A Reason to Remember

It has been nearly 6 months since my last post, which is way too long and I feel that today is an appropriate day to get back into it.  While I am not good at writing / blogging I know that it can be a form of expression and therapy, a way to organize thoughts, a way to tell stories, and a way to remember.   One story in particular I have always hesitated to talk about and to share but am today is that of my brother, Christopher Richard Becker.

My brother and I grew up in an ideal world.  Two loving parents, a dog, lots of friends and living small town in Indiana where a kid with a bicycle had as much freedom as a 16 yr. old who has just gotten his driver’s license.  Like any brothers growing up 2 years apart, we caused havoc for our parents by fighting constantly through most of our childhood, but still found the ability to enjoy the times together whether it was flying with our Dad in his plane, or going to the local pond to go swimming all afternoon.

As we grew older, Christopher and I grew closer as friends.  By high school we would frequently get groups of mutual friends together for different adventures such as late-night goose hunting, Frisbee golf or mountain biking.  Once he left for college (Letourneau University in Longview Texas) we found time to connect through letters, phone calls and holiday visits.  Every time he would come back home, we would get together and share stories of the crazy things we were doing in our lives.  He was the one who taught me that older heavy machinery could be turned on with pretty much any key you have laying around (this still works).  He told me stories of how him and his college friends would go to a close-by junk yard start up the bulldozers and backhoes and toss around cars in the middle of the night.  On a visit to Texas for a cold fall break, he took me with his group of friends to go water skiing and bare footing on a lake that was warmed by a nuclear plant which kept the water at a steamy 80+ degrees …thinking back, that may have not been the wisest decision.

He was definitely the more athletic member of the family and would consistently encourage me to go running or work out with him.  Everything was always a competition; who could run faster, who jump further, who could lift more.  Rarely did I win these ‘feats of strength’, but I know it was the drive to be better that was important while he was around. He was also who instilled in me the belief of being adventuresome; trying new things, taking risks and not wasting any time doing it.  Even after my motorcycle accident where I was in a wheelchair and didn’t feel much like doing anything he would drag me out to go have coffee and chat late into the night.  These are the memories I cherish most about Christopher.

Left to Right (Brad Yordy, Preston Cosgrove, Adam Becker, Robert Cosgrove, Christopher Becker)

It was in August 2001 just after Christopher and his good friend Chad had graduated college when they decided to take an adventure of a life-time, to get a one-way ticket to Europe and travel wherever they wanted.  In true fashion, while driving from Indiana to New York where their flight departed, my brother somehow managed to lose his passport in Ohio.  I remember spending half of an afternoon trying to figure out how he could get a new expedited passport and new flights to London while he drove back.  By the time he got back, we had everything ready to go; he would need to immediately drive to Chicago, in order to get his passport and had a flight leaving the next day.  I was there when he left, gave him a hug, told him goodbye, and to have fun…little did I know that would be the last time I would see my brother.

A couple days later I had traveled to Texas, where I was spending the last weeks of my summer with a friend before starting my junior year of college.  While I was there, fatefully my mom had called to warn me to be safe on the 14th of August, since it was the one year anniversary of my motorcycle accident. Then in the middle of the night that evening, my parents called again to let me know that Christopher had passed away.

Chad and Christopher had flown from the US to London, London to Belgium where they rented a car and drove to Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria.  They had epic adventures: Snuck into an opera house for a performance, they had seen massive Castles, visited famous buildings in ancient cities, met local people in tiny German towns, swam in the Danube River and picked up hitch hikers that knew no English. Finally they were in the Swiss Alps where they were free climbing up the face of a mountain when Christopher fell.  Along the way, they filmed their journey that was meant to be for them to remember their trek across the globe, but now serves as a perfect way for me to remember my brother.

