Lots going on in the coming days/weeks/months...really, far too much to mention in a single blog post (especially here). Summarizing...
-Macworld Expo next week: wow, so much going on during Expo this year that I'm seriously wondering whether I'll actually be able to make it to everything (on time, at least). Unlike past years, this time I'm actually (more or less) on a schedule for the entire week, Monday to Friday; between Lightroom training, the Stevenote, meetings, parties, and even a shift at the Apple Consultants Network Tech Assist booth (which I'm really looking forward to, actually), I'm going to be busier this Expo than I've ever been - and that's a good thing, believe me!
-Leaving for Japan: this is coming up quicker than I realized. Among other things, before we leave the East Coast for good, I've got to figure out what to do with my car -- the most likely scenario being considered involves yet another cross-country drive (my fifth) with a one-way flight back to Norfolk. While I very much enjoy visiting home, I much prefer the 'not having to spend eight hours a day in the car' option; in any case, it most likely can't be helped, especially if I want said car to be in decent condition when I (eventually) return to the States. At least I won't be bringing (too) much with me this time.
-Going into business: I'm looking into starting my own consulting and tech support business, primarily based around Apple hardware and software solutions. There are some unique challenges I'll have to overcome, however, before I can actually get this off the ground, one being location: I live on an aircraft carrier, and for the forseeable future (about the next half a year or so) the crew itself would be my primary client base. As-is, there is a small but slowly growing Mac user community aboard the USS George Washington, and in my short time aboard I've been frequently questioned about various aspects of the Mac and iPod families. Another challenge is the lack of reliable Internet access aboard the ship; many aspects of performing technical support or product research require having access to the most up-to-date information available, and the de-facto source of such information is, of course, the Internet. Having limited access to that invaluable resource could potentially make the job much more difficult (but not impossible). Challenges aside, this is an opportunity that I am seriously pursuing, and hopefully things will work out in the end.
-Getting to Japan: we're expecting to arrive at our new homeport of Yokosuka, Japan sometime in the latter half of this year, and I am very much looking forward to seeing my new home in person. One of my first priorities on arriving in Japan is finding a place to call "home": someplace reasonably close to transportation (the train, of course), but far enough from the base that I'm not surrounded by "squids" 24/7. It's not that I don't enjoy working with my shipmates -- far from it. However, I do like having the opportunity to spend some time away from the people I already live with day and night when the ship is out to sea. Even tolerant folks have their limits. :) The nice thing is that I've got a fairly reasonable living budget to work with: ~US$1900/month housing allowance, $500/month utility allowance, and $700/month cost of living allowance -- all tax-free. So, one intends to get the best place available (within the budget, of course). All in all, can't wait to get there.
Not bad for the first post in almost half a year, eh? I'll have to make it a late New Year's resolution to post here more often. (Yeah, like that'll happen.)
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