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I have been planning a post on the election and voting for a couple of days now, but couldn't find the time or the words I wanted to say. Thankfully, a friend of mine (Frank), posted over at his blog (The Soft Lounge), a great "Post of Cleansing" about the election. Everything that Frank says in that entry applies to me as well.

I have never like politics, but I have voted in every major election I've been eligible for. One vote probably doesn't make a difference, but I always feel like it is one right that I have that I should exercise. In both of the presidential elections I voted in previously, my candidate lost.

Continue reading "Voting for transformation?" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 04:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

It's been a little while since the last update, so I present to you a recap of the things that have been going on in the past few weeks...

The New Job
On Wednesday, October 29, 2008, I started in my new position at Georgetown as the Manager of Information Systems and Technology Contracts. So far it has gone fairly well, at least as far as I can tell. As with any job, there is a certain learning curve involved, so I've had to ask quite a few questions. Once I get the basic procedures down. though, I can start working on making it my own. I already have a couple ideas that I think would help the processes out a little bit. I just want to make sure I'm comfortable with everything before I start messing with any existing processes. One thing that I am really happy about with this position is the fact that I'll get to telecommute once a week. I've been looking for a position that offered that for a while now, and finally have it. I've decided to telecommute on Mondays, but won't be starting that until around Thanksgiving - when I should be more comfortable with everything that I'm doing.

Halloween 2008

Halloween
I haven't gone out to do anything for Halloween in quite a few years. This year, since I would be going out by myself meant that I was going to attend a few parties that I'd been invited to. So, the first stop on the evening was to a party hosted by a few guys I play softball with. The picture you see here is a shot of all the guys who were at the party who played for our softball team (the Money $hot$) during the summer and fall leagues. (As a side note, after the team finished 0-18-0 in the summer league, we finished 9-8-1 in the fall league). Anyway, it was quite a good time, as with the number of people who attended, they ended up going through three kegs by midnight.

I'm the guy in the blue and yellow face paint. My shirt said "Go Ceiling" on the front, and "Ceiling is Number 1" on the back. What was I? A ceiling fan. A little humor for you there.

I ended up not making it to the second party ("by accident"). When I got back to Shirlington I got a call from a friend who lives in my building and I met his wife and him at Bungalow for another hour and a half. After shutting the bar down (and playing some pool), we went back to the club room for a little while. I ended up being up until a little after 4 AM - the latest I'd been up in a few years.

All in all, a great Halloween.

Fitness
I've been fairly dedicated to my workout routine for the past two months. This weekend marked the fact that I've been on a weight training program for an entire month. I have noticed that it has gotten easier to get my butt downstairs to work out the more I've been doing this. Based on the exercises I've been doing (as well as the cardio I do nearly every day), I can definitely see results. I've lost about 25 pounds since June, and I can see a change from the weight lifting, which is what I really wanted. They say if you can continue to do something for 60 days, it becomes habit. If I can get through November and keep this up that whole time, I should see some fairly significant changes. I've already seen about 15% increases in the weight I can lift.

Travel
In the next two months, I'll be traveling to a few places. Over Thanksgiving, I'll be returning to Michigan again. I'm actually hoping they see some snow on Thanksgiving again, because I rarely get to see any measurable amount here in DC. I'm planning on driving up, and may go to Canada as well for a day or two. In December, my mom is taking us to Disney World. She took me for my law school graduation, and she's going to be taking everyone again as Tom will be graduating from PA school next summer - but this was the best time to go, as over the summer it was likely both Tom and his girlfriend would not be able to go. I'm sure it will be quite a bit different than the last time I went to Disney, but I'm really looking forward to it. We're going December 20-24, which unfortunately means I'll be flying back in to DC on Christmas eve, and won't be spending the actual holiday with my family. I might go up for New Years and Tom's birthday, but haven't decided yet. It all depens on the financial situation.

So, that's the story for the last couple of weeks. I'll try to update again soon with some more thoughts....

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I wish pain was temporary. Unfortunately for me, it has been anything but over the past several months.