Even though there is rarely a day that passes without me thinking about my older brother, I take time every year on the 14th of August to sit down and remember him.  I look at the pictures of us together, watch the last video he made and laugh and the ridiculous things he and Chad did.   What once was difficult to do, is now an enjoyable time that often gives me strength.   Even though he will never age another day past what I remember, he will always be my bigger brother and I use the thoughts of him and how he once pushed me to be a better person today…every time I run I take time to think of how proud he would be of me now that I could probably run further and faster than he ever did…undoubtedly he would try to beat me, but at least I can put up a fight.  I have never lost my sense to be adventuresome, and if anything my urge to try new things has grown since Christopher’s death.  We never know when our time is up on this earth and I for one will push myself to live it to the fullest.

If anyone reading this knew Christopher and would like to share a story, please do so in the comments on the bottom or even better, post pictures to my facebook page here.  I would love to hear from you!

~Adam

Top 5 of a 5th year anniversary.

On Feb. 2^nd 2006, exactly 5 years ago today I started working for a smaller software firm in Indianapolis called ExactTarget.  Little did I know at that time that I would be embarking on easily the most impactful journeys of my life.  As employee #143 I had little experience in that line of work, but was eager to learn and excited to be working for a young company that had opportunity oozing from every corner.  Of my starting class of 6 people, 4 still remain:  Nate Romance, Dusty Scott, Terry Smith and I. (not a bad retention rate!)   We are now four of a nearly 850 employee company that tends to grow at about 10 employees per month.   

Over the past half decade, my life has dramatically changed. I started this career having a family of 2 (my lovely wife and myself) and today we have two gleaming children, Topher and Grace. I have moved twice, owned 3 different cars, and have consumed approximately 2,600 cups of coffee. But one thing has remained consistent, my thanks for the job I hold. In honor of my 5^th year anniversary, I would like to try and help our HR department out by giving my top 5 reasons for loving my company, over the past 5 years. 

5.  Opportunity

Prior to ExactTarget, I was residing at a small 10 employee project management training firm on the west side of Indy.  Still fresh out of college and after a failed attempt to start up my own Coffee shop / Art Gallery I went to work as a web designer and office manager extraordinaire.   I won’t lie, my job responsibilities were 10% making sure the website looked and functioned well then 90% answering phone calls, being a receptionist, slinging coffee and ordering lunch.  Needless to say I jumped at the chance to get in any “real” operation and simply got lucky to end up where I did. 

 

At my time here at ExactTarget I have seen no limit to the possibilities of where I could take my professional career.  I have held four different positions since I first arrived, which tends to be the norm in our company.  With so much innovation and growth, new positions are plentiful, its simply a matter of identifying where you want to go and having the drive to make it happen.  I started in a marketing role, then into sales, moving to a sales leadership role and now am residing in our Channel organization supporting new and existing partners.   I still have lots to learn, and am confident that I have nowhere to go but up.  Thankfully I know that I will have much more opportunity waiting for me over the next five years here at ExactTarget. 

4. Travel

In the past 5 years, I have seen more of this country than I had in the previous 25 years of my life largely thanks to ExactTarget.  Being able to attend tradeshows to “man the booth” has been a highlight for me over the years.  It’s a chance to get out of the office, meet new people and spend some face time with the people that interact with our brand every day.  It also opens the door to experience the personal side of business that often happens after the event is over.  Whether it is hanging with Microsoft at a completely rented out ‘City Market’ at Universal Studios in Florida or telling our competition that our solution is better at the ‘Pure’ night club in Las Vegas, it is not surprising that some of my fondest adventures have come out of the different locations that I have travelled.    I have seen late nights in San Francisco and very early mornings in Jacksonville FL, and have loved nearly every minute of it.   I am sure I will see more of this wonderful country as time goes on, and who knows…since we just opened offices in London and Australia, maybe I’ll start setting my sights overseas!

3. Friends/Family

It truly is the people at ExactTarget that make the company great.   There are many organizations out there that can build sell, and support software but there are few who have the passion for doing it the way that the people at ExactTarget do. 

