I seem to have this issue making journal updates - it's almost getting to be a yearly thing. But since the last one was in September 2010, I'm going to do my best to post this one so it'll only be 3/4 of the year. Haha.

So many things have happened! I have lots to tell you all.  Sit, sit, children, and listen.

So: We left off from the summer of 2010, which was amazing, and I went back to Toronto. Immediately upon my return to Toronto, I was supposed to keep working at my previous summer job - just pick back up where I left off - but I got a call from an old headhunting colleague of mine, and joined forces with him in a new company he was running.

I loved it - I was back in the game, making calls, having conversations, doing research.  But even better, this time, I was a trusted advisor - I was giving my colleague, now my boss, but always my friend first - important information on how to run the company and make decisions.  We were a pretty good team.

Around the end of 2011, we made a move to a new office building, and I assisted in picking out the computers, phones, and technical equipment, and spent lots of time making sure that all of that was in proper order.  I learned a lot about networks, power, and office management.

Not to mention, I was being given formal training videos on headhunting from a wicked trainer.

In September of 2010, I took another trip down to Colorado for two weeks, to see Dai and have some more fun down there.  This was something to bridge the gap between us seeing each other, because the next time was supposed to be Christmas.  We had lots of fun, as always.

The interesting bit of this story comes at the end of the year.  I got my tickets and came down to Colorado in December, about mid-month.  This trip was for Christmas and New Years, and then I was going to be going back on January 5 to Toronto.

That didn't happen however - I actually just got back to Toronto - because Dai's roommate skipped town without any notice at all.

On New Years Eve.

So I needed to be there with her - and I decided, initially, to stay until March.  While I was there, I was trying to work, do some long-distance office work - and quickly realized over the course of January and February that my headhunting gig was going nowhere.  I had to face the music: This job wasn't for me.  So I quit.

This was nice, because it gave me the ability to go with Dai to the university every day, and therefore not just see her in the mornings and afternoons, on some days.  It freed up time, stress, and other things.

So the months went by.  It felt like they went by quite quickly, but it was truly almost six months - and I could not have been any happier to have been with my beautiful girl for all that time.

Hell, last summer we thought six weeks was the longest time in the world.

So many really fun things happened while I was there.  We went to the movies endless times, we were constantly at the Nature Center, at the Park, outdoors, and with Chris, Dai's best friend (and new roommate as of January.)

At one point, our group was hiking through San Isabel, and we got to a part of the river that you can slide down with a pool at the bottom - and me and another one of our group skinny dipped in the water.  In March. There was still SNOW all over the ground! It was absolutely freezing, but it was so fun.

And in April, we went and bought a beautiful ring together: [link]

Isn't it so pretty?!

So on April 20, we were officially engaged.  We're planning on having the wedding in April or May of 2012.  I'm going to try and invite as many people as I can; it's going to be tough considering the plane ticket costs.  But we shall see!

My plans for the rest of this year are that I'm going to spend the rest of May and June working.  I've got to make about $300 by the end of May, and another bunch of money by the end of June.  In July, I'm going to be spending the month in Colorado, to spend the summer with Dai.  We're going to do the Denver trip again, and it's going to be a blast.

Once July finishes, I'm going to spend August through December in Toronto, again, working.  I have a few debts that need paid off before I can move to the states.

In 2012, once I'm in the US full-time, I'm going to firstly, secure a job - and then Dai and I are going to save up to buy her a Jeep Wrangler. Once she gets that, she's going to give me the Hyundai she owns, and then my next goal will be for me to get a Jeep Grand Cherokee, nothing earlier than 1999 - because I like the style from 1999 - 2006. I'm really excited about next year.

What's even happier, is that the day after I got back, the 14th of this month - two of my best friends got married! And that was really, really special.  I was witness for one of them, and then the other witness and I managed to upgrade their hotel room to an executive suite with free breakfast. ;D

So that's what's been happening so far!  I'm going to try and update a little more frequently from now on.  It takes me a while because these entries are so big. Haha.  Hope all of my lovelies on deviantArt are doing awesome as well. Until next time!