stop there. I have some fantastic ideas on how I can expand on these valuable experiences in ways that will benefit others across the globe. My goals are trivial, but nothing worth while is.