For the first time in about 20 years I have found myself seriously considering hanging up the skates, and leaving hockey behind. I have always enjoyed the sport (though not always the management that went along with the various teams I've been a part of), but lately it has lost its lustre. Maybe it has to do with the team losing more than I thought we would, but I've never wanted to quit just based on losing. More likely than that is probably the feeling that I can't play at the same level I could 4-5 years ago, during what I consider to be my prime playing years.

Continue reading "Playing like the middle of next week." »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Parent's 35th Anniversary

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The quote in the title is by George Will, and it describes perfectly my life over the last several weeks. (On a side note, George Will also made one of my other favorite quotes, stating on The Colbert Report that he was an agnostic because he is "not decisive enough to be an atheist.")

I actually held off writing a blog entry on this for a few days because I wanted it to sink in to myself before I told everyone else about it (though if you Facebook, you probably already knew)...

Continue reading "The future has a way of arriving unannounced" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Yesterday was my 29th birthday. I cannot believe that I'm already 29 - it seems like just yesterday I was celebrating my 21st birthday in concert with Brian Potter's housewarming party. But incredibly, that was eight years ago! Birthdays have taken a new meaning with age. No more are they something I inherntly looked forward to as a step towards manhood, but more of a reminder of how quickly life progresses.

Continue reading "Birthday Bonanza" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Recently, I've been trying to reconnect with some friends of mine whom I haven't seen in a while. There are a few here in DC, and a few in Michigan that I've been doing my best to get back together with. So, when I've stared hearing about some events that are taking place with my friends, I've been doing my best to get to them.

On Wednesday, I heard from my friend Frank (who runs the fantastic blog The Soft Lounge), about a trivia night that he would be hosting in a part of the city that I had not been to. It turns out that the trivia would be own on U Street at a place called Solly's U Street Tavern. I haven't participated in team trivia in a long time, and it sounded like a lot of fun, so I headed down to the bar. It turns out that the trivia nights are used as a fundraiser for various philanthropic goals. The night that I went, it was to benefit the fight against Luekemia.

Anyway, I heard about the trivia night a little late (the night before), and I tried to round up some friends and/or co-workers who would be interested in attending. Unfortunately, I had no luck with rounding up anyone, so I headed down by myself. At least I would know Frank, even though he was the MC of the event.

So, when I arrived, I filled out a team card, for a team of one - since I didn't know anyone there. (I was the "Fight or Flights"). Anyway, I was fully prepared to have to take on the trivia questions b myself, but luckily, Frank had a few other friends who showed up for the event a little later on. So, I ended up teaming up with Frank's friends. We didn't do great, but we weren't terrible, either. I think we finished in the middle of the 10 teams. All the while we enjoyed some cheap food and Yuengling lagers. There were, however, way too many football and Bill Murray questions. I'm pretty sure it was the latest I've stayed up on a Wednesday in a couple of years.

Anyway, it was a load of fun - and I've really needed to have some fun lately. I will definitely be going back, hopefully with a few more people next time. Anyway, if you are in DC on the first or third Wednesday of the month, stop by Sully's around 8pm for trivia. Frank's a great host, and you will have a great time.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 09:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines the word "Epiphany" as:

(1): a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2): an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3): an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure b: a revealing scene or moment

Continue reading "What was I waiting for?" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 04:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I moved to Richmond for law school, it never occurred to me how difficult going back to Michigan for vacation might become. It isn't the travel or cost that make it difficult, either. Unfortunately, it comes down to trying to squeeze seeing all the people I want to see in to a week (or less in some cases).

I'm heading back to my parent's house for a week vacation between June 28 and July 6. Of course I'll be staying at my parents house, and I assume they want to see me and spend time with me (seeing as how they are my parents and all), but there is so much else to do. I think it was easier when I was in law school, and most people were still centrally located.

Continue reading "Juggling Commitments" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 03:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last week I was in Michigan taking a break from things to see my family. Everytime I go back to where I grew up, I get extremely nostalgic for the old days. Realistically, were I to move back to White Lake now, things would be nowhere near the same as they once were. Most of my friends who I spent the majority of my time with no longer live in the area, and the area has changed enormously.

