It’s been a while since I’ve recapped the big stuff in my life, so here’s what went down in 2007.

At the risk of seeming like a complete nerd, I thought I’d share five goals I set in August 2006 before leaving Arizona to complete my last year at The University of Auckland. I’ll share what successes/failures I’ve had, and throw in a few random thoughts just for fun.

GOAL 1: GRADUATE

Done. Next?

GOAL 2a: SOLIDIFY EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS

I made several good friends back in 2004, and was extraordinarily fortunate to see many of them again.

(When I left Auckland in June 2005, my original plan was to return for one semester in early 2008. I’m so glad I decided to push things up a year. There were many reasons for this, but spending more time with my people was one of the biggies, and it sure paid off.)

Shoutouts go to Onur, Josie, and Kaidawg (a.k.a. Ms. Pun Fun) for helping to get my groove on throughout the year. Even though I didn’t get to see you guys as often as I’d like, fun times were plentiful whenever you were around!

There were also two lovely ladies that I kinda knew in ‘04 who I had the great pleasure of becoming closer with this past year. You know who you are. That’s right, Ellie, who always knows how to get the party started (because she is the party), and Atawhai, the girl who can drink everyone under the table, still seem sober, all while showing you things you never thought possible.

And of course, mad props go to Jesse - my very good friend, flat mate, sounding board, and clubbing buddy. Jesse is my New Zealand rock. I’ve lived with him at all times while in NZ and we compliment each so well it’s sometimes scary;) All kidding aside, my life would be substantially worse off if not for Jesse.

GOAL 2b: MEET NEW AND QUALITY PEOPLE

As if I wasn’t lucky enough to hook up with my old friends, I got to meet heaps of cool new people.

The most potent of the bunch would be the sometimes feisty yet always sensual Zlata. She helped get my creative juices flowing on more than one occasion, and I’m looking forward to continuing our never-dull verbal sparring matches;)

A somewhat last-minute friend was Lara - the “cool marketing chick” from first semester who I randomly ended up clubbing with several times during my last weeks in town. I definitely got the sense she’s more quality than I’d realised, and hopefully we’ll get to know each better down the line:)

And this post wouldn’t be complete without mentioning my very good and future better friend Abraham. Let me tell you, Abe is one of the special people. He’s got the cajones to give up a “safe” career by returning to uni to study what he really loves. He’s always eager to help others even though he’s got plenty of his own challenges. And he’s got more spirit and knows how to have a better time than most younger people. I could go on, but let’s just say anyone’s life would be much better off knowing Abraham.

Quick side note: I should briefly mention it was quite the eventful year in the arena of romantic relationships - complete with (many) stupid mistakes, immense joy, and profound agony. I feel like I’ve gained so much wisdom and toughness in such a short time, because to be honest, this isn’t something I’ve been too experienced with in the past;) I constantly shocked myself by how quickly I could make sense of a very difficult situation, and then continue on. It was very much the learning experience, and I’m glad I didn’t screw up too badly and that everyone’s okay.

GOAL 3: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

While transitioning out of my “corporate job” in mid ‘06, I literally asked myself what I wanted to do in my professional life. “Entertaining people” is how I replied. Why? I figured that having a good time is one of the few things people ultimately strive for, so why not help people reach the high point of life’s spectrum (and hopefully make everything else more worthwhile as a result?)

Yes, I actually think like this.

In case you’re curious, I define entertainment as “the endeavor to distract people from reality, bring them closer to each other, promote their self-image, and stimulate their sensual desires.”

But with that said, I had no clear direction and no idea what I was getting myself into.

I was hoping that while finishing my degree I’d become familiar with Auckland’s nightlife and then do some kind of promotional work in the dance scene later on. A milestone I set was to be intimately involved with a large-scale dance event before the end of 2007, and although I was offered just such an opportunity, I had to pass because along with way I found myself a bigger fish to fry.

This bigger fish is to substantially enhance the method by which all entertainment professionals do business and will be achieved through a service I’m currently developing named (inf)(ent) - short for “Infinite Entertainment.”

(inf)(ent) is dedicated to promoting the enjoyment of all people by connecting professionals in every segment of the global entertainment industry. Through enabling free and open access to relevant knowledge and like-minded people, (inf)(ent) will enhance the ability of passionate entertainers to create highly captivating experiences for the people of the world. - www.infent.com

I always knew that inadequate access to information would be a big problem in reaching my entertainment goals. I originally thought that I could personally research and manage everything I needed to know (which now sounds monumentally absurd), but I quickly realised the immense scale and dynamism of what I needed required the active collaboration of most players in the industry.

To put this is simpler terms, if I were a promoting a dance party, opening a restaurant, or making a movie, I’d want to know the bios, networks, past experiences, and peer reviews of everyone involved so I could exploit the hidden opportunities and avoid the disastrous mistakes (I’d also want everyone else to be just as informed.) And I’d want to learn all of this in a matter of hours instead of spending years learning from rumor and hearsay.

This level of efficiency is simply not available today. It is, however, completely possible, and (inf)(ent) is going to make it happen.

This all leads to one of my major shortcomings of 2007: not fully realising what’s required to achieve my goals with (inf)(ent).