It is rare to have a place of work that brings with it such a close group of friends that soon become more like family.  I have experienced love and heartbreak at ExactTarget.   I have seen coworkers become friends, those friends become a “couple” and that couple is now engaged to be married later this year.   I have had the opportunity to be a shoulder to cry on when people are in hard times, and I have sought counsel from my friends at ExactTarget when I have been in need.  These people, who once were my co-workers and are now my closest friends carry with them more worth than any compensation package, they are friendships that are not bound by position or tenure…they are lifelong benefits that I will be able to take with me wherever I go. 

2. Personal Growth

Not only have I been able to grow professionally through experience, but ExactTarget also pushes us all to be better people.  I am honored to be part of the “ExactFun” committee whose sole purpose is to bring all ET employees in an effort to find a common interest and simply make work more fun.   I mean seriously, what better job is there where the company encourages its employees partake in happy hours, join Softball or play golf, go paintballing or join a running club.   As many of my close friends know, I didn’t start out at this company being social or athletic, these were skills that I obtained while I was here at ET (some would debate I have yet to learn any real skill on the basketball court).  I know that if I were sitting at my last job, still being an office assistant.  I would not be running, playing sports or enjoying life near as much as I am today.  And for that, I thank you ET. 

1. See History in the making

In the world of Software as a Service, not every company makes it past “start-up” phase, less of those companies make it to see the $100,000,000 mark, and even smaller still is the subset that make it to their 10^th year, which ET just surpassed.   It is not “optimistic thinking” that has driven ExactTarget to be a historic company, but rather the combined work and determination that everyone from the top leadership to every summer intern we hire.   I have been blessed to be a part of this organization for the past five years, and God willing I will be here for my 10 year mark and will be able to look back and be proven right that this is literally history in the making.  

Guest Post

Check out my guest post on the GarbanzoGreen Blog:

The wheels on the bus...

Over the past several weeks I have taken plunge into a new style of travel that has once been foreign to me, it’s the mystery that is public transportation. Indianapolis is not really known for its ability to offer decent public transportation, especially for the suburbia’s. The rail system is non-existent and its rare to see a taxi outside the 465 loop…but I have stumbled upon a diamond in the rough when it comes to the Indy Express bus that is now my sole mode of daily work travel.   Unlike city buses, this route uses charter buses, which offer comfy seats, personal lighting and even a nice little foot rest.  It would equate it to flying first class.   And I am in luck that both the pick-up and drop-off locations are within blocks of my home and work.  It’s ideal and I will throw down my top 5 benefits of riding the bus, that support that statement.

5.  Catching up on some sleep?  I am that guy, that once he is awake he stays awake. So taking a quick 30 minute nap isn’t necessarily for me. But I am surprised at the number of people that take a seat and go “lights out”, especially on the 6:30 am bus. From my observation, I would guess that about half of the passengers take this time to catch up on some sleep…more power to them.  Just hope they don’t miss their stop.

4.  Saving some money!  I am always the first person to admit that I am cheap, and the bus is certainly one good option to do just that.  I like to look at it like a mathematical equation…I know the constants: its $5 each way using the bus. Lets say that my car gets about 15 mi / gallon (city driving) and it takes almost exactly 15 miles to get to work.  At today’s gas prices at $3.39 for premium it takes only 3rd grade math to figure out that comes out to be roughly $3 - $4 per trip…just in gas. Factor in parking for downtown Indianapolis (lets call it $80/mo), wear and tear on the car ($30/mo) and all the sudden you have this:  $6.50 (gas) + $2.66 (parking)+ $1.00(car depreciation) = $10.16 /day  vs. a $10/day bus ride.  So we could assume that its roughly equal…until you factor in how much your time is worth…and for my skill set, lets call it $180/hr. so I save like $90/day!!!  Ok…maybe that’s over thinking it…but  In reality, while it may not save a TON of money it is definitely worth having that time accomplish other tasks.