I took my father's truck out for a drive on Sunday, before I left to return to my now-home, DC. It occurred to me just how much it had changed around there in the 7 years I have been gone. (Wow, seven - that's a long time!) Anyway, while some things felt familiar, most looked drastically different. It was almost surreal, in a way. Even then places where I spent a large amount of time - the old house, Lakeland Arena, and Lakeland High School - have changed so much in the time I've been away, that it doesn't feel right anymore. Of course, it could just be that it really isn't home for me anymore.

I do intend to move back to my home state someday. Of course, it is easy to say that myself, but I have a wife to think about now, and potentially children in the future. Who knows what will happen in the next several years?

I think the thing that bothers me most when I go back is the feeling that I've lost touch with my roots. I grew up in a neighborhood, but it was still fairly rural. I spent my summers with nature either in Michigan, or at my parents farm in Canada. I still love nature (and dislike the crush of people that you get in the city), so being reintroduced to that environment sort of tugs at me.

Of course, I have responsibilities and friends here, too. I mean, I left for one game, and my hockey team loses 9-2. Ouch. Blame me, I guess.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So, the new year is here, and of course that means another semester of school for me. I wanted to get off to a fast start in this MSCS program, and was intent to do so in the fall. Luckily my hard work paid off and I was very happy with my marks. The new semester brings two new classes - Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and System Fundamentals (SF).

The SOA class sounds like it will be the more interesting of the two (at least to me). It's essentially about web services and the semantic web - which are terms I've heard buzzing around recently at work. Unlike the two classes I had in the fall, however, this class is a Graduate-level only class (as opposed to the upper/under classes I had in the fall).

Continue reading "And so it began." »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 05:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been away from my home state of Michigan for some time now (it was six years in August!), and during that time I've realized that I miss something a lot since I've been there. No, I'm talking about family or friends (although if forced to admit it, I would).

I'm taking about Michigan-made products, or products sold there but not in VA or DC.

Continue reading "What's good for the goose is good for the Michigander" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 01:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Cross-posted in our Wedding Blog.

Seasons Greetings!

As we look forward to our first Christmas, we look back on how we arrived here. The best memory of our year is most certainly our wedding day in May. After months of preparations we are fortunate to have had such a great day with our family and friends! We honeymooned in Antigua, soaking up the sun and sea. We then returned to a Michigan reception in June.

We also returned home to find our new apartment move-in was delayed by a few months. Finally our building was approved for occupancy and we moved a whole two blocks from our original location in August. Though the move was a short distance, be assured that the packing and unpacking is no different than a move of hundreds of miles.

In September, Jeremy was accepted to and began his studies in the Masters of Computer Science program at Georgetown University. While he had to give up his love of coaching the Johns Hopkins University Ice Hockey team due to the constraints of classes and studying on his time, he seems to have found a new passion in relational databases. While she is not particularly interested in databases, Martha is envious of Jeremy’s ability to be in school and has lofty thoughts of pursuing a doctorate. Jeremy is envious of the travel Martha has undertaken for work in the last year and hopes they will be able to travel together in 2008.

October brought the carving of pumpkins, and November ushered in the great feat of hosting our first thanksgiving dinner! Not only did we get to use our new china, but Martha successfully prepared and served a 19 pound turkey and a tofurkey roll! Jeremy’s parents were able to fly in and join Martha’s parents and brothers at the dinner table. Unfortunately, Jeremy's brother Tom was not able to make the trip.

Our Christmas plans include an early celebration with Martha’s parents and then a drive to Michigan to spend the rest of the holiday with Jeremy’s family and friends.

We certainly hope that this past year has been wonderful for all of our family and friends and we hope you are blessed this Christmas, New Year, and all the days to come.

Peace,

Martha and Jeremy

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Pumpkins

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Martha and I recently came to a decision that I needed to stop driving our (one and only) car in to work. It wasn't a happy decision for me, as taking public transportation seriously bugs me. I, of course, grew up in rural Michigan where the option of public transportation wasn't exactly available. In fact, those Detroit SMART busses were downright scary. But they didn't come to White Lake - I think the closest they probably got was Pontiac....

Continue reading "Pain in the Butt" »

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So, as I said I was going to do, here's an update on the team's first game: we won 7-1. I actually think our team could destroy the team we played last night (Homerhawks), but it was good for a first game. We started off slowly, but luckily they didn't have a goalie for the first couple of minutes, and we got one in on the empty net. WE ended up scoring three each in the first and second and one in the third...

