All good things must come to an end.........

Just a little over 15 weeks ago, I sat down to my first lesson in the intensive Java Programming course that my company had enrolled me in. Back then, the obstacles and learning curve ahead us was simply frightening. But with a lot of perseverance, and a few late nights reading text books and examining Java code, I have graduated! On Friday, our graduation ceremony was held at a restaurant in downtown Cleveland. The entire program was considered a huge success and myself and the other 11 graduates can now walk tall knowing that we are able to crunch out Java code. It is rather sad, as I will miss the other 11 participants. We compared it to being on Survivor - taken away from your usual workspace - and placed in a class room setting for 15 weeks. We were family, facing the unknown together! But now, as we return to our workplace, some going home to Albany, NY, it is unlikely that our paths will cross often. I wish them all huge success in their careers!


After the grueling program, Liesel suggested that I celebrate my graduation by buying myself a gift! SO I went out in search of a Nintendo Wii gaming system! These consoles are hugely popular and it was 4th store I tried that had some stock on hand! For those of you who don't know what a Wii is, it is a unique gaming system where the controller senses 3 dimensional movement. So rather than just sitting on the couch pushing buttons, the Wii requires that you actually imitate the actual movement. For example,if you are playing a golf game, you need to do a full golf swing, holding the game controller in your hand as you go through the motions. Liesel and I got a good workout as we played doubles in tennis, a round of golf, and a game of (10-pin) bowling! Needless to say, I have been staying up late (or early in some cases) as I have been trying to improve my Wii skills ;-) I would love to know what people think when they drive past the house at night and see me swinging away at my TV.......



Our Saturday was mostly raining. In the morning we just hit a few shops and spent the majority of the day indoors. When there was a slight reprieve in the weather, Nathan and I hopped on our scooters and spent some quality time on the driveway pursuing one another, while Liesel tackled some weeds in the garden. Later that evening we relaxed and enjoyed one of the latest DVD's.

Sunday's weather was completely the opposite to Saturday's. There were no clouds in the sky, as the sunshine warmed up North East Ohio. We went to Church and then bought an absolutely delicious rotisserie chicken for lunch from Boston Market. That evening we headed to our Bible Study, where we celebrated our leader's 40th birthday! Happy Birthday Tom!

Tomorrow marks the beginnings of a couple of things for me. Firstly, I start my new position, as a Java developer, and join a new team! And secondly, my Spring beach volleyball kicks off!