3.  Gossip.  This is one I wouldn’t have thought of initially.  But I have realized if I am quiet and perk up my ears that there are quite a few women who really enjoy the sound of their own voice on my bus.   Im not sure who they are, where they are going or who they work for, but I seem to know WAY too much about their personal lives.  Some of the language that comes out of their mouths!  I have heard about their problems in their offices, who they like, definitely who they don’t like…and worst of all, I have heard about these middle aged ladies sex lives…gross.  Its like watching a slow motion car wreck …gruesome, but I cant look away. While some people watch their soap operas during daytime programming, I get to watch my “stories” LIVE, twice a day and in surround sound…im not gonna lie, its kind of fun.

2.  Reading!  Definitely my favorite thing to do on the bus. Its not often that a working person gets even 30 minutes to do sit back without anything to do. So I cherish that 30  minutes each way by diving into books.  Ironically, I have found myself wishing for road construction and traffic jams to extend the travel time to and from work. In my 4 weeks of riding the bus, I have finished the first two books in a trilogy of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”.  What a great story, and a great way to spend my time (if you have not read them, please pick up a copy).  I am eagerly awaiting the 3rd installment of this series that I anticipate picking up, and not being able to put down.

1.  WRITING!  Here is the punch line: I am currently sitting in a bus writing this blog entry.  And If I would have waited for about 2 weeks, I will have been able to post it while riding as well as the Indy transportation system is adding WIFI to its buses.  Its almost therapeutic to be able to pull out a laptop, and to just layout what my thoughts are at the moment.  Once the wifi is added, I can probably add “work” to the list of things I can do, which will undoubtedly make riding the bus even more valuable.

At the end of the day, I have found that riding the bus has given me more freedom than it has taken away. I have at least an hour of each day to do only what I want to do with nearly no distractions…and in my life with work, kids, family and technology, I find having short amount of time is nearly priceless.

New Year's Commitments

In a couple days many of us will embark on a year long push to do something new in our lives.  We call these “New Years Resolutions”. Wikipedia defines this type of resolutions as:  A commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous.  Although I don’t hit the gym myself, I hear that there is an annual onslaught of “resolutioners” that will take up residence during prime treadmill time, attempting to stay on track for the entirety of the year in an effort to make a single visit into a habit, and a habit into a lifestyle. I will be interested to see how long that lasts.

I am a firm believer that we, as individuals struggle to take on large tasks by ourselves.  As many people know, I am motivated by team activity and social challenge. Together we can do much more than any single individual. Which is why my new found fondness of running is so odd.   It’s definitely not a team sport, but rather something you are always doing by yourself. However finding ways to take this solo sport and manipulating it into a team exercise is how I have found myself sticking to the lifestyle changes that I made earlier this year.

For the year of 2011, I am resolving to keep running and am trying to get ahead of the curve by committing to events that my peers can both participate in, and at the same time keep me accountable to my goals.

So here is my tentative list of runs that I have either already signed up for, or plan to sign up for as soon as it becomes available. I am also adding links so that anyone out there can join me!

5.  Shamrock Run & Walk: March 17th, 2011  https://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/73567

with thousands of others by participating the 4-Mile Run & Walk course that starts on Monument Circle and heads to Fountain Square, home of the "Irish Hill."

4.  River to River Run: April 16th 2011 http://rrr.olm.net/index.html

Teams of eight runners compete on an 80-mile course. Each runner completes three sections that range in length from 2.5 to 4 miles. Teams are started in groups every 30 minutes beginning at 6:15am and continuing until the last group is started
at 8:45am. The finish line closes at exactly 8:00pm.

3.  Mini Marathon :  May 7th, 2011 http://www.500festival.com/marathon/

The 35th Running of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon takes place on Saturday, May 7, 2011.  The Mini has sold-out for the past nine years with 35,000 registrants, and an additional 4,000 participants in the Finish Line 500 Festival 5K. The Mini-Marathon is the largest half-marathon in the U.S., and overall, the seventh largest running event in America.