Continue reading "Wolves Open Season on High Note" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 06:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tonight is opening night for a hockey team in the DC area. Not the Capitals, the Washington Wolves Adult Men's B League team out at the Kettler Capitals Ice Plex.

I skated this past summer on all free-agent team that was put together by the K-Plex staff, and it was a lot of fun. So much so, that I decided to try to get a team started out there myself. I've been playing hockey a long time, and it seems like we've got a good group of guys together here. Luckily, I was able to pick up six former ACHA players, including 5 from Richmond and 1 from Johns Hopkins. On top of that, I added about seven guys from this summer's "Caps Blue" free agent team - essentially the core of the team that showed up every night. We plugged in a few more guys who were friends of guys on the team, and we're all set to go.

So, we have a 20 game season running tonight through February, plus playoffs, assuming we make them. Through the Wolves website (link at right), I'm going to keep a running count of our stats and record. I'll also try to throw a few blog entries in about how the team did.

So, hockey season is upon us. Sharpen those skates, and lets get on the ice.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 06:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm a few weeks into my Master's Program in Computer Science at Georgetown, and I must say, I'm impressed so far. The professors definitely know there stuff, which is good, because you always want people who are teaching you to know what they are talking about. Not that I thought that would be a problem at all. One thing I was actually worried about was my ability to understand the professors. I, unfortunately, have some difficulty understanding non-native speakers. However, after meeting my professors, as well as those others who are not not teaching me this semester, I don't think that will be a problem. I was a HUGE problem at Oakland University, and unfortunately, OU didn't seem to care....

Continue reading "Case for Small Class Sizes" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 06:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So, Volkswagen of America announced that they are moving to Herndon, VA yesterday. For those of you who know me, I'm sure you understand that this was troubling news. For those of you who don't know, my father works at VW's headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI - and has worked for them as long as I can remember (since they were located in Troy, MI, at least)....

Continue reading "Drivers Wanted (Unless you live in Michigan)" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 07:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's been a while since I've been in the 'ol blogosphere, so it's time for a few updates and thoughts:

1) I am once again a college student. This time I am taking classes at Georgetown University, pursuing the Masters of Science in Computer Science degree. I'm actually pretty excited about this. This is the first year GU has offered this program, so I'm in the inaugural class, which is neat in itself. I'm also pretty happy to be continuing the CS part of my education. The fact that it is free, thanks to Tuition Assistance from GU, it a huge bonus.

I'm taking two courses (as a half-time student), Databases and Software Engineering. I'm more nervous about SE than DB, but they should both be good experience. I have not decided what I want to focus in yet, though it will likely be SE.

2) I missed my 10-year High School Reunion. I'm not sure if I'm upset about this or not. I suppose it would have been nice to reconnect, but from a couple people who I talked to who went, nobody I hung out with back them was there. Meh.

3) I absolutely HATE phonebooks. With a passion. I feel like buring the next phone book I see. If you work with me, you know why.

4) Fall Hockey Starts Soon! I've got a pretty good team lined up - the Washington Wolves. With about 6 guys from Richmond, one from Hopkins, one from St. Joe's and a couple of guys who are good players, I think it will be fun. Plus we got the sweetest color jerseys. EVER. Hopefully I hear from the Hockey Director at Kettler Capitals Ice Plex soon about the start of season. I suspect it will be after the Capitals' training camp.

5) Visiting Tom. Went to Marietta College to visit my brother, who this summer started his Physician Assistant program. You can see an awesome picture of him here (scroll to the bottom), where he discusses the fact that he is very excited to begin his clinical rotations. Anyway, after visiting, I have to say that there is definitely something to be said for small-town living. The fact that we ate at a nice Mexican restaurant for under $8 a plate was great. That doesn't happen in DC. Maybe someday I'll end up in a small town.

That's about it as far as the updates go. I've got a couple other posts in my mind, and hopefully they make the screen in the next couple of days.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 02:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Luck has been on my mind quite a bit recently - or at least, my total lack thereof has been on my mind. I've been pondering writing about this on the blog for a while now, so here goes.

