A year by any other name (day 125)

2009 was an interesting year.  I am grateful to have been there.  And as Woody Allen says, "80% of success is showing up".  As a buddhist I find this quote extra funny given the apparently very slim chance of being born human.

Here are some highlights for the year:

• My resolution last year was to be more public.  To me this meant taking steps such that the things that I am working on are more visible.  In some ways it meant being less quiet but with the added reality of the expectations of an online world.   I made good on this resolution by posting to this blog almost everyday, posting to the Breath I/O blog, being more diligent in processing emails, answering more phone calls (those who know me well, know that I have phone aversion).  It was good to have this focus for the year and I'll keep working on it in the next year.
• I received two SSHRC grants, one for the Interactive Futures conference which happened in November, and one for the Breath I/O project.
• The school received an NSERC grant on which I am one of the principal investigators.  This will fund many projects including some in stereoscopic video, mobile narrative, and design for health care.
  
• Two of my Masters students graduated, Alex Hass and Kara Pecknold.  Both have continued their practice and are very successful and beautiful human beings.  I take no credit for this.  I am simply delighted to have been along for the journey.
• A new Centre of Excellence for Stereoscopic 3D (S3D) was started as a partnership between Emily Carr University and Kerner Optical.  This will allow students and independent filmmakers to have access to state of art equipment for live action S3D, and professional instruction.
• I quit caffeine (though I must admit chocolate is still very much part of my life).
• I bought my first Mac laptop (and I'm in love).
  

 There is so much to be thankful for and I am.

A song for this post.