2. Full (26.2)Chicago Marathon: Oct 7th, 2011 
http://www.chicagomarathon.com/cms400min/chicago_marathon/runner_information/index.aspx?id=4739

The 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, October 9, 2011. To receive the official announcement of the 2011 race date and registration launch, sign up for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon's Mile by Mile E-Newsletter.

1. (either half or full) Indy Monumental, for old times sake: Nov 5th, 2011 http://monumentalmarathon.com/

The Monumental starts and finishes near the Indiana State Capitol Building in downtown Indianapolis.

Hope to see you all at the finish line(s)!

New Traditions and New Recipes

This weekend marked the first of what I hope turns in to a long running tradition. The “Becker Annual Dinner” was the idea of my parents who have been holding this formal dinner for over 30 years. The night focuses around the gathering of friends and food, but not just any food…good food. For me, it gave the opportunity to work on new recipes that I have been working on and not hold back on the quality of the produce, which I generally do because I’m cheap.

One additional piece that I am hoping to add to this wonderful event is passing out the recipes I come up with so that others can recreate these dishes…should they not flop. So for this post, I thought I would share them with all of you. 

I would highly encourage anyone to try these out as they are not complex; the goal was to make simple Italian themed cuisine, with a modern twist.

-         Meat and Cheese Tray : Wine Pairing – Asti Champagne

I went with traditional Italian meats, prosciutto, capicola and salami.  And for the cheese:  Parmasean, Triple Cream , Port Salut, and an Italian truffle.  The saltiness of the meats and cheese paired very well with the sweetness Champagne which also gave us a great toasting drink.

-         Appetizer: Bruchetta : Wine Pairings –  2006 Conundrum California White

o   Cherry & Yellow Plum tomatoes (2c, halved)

o   Fresh Basil (handfull, rough chopped)

o   Olive Oil (3 Tbsp)

o   Green Onion (2Tbsp)

o   Chive Vinegar (2 Tbsp)

o   Balsamic Vinegar

o   Salt / Pepper (season to taste)

o   French bread (1 loaf)

o   Fresh Mozzarella (1 ball)

o   Goat Cheese (Chevre) (8oz.)

The first comment that I will make, is that while I put down measurements, these are just really rough guesses. I don’t measure things generally, for me its all about taste.  And if I cant get the taste right, it just gives me a reason to try it again at a later time. 

Combine the tomatoes, basil, olive oil, green onion, chive vinegar and salt / pepper in a bowl to let marinate for 20 – 30 minutes in the refrigerator. While that is marinating, slice the French bread into ½” thick pieces.  Spoon the tomatoes onto each piece of bread, then top with the mozzarella and a sprinkle of goat cheese (note: most goat cheeses are very strong, so it doesn’t take much). Pop those bad boys in the oven set to a high broil and watch them carefully. You should be able to get the cheese to melt, while keeping the tomatoes  cool, which gives good temperature contrast.  After the cheese has begun to melt, take them out and drizzle with just a little balsamic vinegar and you are set!

-        Salad Course: Simple Caesar : Wine Pairings – 2006 Crawford Winery Sauvignon Blanc

 

o   Belgian Endive

o   Sourdough croutons

§  Sourdough Bread

§  Olive Oil

§  Garlic Powder

§  Onion Powder

§  Salt / Pepper

o   Anchovies

o   Cesar Dressing

o   Red Onion

o   Cherry Tomatoes

This course is really more about assembly than any real cooking. I made my own croutons out of a loaf of sourdough bread that we cubed up and then tossed with olive oil, a little garlic and onion powder and salt / pepper.  Then browned them in an oven set to broil, which gives a crunchy outside and a soft inside. I also attempted to make the Caesar dressing a week before, but came to the realization that some things are better purchased.  The anchovies were fried then crumbled to sprinkle on top. I used endive to change up both the taste and the visual appeal from a more traditional romaine lettuce and it was a hit, everyone should try it. This dish really shows that we eat with our eyes first and a good looking plate tastes better than something thrown together.