I have abysmally bad luck. It has come to the point where others (aside from myself), are recognizing the auraof awefulness that seems to surround me. It seems to manifest itself on almost a daily basis, with a varying degree each day.

I'll admit it - nothing terrible has happened to me that would convince me that I've got worse luck than some, but my misfortune is a considerable irritant to me (and those around me). For example - when I'm in a hurry to get somewhere in the car, I inevitable hit every single red light along the way. I know, I know - that happens to everyone. But ride along with me sometime, and you'll see it seems to happen with crazy frequency around me. If it isn't a red light, it is a traffic jam. Another car-related instance happens to be finding a parking spot. When I'm along in the car, I am never able to find a spot within 5 miles of where I need to park. When my wife is in the car, we get the first spot. We've started referring to this as "Martha Luck."

It doesn't end with the car, though. I have also been breaking things with alarming frequency, and while this may just be an indication of my poor fine motor skills, it's usually as a result of something bizarre happening. Usually this involves something slipping off a shelf and hitting me on the head on the way down to the floor. My bad luck also injures people, such as when I pick up a box and the bottom drops out and the contents land on someone's foot.

Of course none of this is horrible stuff, but it is very irksome, and happens daily. There are some instances of good luck mixed in (usually at hockey), but by and large, my luck is horrible.

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Day25

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Day2
Originally uploaded by jersar79.

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Day 1 - At Work
Originally uploaded by jersar79.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 03:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Many of you know that Martha and I went to Antigua on our honeymoon. We stayed at a Sandals resort while we were there... Well, it was not what we expected at all, and I've tried to get some sort of response from Sandals, but to no avail. So, my recommendation to everyone from now on will be: don't go to Sandals.

Take a look at the letter I wrote to their guest liason...

Continue reading "My Letter to Sandals" »

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 09:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My own personal D-Day is coming up. Let's call it "W-Day." I'm getting married in three days to a woman I have been with for almost four years now, so I suppose we could call this a culmination of everything good about the relationship. (Though I'm sure there will be many more great events in our relationship together - buying a house, having kids, and so on).

I haven't gotten to the point where I feel nervous yet. Mostly I feel like I'm walking through a haze. It does not seem like over a year since I asked Martha to marry me. The year went by entirely too quickly, and I find that this last week is going by even faster. Even if I didn't want to think about the wedding, I wouldn't have the chance. It seems like I'm asked if I'm nervous on an almost hourly basis. Why does it seem like people think the groom should be more nervous than the bride? I mean, I'm the one who did the asking - if I was nervous about actually getting married, I don't think I would have asked the question.

Of course, all of the questioning about my level of nerves is making me nervous, even though I don't want to be. Of course, the closer I get, more and more things are happening that are making me stop and think. Today my co-workers at Georgetown took me out for a "Groom's Lunch." It was very thoughtful of them, as was the gift that they gave Martha and I, and I was a little overwhelmed by it all.

Then I got back from lunch to find an email waiting for me from my friend Cindy regarding her most recent column. This column, The 20-something dance: Where has all the time gone?, didn't help the nerves, but it was a very thoughtful column by one of my favorite writers. She asks a good question, though. Where has all the time gone? It seems like just yesterday that Martha and I were waiting out a hurricane in Richmond and later struggling through a week without electricity.

While I am very excited to (officially) start my life with Martha, it also scares me. Not the fact that I'll be with Martha for the rest of my life - how could I be scared of that, I love her! It scares me because it makes me feel old, which is not a good feeling for me. Yes, as Cindy's article pointed out, I am the last of our 20-something group of friends to tie the knot, but that isn't a bad thing. We all take different paths in our lives, and I feel like my life matured at a different rate (read: slower) than most of my friends. I've been jealous of my friends for so long, having their happy marriages, houses, and having started their real lives long before me - that I've sometimes forgotten to take stock of my own life.

So no, I'm not nervous yet. I will be on W-Day, assuredly. But despite the occassional bump in the road, things are going pretty well for 'ol Jeremy right now.

Let's just hope that Tropical Storm Andrea stays far away from Antigua!