I thought I was stuck in a somewhat precarious position. I had finished university, was still living in Auckland, but knowing that (inf)(ent) can’t be launched from New Zealand, I made the “safe” decision to work for an online advertising firm named Response Directive and simply hoped things would work themselves out with (inf)(ent).

Yeah, not so much. I had to dramatically alter my environment to give myself every possible advantage if I want even a fighting chance at succeeding with (inf)(ent).

(Quick tip for my job-seeking friends: don’t be fooled by companies with flashy names or descriptions. Distinguish the difference between what your actual role will be and the ultimate purpose of the company. Might not be so great to be a janitor for the company which solves the global energy crisis if you’re an aspiring engineer. And if you’re doing something really cool and educational for a company that has a dull purpose, you’ll soon be languishing away once you’ve stretched your legs a bit. I’m not saying avoid these positions, just really try to imagine what your day-to-day activities will be and how they square with your goals, and then decide accordingly.)

So one day while lunching alone at the Rationalist House, I was staring out the window and thinking how much I desperately wanted to move things along. And then a somewhat obvious, yet subconsciously shunned, option popped up to the surface: move back to Cincinnati with my parents and focus full-time on my goals.

As soon as the thought hit, I knew it was the only option - just as I knew I had to leave for Auckland in 2003, I had to leave for Arizona in 2005, and I had to do other dramatic things at key moments in my life.

I quit the next day.

(It’s worth mentioning that these quick and dramatic decisions don’t just happen out of the blue. I’m not that fickle;) They’ve always been preceded by striking changes in the context of my life, and it’s quite liberating to see what “silly” ideas all of sudden become the smart choice once the board pieces are moved around a bit. For example, I was intimately involved with trying to revitalize my Boy Scout troop in early 2003, which was ultimately a losing battle, and I know the very idea of moving to New Zealand would’ve never occurred if not for that terribly unfortunate experience.)

It pains me that my decision required moving away from Auckland because, despite my criticisms, I love the city and I love the people I’ve met there. Auckland is my second home, and it hasn’t seen the last of me yet! However, the act of moving forward with my goals feels great even though circumstances leave much to be desired here in Cincinnati.

And of course, I’m super lucky to have such supportive parents who, despite my sometimes confusing outlook, are willing to support me while getting (inf)(ent) off the ground!

GOAL 4: NZ CULTURAL AWARENESS

After having an inspirational professor for international business at Arizona State University, I decided that upon my return to NZ, I’d learn more about the place and its people than you can get from a postcard. So I volunteered as a Maori youth mentor through a university outreach programme called Te Pae Tawhiti (roughly translated as “in pursuit of well-being for our people.”)

(Apologies for misspelling “Maori” - limitation of my blog. There’s supposed to be a stroke above the A as you can see from their Wikipedia entry.)

Working with the students was really great. It reminded me a lot of my time in Boy Scouts, and although my contribution was modest, it felt good to give at least one student one thought that one day might help lead her to something great.

I definitely have a better appreciation for how vibrant and soulful Maori culture is - something that, frankly, I’m a little jealous of. Some of my more traditional cultural gatherings can be utterly boring at times. I wish people would take a page from the Maori, loosen up, and not be so afraid to poke fun of each other every now and then;)

And let me give you a little word of advice: never, ever, ask your Maori mate how many of the 30 or so Maori students in the room are “part Maori.” God, I can be such a moron sometimes. When you think about it, the premise of my question is completely ridiculous. After this whopper of a mistake, I began to realize that culture, ethnicity, and nationality can be totally distinct despite being commonly related. Ethnicity is more or less set in stone, but really not as consequential as culture. Culture is very important, and I believe what mostly drives us, yet ultimately, individuals have great discretion over which cultures they choose to embrace or not. And nationality is really just a technicality which can be changed by signing the right papers. And none of this has anything to do with the fallacy of how “pure” our blood is.

Sadly though, I had to prematurely end my involvement with Te Pae Tawhiti because the timing conflicted with one of my classes, and I became uncomfortably close to not achieving goal #1.

Finally, I’d be amiss not to mention how great the Kiwi dance culture can be - something I became much more familiar with in 2007:) I don’t mention this to reminisce about my many glorious nights out, but rather to tell my clubbing friends to not take it for granted. A good club scene isn’t unique to NZ, but having a wild and crazy night (the way I know you like it) isn’t as universal as you might think. Trust me.

Go hard my friends!

GOAL 5: CORRECT PAST MISTAKES

Not much to say about this except that back in 2004-05 I was too lazy and too scatter-brained way too often. I feel I’ve come a long way in improving this, but there’s always more to do;)

PARTING THOUGHT

I graduated from The University of Auckland only a year and a half after I would’ve graduated the University of Cincinnati if I’d taken the “safe” path and completed my degree where I started. Along the way, I’ve mingled with the world’s cultures, worked in the “real world”, learnt many valuable lessons about myself, met people I simply can’t live without, developed a determined path toward the future, and oh yeah, got a degree. It wouldn’t be possible for me to write this without the incredible support of so many people, and I want thank everyone who has and continues to save me from the ever-lurking threat of mediocrity.