-       Palate Cleanser: Lemon Ice

o   Italian Ice

o   prosciutto ham

Ok this was a cheating course. I bought the Italian Ice, but at least scooped them into better looking bowls. If you didn’t know, a sweet, often citrusy dish will be served just before the main entrée to clear all other tastes from the palate, in my case I used it to clear the fishiness of the anchovies and Caesar dressing.  I also threw in a bit of fried ham to set some saltiness with the sweet.

-        Entrée: Braciole & Spaghetti : Wine Pairings  -- 2006 Nipozzano Chianti & 2005 Medoc (Magnum)

o   Flank Steak

o   Italian Sausage

o   Fresh Basil (1/2 c. chopped)

o   Parmesan Cheese (2c. grated)

o   Salt / Pepper

o   Olive Oil (2Tbsp)

o   Fresh Garlic (2 cloves)

o   Mushrooms (1 box quartered)

o   Onion (1/2 medium onion chopped)

o   Good Wine (1/2 c. preferably the wine you will be drinking with the dinner)

o   Cheap Sauce (1 jar: I love the Aldi brand spaghetti sauce)

o   Diced Tomatoes (1 can)

Start by mixing together the basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil and 1 of the minced garlic cloves. Add Salt/pepper to taste and set aside for use later (this will be the schmear for the flank steak)

Take the flank steak and, and fillet it, so you have on very large thin piece.Spread the basil paste evenly across the steak.  Roll it up and tie with kitchen twine, to make a Roulade.

Heat the sauce pan /pot that you will be using to make the sauce over a high setting. Add a little vegetable oil to the bottom of the pan and add the mushroom and onion and sauté until the onions begin to turn clear. Remove the mushroom and onion (you should see some brown pieces at the bottom of the pan, leave them, that will be used to add flavor.)  Using the newly emptied, still hot pan, sear the flank steak on all sides to a nice golden brown. Once it is brown, add the wine and other clove of minced garlic to the pan, scraping the bottom to get all those delicious browned bits.  Let the wine simmer for a minute or so to reduce and burn off some of the alcohol. Add back in the onion & mushrooms, Italian sausage, jar of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Now comes the tricky part: let simmer on the lowest temp you can FOREVER.I let mine go for about 4 hours…the longer the better. If you think it is getting too thick, add water or beef stock. I tend to fiddle with mine as well by adding salt, pepper and other spices I have laying around.  

-         Dessert: Deconstructed Spumoni: Wine Pairing  -- Tawny Port (10yr)

o   Chocolate Brownie

o   Pistachio Iced Cream

o   Heavy Whipping Cream (1qt)

o   Maraschino Cherries

o   Powdered Sugar

o   Vanilla

o   Almond Extract

This was a fun dish that I made up after a lunch at the Spaghetti Factory, where they always serve Spumoni iced cream after the meal.   I wanted to mix it up a little, so made up a way to take apart the flavors of spumoni and lay them out separately on a plate.  Hence a Chocolate Brownie, homemade pistachio iced cream and Cherry whipped cream.   The only prep you need to do is making the box-o-brownies, and whipped cream.   I found making my own whipped cream turned out a better tasting and better consistency than trying to mix the cherries with a prepared whipped cream.   Simply take the whipping cream throw it in a mixing bowl with a mixer on high (or by hand if you are brave).  Add a couple tablespoons of the cherry syrup to the cream, some drops of vanilla and almond extract.  Slowly add powdered sugar until you get a desired sweetness.  Once the whipped cream holds a stiff peak, fold in a dozen or so chopped cherries, and voila.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s installment of the cooking hour...If anyone wants a chef for the evening, I am a cheap date.  

Projects a-plenty!

