Category: Family

  • June 2020, Covid-19, Bootcamp, Australia Soon…

    June 2020, Covid-19, Bootcamp, Australia Soon…

    It’s been a minute. My last post took the wind out of my sails, literally, figuratively, you name it. This year has been TOUGH.

    First things first.

    Bootcamp. It started off great, started to learn HTML, CSS, getting into Javascript, then WHAM, Covid-19 happens…

    While I was giving the Bootcamp my best, the entire reason I took it, was to be in a classroom setting. I had an A in the class until we were forced to try and do it online. When that happened, the entire thing became a joke.

    To say I was unhappy with how it was being done, was an understatement. First things first, the University of Utah *did not* actually host the Boot-camp themselves, instead they “lease” the learning through another company called Trilogy.

    When I say it was a joke, boy. We’d get put into these “break out” rooms to do “task” as a team of 3-4 students and half the time, which soon became most of the time, we all would sit there quiet not doing ANYTHING for 15-20 minutes until being drag back into the main session. See below:

    Break out room with “no one talking”. Time to AFK.

    Trying to work 8-9 hours a day, then go right into a 3-hour class, then *try* and spend 1-2 more hours on homework afterward? Yea…all INSIDE of my house with Teddy Bear constantly asking for a little bit of attention. Mind you my one hobby where I disconnect is computer gaming too. Man oh man.

    In other news. We paid off Carisa’s car this month and are paying off my car either this check (next week) or the following check. The plan is to buy a new SUV so we can stop renting SUV’s and actually have something we enjoy driving Teddy Bear around in. I think we’ve FINALLY picked one out. See below:

    After a TON of research, looking at the consumer reviews, feedback, you name it, this is the car. It’s something that will last a long time and get’s excellent gas mileage (28 mpg). Has a moon-roof, seat profiling, near-collision detection, you name it. Everything under the sun and I wouldn’t feel bad taking it off the road. I think this is the first time, we may have almost 1/3 of the car to put down on it when we go in for financing.

    Our trip to Australia in November is almost fully paid for AND we surprised our buddy Patrick and we’re bringing him with (of course along with our travel companions James and Sandee, we don’t go anywhere without ’em) 🙂 We’re saving for our house now too. It’s going to be 4-5 bedrooms and 3,000-3,200 square feet. That’s the goal.

    That’s all for now.

  • Rest in Peace Kristina

    Rest in Peace Kristina

    12/19/19. My sister took her life. She fought a long, long battle with depression, manic paranoid schizophrenia and self-medicated with drugs and in the end, it got the best of her. I compiled a memorial Powerpoint. I can say soo much more, but I say a lot in this.

    Love you sis.
  • My son, Theodore, January 6th, 2019.

    My son, Theodore, January 6th, 2019.

    Teddy Bear

    Honestly, I couldn’t really think of a title more befitting to give this post other than his birth date. This day, it belongs to him and what it means to my wife and I. He was the last question I had left on this earth. “What is it like to be a dad”? I mean, that’s not a question that is answered over night, but it is one that he and I will be answering together for the rest of my life, and he has helped me begin the journey on answering.

    His name, Theodore (Theo for short) was inspired by Theodore Roosevelt. Theodore was a good man and also belonged to the Freemason’s (for those of you that know, I too was raised to the sublime degree of M.M.) and had a good many qualities that I admired. The name really isn’t very common either and when my wife and I (Carisa) both heard it/seen it when we came across it, we both knew “that” was the one.

    Theo and Daddy cuddling

    Theo’s middle name is after his Uncle that is no longer with us, Peter Lee Willison. Peter was a great guy and an inspiration to all those around him and loved by all. I am glad I was able to get to know him. Both Theo and his cousin (born 2 days before him) both will carry Peter’s middle name on in remembrance.

    Theo after his first bath

    Carisa was a champ. We were initially due on January 9th. What happened is we went in for a “check up” into our specialist for some “light bleeding” on January 4th. They sent us to the hospital to get it “checked out” and told us “to not worry”. We didn’t even have our hospital bags packed at the time. Little did we know, we would not leave the hospital until Theo would be born a few days later.

    Carisa before the big contractions…just getting “checked out”…hahaha, little did she know…

    Boy has he grown on us in such a short time…

    Bright eyed and bushy tailed little Theo 🙂
  • I’m going to be a dad….and I’m now a manager and…

    I’m going to be a dad….and I’m now a manager and…

    Wow…I don’t know what to say. Life can change soo very quickly, for the better and for the worst. Right? Could I have told you I was going to be a dad just 6 months ago? Nope. A year ago when I was leaving one of the worst jobs of my life, could I have told you in a year from now I’d have one of best jobs of my life, a raise and a promotion? Nope. I mean working at BCI (Beyondsoft was awesome), but I got an even BETTER offer. Like I didn’t think it was possible. RPA is AMAZING. Let’s put it this way. They have conference rooms named after one of my favorite scientist (Stephen Hawking), my favorite Artist (Banksy) and other awesome rooms, lol, like Rupaul and Morrison. Being at a progressive, non-backwards thinking company is not something I wanted, it was something I needed. Either way, onto more IMPORTANT things! 😉

    Little Theo (Theodore) Lee Halstead is expected to be born January 10th, 2019. I am both overly prepared and excited.

    Being a father is one of the very few questions I had left in this world. What is it like to be a dad? Carisa has gone ape shit in buying stuff. She calls it “nesting” lmfao.  I mean I counted the other night and we have almost up to a 100 articles of clothing for the little guy, I mean sure, I may have bought a couple that were adorable that I HAD to see him in…

    but…she’s got like a new Amazon package arriving like every other day.

    David Tran, my good friend, you may never read this, but I am indebted to you. The more I learn about this man, the more I learn that he is not only a friend, but a brother. We share a bond that is known at a much deeper level. I understand levels of pain he’s experienced and some of the adversities he’s undertaken to get where he is at now. I do not take people for granted that have helped me get to where I am today and shared with me their learnings (people such as TJ F., Jesse B, Mike C.) I never forget those that have helped me get to where I am today.

    Dave we’ve got a lot more in store for us.