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 01:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's unfortunate, but this seems to be the truth the farther I travel in life. It becomes even clearer to me while I've been thinking about the wedding, buying a house, having kids, etc. One of the main goals in leaving DC was so that we could have more money. I'm back in DC, and once again the money woes are evident.

In fact, I'm going to need to take a second, part-time job as I was doing before. I can no longer work at the bookstore, because they don't allow married couples to work at the same store, so I'm looking into other options. I may end up going to the mall this weekend to see who has job openings for part-time work. I know I won't make much, and it's going to suck working two jobs again, but I'm going to need to get those post-wedding bills paid off.

Any one have any ideas for part-time employment? I suppose I could go back to being a waiter, though I'm not sure any of the restaurants in Shirlington are hiring. I have to hope that someday money will stop being a problem... I've already decided that once the credit cards are paid off post-wedding, I'm destroying them. It's just not worth the headache. I'd rather be able to have (and afford to have) kids, than have stuff.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 09:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Cone Head

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Now that I'm back at Georgetown, I had a long weekend for Easter, as the University gives employees Easter Friday off of work. I was able to accomplish quite a bit with my three day weekend, although I wish I would have had more time.

First, I spent Friday first moving some stuff from the apartment in Richmond back up to DC. This was not a whole lot of fun, seeing as how I had to battle the traffic for Easter weekend in both directions. I did manage to get a substantial portion of the stuff moved, though. Really all that is left is the furniture, which I'll need a bigger vehicle to move. Unfortunately, I had to rush back to DC because Martha and I were scheduled to meet with a mortgage banker with BB&T. I made it in time, and we were able to talk to the mortgage guy about what we can expect if we decide to pursue buying a condo. I think Martha and I both left with a better feeling than when we arrived, if that says anything.

Saturday was a little bit of a bummer. We had to take the cat and dog to the vet at 8:30am. Getting up that early wasn't pleasant, but the vet trip wasn't the greatest either. Saber (the cat) always freaks out at the vet, and he was shaking up a storm and trying his best to hide. Luckily, he got his shots and was healthy - still a little overweight, but he had lost some since last year. The dog, on the other hand, did not get such good news. We had discovered several lumps in varying places on her skin, including a rather large one on her stomach. This is actually what lead to the vet appointment in the first place. So, in the process of the vet appointment, the vet identified several more lumps - five in all - that they want to remove from Glory. They shaved her spots, took blood and a sample of the lump on her stomach, and I'm taking her back in on Thursday to have them all biopsied. I hope they are just fatty cysts or something benign...

Sunday was pretty cool, although I was skeptical at first. I had purchased a gift certificate to Natural Body Spa for Martha as a Christmas gift. She called and found out that they were open on Easter Sunday, so she decided we should both go for one of their "Sinus Relief Massages." Having never gone to a spa for a massage, I didn't really know what to expect. However, it turned out to be pretty awesome. The massage was pretty good, but the thing I particularily liked was the aromatherapy oils they used. My sinuses were clear by the end because of those things. So yeah, I'd definitely go back and do that again.

All in all, it was a decent weekend. Hopefully nothing is wrong with the dog, and this week will be a decent one too.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 01:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I was reading a blog post from a blog that a friend passed along today, and I was thinking just how hard it has always been for me to get shutouts when playing goal.

I've been playing goal since I was 11, and honestly was never a shutout goalie. I don't know why that is, but it is an interesting thing... I won several awards both in high school and later in college, but those were never really tied to shutouts. I mean, I played three years as a full-time starter for Lakeland High School's hockey team, and it wasn't until the last two weeks of the season of my senior year that I got my first one. Playing at Oakland University, I don't think I ever had one, though they don't have our results from the first couple of years up on their website, so I can't check. (By the way, I'm still a little disappointed that I'm not mentioned in the history section of the team's website, with all that I did for them. Bad feelings still linger, I guess.) At Richmond, despite a 1.80 goals against average, the BRHC's GAA record and Save Percentage record, I think I had only two shutouts my two years playing for them - both 11-0 wins against Appalachian State.