As many of my good friends know, I don’t do well “sitting” and doing nothing. I always need to have a project to work on or something to do.

I have been told that this is a flaw in my personality. That not being content sitting still shows that I am not happy in my current situation. I see it completely different.  I can’t help that I enjoy exercising my mind and my creativity. If Mr. Tom Edison was told that he was too ‘A.D.D.’ and should stop trying to do so much, we may be riding to work in a carriage while writing to a friend with pencil and paper by candle light.  Now I’m not saying that I am inventing anything, although I have made attempts at several patents (they never seem to turn out.) But I do think that excess time and the desire to ALWAYS try to make something before I have to buy it, result in semi-productive hours that sometime turn out decent products.

I think I learned this through my parents: My mom taught me to enjoy the art of cooking and my dad has instilled in me the ability to fabricate nearly anything due to extreme thriftiness. Growing up, I wore shirts, coats and hats made by mom’s sewing machine, ate dinners she made for us every single night while living in a house built solely by my dad’s hands. Many times, my dad has said that one of the greatest things he learned from his dad was how to be a good carpenter and that he wants to pass that knowledge to me. If my dad is reading this, I would like him to know that I don’t take that for granted and while I may not ever build an entire house with what he has taught me, I do put those skills to work as often as possible.

Over the past week or two, I have been working on a several projects that I thought I would share, in top 5 format:

5. Buckeyes:  These are probably my favorite candies of all times, and something I have made with my mom nearly everything Thanksgiving as long as I can remember.  While they are not ingredient heavy, they take some skill to make…and after whipping up over ten dozen of these in the past two weeks due to high demand in the office, I can say that I have it down pat. I don’t care what anyone says; only the manliest of men know how to temper chocolate the right way.

4. Man Cave: Speaking of being a man, I’m pretty sure the desire of every man is to have his “man cave”. I have been working on mine ever since we got our house. This past week my cave has taken a huge step with the addition of an 82” home theater experience, thanks to a woot.com purchase of a 1080p HD projector. Now, I could’ve gone out and bought a screen, and had someone install it…but where’s the fun in that?!  No, I have spent the better part of the last 4 evenings constructing the custom screen(s) (side note: about two hours after completing the first screen, my adorable son had knocked it off the wall complete with a large tear directly in the middle. oops). Then cut holes in the ceiling and walls to run the cables and electrical outlets in an effort to make my man cave my own.  With some finishing touches tonight, I should be ready to re watch the Star Wars Trilogy(s) in an entirely new, all encompassing environment. For only the low low price of $80/hr, I will come to your house and do it as well!

Check out the video

3. The Treadbike: I probably won’t win any races while training on this one, but at least it was a fun toy to build…where no one got hurt, and the treadmill has only a scratch or two.  And for you critics; yes, I know – there is no resistance, but that does not make it any less awesome.

2. Beard Growing: while this neither takes practice nor real skill, the meaning behind it certainly warrants a slot on the top 5.  Every year for the past 5 years, my fellow co-workers and I have endured the “hairy holidays”, a project not for the weary.  In Q4, you don’t shave until you hit your quota.   Most times this little undertaking is no less than 2months and 3 weeks in the making…Luckily this year I had a good run and Abby got to enjoy the reward of my holiday mustache a little earlier this season.  Cheers!

1. Becker Annual Dinner:  You have to start traditions somewhere, so this year my wife and I decided to start the ‘Becker Annual Dinner’.  It’s something that my parents have done for 20+ years, and not once have I been invited.  So this year, we invited a dozen of our friends for an all out 5 course meal complete with wine pairings.  This has served as an outlet for me to cook and do wine tastings, and for my wife to decorate and make our house look gorgeous.   Perhaps for my next post I will reveal the recipes I have been working on for this feast!

So after this weekend is over, I’m sure I will be on the hunt for the next over-the-top project that I can tackle, and one that doesn’t cause too much destruction to the house. I am always looking for suggestions, so feed them my way!