I don't know what to attribute this to, seeing as how I've always had very low goals against. Maybe there is just a mental hump that I was never able to successfully get over. Shutouts are incredibly hard to get, and invariably some little thing would always happen to ensure I didn't get one. Maybe someone on the bench all these times uttered the dreaded "s" word before the game was actually over... That's a pretty big one - never say shutout before the buzzer sounds, or else you aren't going to get one. Maybe those times that I missed out by a couple of minutes was because I was thinking about getting one too much.

The frustrating thing is that it even carries over to adult hockey. Despite how good I'm playing, or how bad the other team is, I always end up letting one in. So much so that I've started telling teams I'm not a "Shutout Goalie." If you score 2, we'll be fine. But count on them getting one by me. It's sad, but the truth.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 05:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been holding off posting this entry for a while, mainly because I was still at the job, but now I want to let you all know - I'm moving back to DC.

The reason is simple - the law firm job in Richmond did not work out for me the way I had hoped. In all honesty, it was a mostly miserable experience for me (save for my co-workers), and I couldn't deal with it any more. I could go on and on and tell you about why I felt I had to leave, but I'd probably get sued for defamation or something. So, if you're interested in hearing the details, please feel free to email me or give me a call. Suffice it to say, I wouldn't have wished it on anyone. Even with a detailed explanation, most people don't understand the dynamics of that place. It's tough to explain, and I'm not sure even my fiancé believes it was as bad as I make it sound.

Luckily, my former employer, Georgetown University, has offered me my old position back with some added incentives. Unfortunately, it sort of feels like I'm returning with my tail between my legs, in some respects. When you leave a job, I don't think the intent is to go back if the job you left for doesn't work out. That being said, if there is one place I would go back to, it would have been Georgetown. I just hope things aren't incredibly akward with me returning there - I know I probably upset some people when I left, and I hope that doesn't effect things too much. I really can't afford any more mistakes, so let's hope it works out and isn't akward...

So, I've started the task of moving things back up to Arlington. I only signed a six month lease here in Richmond, which is good, but it still means I have the apartment through July. At least that gives me plenty of time to move, right?

If anything, being back up in Northern Virginia will allow me to help Martha with the wedding planning. Though I'm not sure exactly what still needs to be done, it is getting close. Very close. I hope that after the honeymoon, we'll be able to focus on getting things paid off, saving money, and maybe getting a nice condo in the area.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is an interesting story.

Martha and I have been talking a lot recently about the possibility of getting a house/condo/townhouse, which I'm sure comes as no suprise, since we are getting married in just over a month. The issue is the fact that there is a serious lack of affordable (by our standards) housing in the Washington, DC area.

The problem is the fact that a 600 square foot condo costs upwards of $300,000 - even in less desireable areas, or areas outside of the District proper. Why? I guess because there must be demand for it. We have been hearing a lot lately on the news that the mortgage industry is having difficulty, and that many people are defaulting on mortgages. I can only attribute that to a bloated housing market. Unfortunately, I don't forsee this decline in home values making any dent in the DC-area housing market any time soon.

It's unfortunate, but it seems like the DC area housing market is set now that you have few options. Either you are extremely rich so you can afford one of the million dollar homes (that are smaller than my parent's house in Michigan), or you are 'poor' so that you qualify for HUD assistance. Those of us who are in the middle seem to have little or no option when it comes to purchasing a house in that area. A $300,000 1-bedroom condo for a pair of 27 year-old newlyweds is insane. It's nothing more that a glorified apartment, but I still can't afford it. Of course, renting in this area isn't much better.

What it really comes down to is the fact that both of us have something like $750 a month in education loans. That's at least $1500 a month that we could be using for a mortgage. Of course, that $1500 is also taken into account when we apply for mortgages, thereby reducing the amount we can finance. Yes, it was our choice to go to law school and take out loans, and we have to deal with that. However, there has to be a solution to help people like us be able to afford a house! It is just very frustrating that there seems to be little we can do to afford even a small condo.

Maybe the HUD assistance levels need to be changed to better reflect where you live and that locale's cost of living. Surely the cost of living in the Metro-DC area would be sufficiently increased so as to include us. Or maybe educational loans should not apply towards the determining of financial worthiness when appying for a loan (fat chance, I know). Or maybe I should form a lobbyist group for the middle class. Or first goal: some type of middle-class housing assistance program for high cost-of-living areas.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 08:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, it is starting to look like I won't be having a bachelor's party before the wedding. It's quite a bummer, actually... I was originally supposed to do something with Tom (my brother and best man) and Wes (groomsman) while I was back for Martha's shower in Michigan. Unfortunately, Tom had a graduate school interview come up, so we had to scrub that one.

Now that I'm in Richmond/Washington DC, it appears that I won't be having one, though. With all of my groomsmen so spread out across the country, it seems like getting anything together would be a huge hassle. It's unfortunate, because while Martha will end up having two showers (and maybe a bachlorette party), I won't be able to have anything pre-wedding. I was actually really looking forward to something going on.

Tom offered to come down to the area to hang out in order to do something, but I just don't know what we'd do. Plus, I don't particularily have the money right now to head back up to Michigan.

It's unfortunate, but I guess I'll have to go without....

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 08:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The news so far this week is that on Monday night I purchased a new 2007 Dodge Caliber SE. This is the first car that I have purchased on my own, which is pretty sad considering I'm 27 years old. On the other hand, when you get incredible lease deals from VW because your father works there, it is hard to pass them up...

So anyway, the Caliber is black, and it's pretty much the base model except it has an automatic transmission and the power features option (power windows, doors, etc). So far the best thing about the car has been the free year of Sirius satellite radio. Finding radio stations that I like can sometimes be a challenge, but with of the options available on satellite radio, I haven't run into that problem yet. Not only can I listen to rock or alternative music when I want to, but I have a whole station for 60s music (which I enjoy), as well as ESPN Radio, which is huge. I was even listing to some 'mellow rock' last night.

The thing I particularily like about this car is the fact that it sits up higher than most cars. It almost feels like you are sitting in an SUV, though you really are not. It is pretty spacious too, which will be good for hauling hockey equipment, the dog and cat, and other things. I've been driving it a few days now, and I like it so far. There are only a couple of things that I think could be improved. First, the engine pick-up is a bit lackluster, and it seems to hesitate a bit when you try to start from a stop. Also, the brakes are a little bumpy, but I chalk that up to just not being used to them.

All in all, a good purchase. I've enjoyed the car so far this week. So now I have to determine how I am going to get the VW turned in, seeing as how I have little free time....

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 06:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So far, 2007 is off to a very good start (despite the fact that I have yet to see snow in any considerable amount).

For those of you who do not know, I have accepted a position with a firm in Richmond, Virginia. The name of the firm is Dozier Internet Law, and they can be found here: http://www.cybertriallawyer.com. This is a great opportunity for me, as the firm practices only internet law – the exact type of thing I was looking for. After my interviews with them, I was certain that this is the type of law I want to practice. I’m looking forward to getting started next week.

Of course, since I will be taking a job in Richmond, I am also moving to Richmond. This isn’t a bad thing as after spending three years there during law school, I’m mostly familiar with the area. I’ve also got several friends in the area still, and while they don’t have a highest level professional sports team, I think I’ll be good (thank you NHL Center Ice Package!)

The last two weeks have been incredibly hectic for me because of this new development. Not only did I have to put in my notice at Georgetown, but I’ve had to find an apartment in Richmond, pack up my half (plus some of Martha’s) part of the apartment, and change my status with the VA State Bar to Active (from Associate). The most hectic part has been changing status – no matter how many times I’ve sent things marked urgent, they either say they never received them (my dues), or that they will take a few days to get in (MCLEs). There has to be a better way to do both of those things, but alas, it isn’t in place yet. On the other hand, I have the apartment and am mostly packed, so that is the good news.

Martha will be staying in DC. This obviously is going to be difficult for us to do, but it’s what is best for our long-term futures. This job is one of those that she and I both recognize as great opportunities. Plus, it will allow her to work on the wedding stuff. I also plan on spending the weekends up there, time permitting.

Georgetown will be a tough place to leave, given all that they have done for me, and the great people I work with. I know I never would have gone to Qatar if it weren’t for Georgetown. I can’t say enough good things about working at GU, but like I said, this opportunity was one I couldn’t pass up. I’m excited to begin a new chapter in my life, and hope this job is everything I know it can be.

Posted by Jeremy Sarnovsky at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)