Jamie Hilao

The godson I helped raise now has a driver’s license, my best friend is adjusting to major changes in her life after recently having a baby, and I’ve survived my first full year as a single, professional thirty-something.

Where did all the time go? Every year it seems to fly by faster and faster…

This year’s reflections:

• New Job: I started off the year as a consultant at Sony Pictures Entertainment and converted to an FTE halfway into the year. It’s a lot more laidback than NBCU, which can be a good and bad thing. Overall, I’m happy to have made the move and I look forward to seeing what the coming year will bring. I remain optimistic despite budget cuts and announcements about layoffs and am grateful to have my job during these difficult economic times.
• I attended 5 Weddings (Damon & Stephany, Lo & Frank, Dan & Joy, Heidi & Gus, Mikey & Adele), an Engagement Party (Taryn & Jeremy), a Bat Mitzvah (Rachel Richman) and welcomed a few Babies into the world (Kaitlyn Grace Oh & Lincoln GiHan Calfo). I was unable to attend the weddings of Mary & Dale and Tammy & Chris, but I congratulate them as well! I said goodbye to Dr. Florcruz and Gustavo Buendia, may they rest in peace… And though we had a huge scare with Aila’s bout of pneumonia, she left the ICU in the middle of the year. Although her lungs aren’t yet fully recovered, she’s doing much better.
• A few Favorites I discovered this year:
  Restaurant: Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi (thanks Toni!)
  Book: Though most of my time this year was spent reading The Economist, I did find time to read a few books, my favorite being Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
  Movie: Slumdog Millionaire, with Milk coming in a close second
  Documentary: Eve Ensler’s What I Want My Words to Do to You
  Album: I’ve been terrible at keeping up with music these days, but my brother introduced me to my fave album of the year, Hot Chip’s Made in the Dark.
  Yoga Teacher: Kia Miller
  Brand of Tea: Mighty Leaf
  Acupuncturist: I discovered acupuncture this year, which is covered by my health insurance. Dr. Zhong rocks!
  Moment: Every Friday morning when I talk to my 94-year-old grandmother. Even Obama’s magnificent speech on Election Night and dancing with my idol Eve Ensler can’t top that.
• Comments on Last Year’s Resolutions: Since my A/C unit gave out this year, I had to postpone the work I wanted to do on my kitchen (who knew A/C units could cost up to $5K for a small place like mine?!). I also didn’t set up a living trust, but I was able to consolidate my retirement accounts (never mind the fact that they’re now worth half of what they used to be) and I did set up a college fund for my godson, who will be graduating in 2010. On the Community front, I completed my first full year as a Board Member for A Window Between Worlds, helped plan a new direction for the AWBW Advocate Committee (formerly known as the Donor Development Committee), and co-chaired the Annual Open House. I never went on that yoga retreat but I did frequent YogaWorks and attended Griffith Park night hikes throughout the year.
• Accomplishments: I received my PMP Certification and became a 2009 Marshall Memorial Fellow. I hadn’t planned for either of these at the beginning of the year, but I am grateful to my boss who paid for my PMP exam prep course and certification and to Michael for nominating me for the fellowship.
• Health: Despite a few scares this year, I ended the year with clean bill of health and am most thankful for that!

It was another year full of adventures and lessons learned, and I have lots to work on in the coming year….

• Take good care of myself: less drinking, more healthy foods, yoga, hiking, acupuncture, and therapy.
• Thankfully, I have no weddings to help plan next year (at least, that I know of!), but I will have to help coordinate a few milestone birthdays in my family: my grandmother’s 95th and my sister’s 30th.
• Making the most of my fellowship to Europe and proving that I am worthy of this awesome opportunity.
• Developing a strategic plan for online fundraising for AWBW, including personalized fundraising pages for AWBW Advocates.
• Implementing concepts I learned during my PMP training at work and developing our team’s roadmap with planned budget constraints.
• Developing my own personal 5-10 year professional plan, with an emphasis on civic/community initiatives.
• Redoing my kitchen cabinets and countertops.
• Saving more money, look into refinancing, and finally setting up that living trust.

Hope you all have a magnificent year: may you appreciate the wonderful moments and embrace the difficult ones. Cheers to a fantabulous ‘09!

In 1999, I took a Contiki tour to Europe, my first experience abroad as an adult. I was fascinated by the character and history in each city but since we visited about 13 countries in 3 weeks, it was quite the whirlwind vacation.

Since then, I’ve been back to Europe several times to visit Prague, Berlin, Barcelona, and Ibiza, creating my own itineraries and spending more time exploring each city.

And in June - 10 years after my initial European Encounter - I will be experiencing Europe in a much different context.

A few months ago, I was nominated to apply for the Marshall Memorial Fellowship (MMF). The application process and interview was pretty stressful but quite the journey… As I filled out my application and prepared for the interview, I thought about my professional and community accomplishments to date, what I want to do in the future, and how this fellowship could get me there. I also thought about what I could give back to the fellowship, specifically how I could use my expertise in technology to expand the fellowship’s online presence. The journey itself helped me strategize my goals in the short- and long-terms, and I was so grateful to be given the opportunity to apply, whether or not I made it into the program.

Last week, an official press release was distributed with the list of 53 MMF fellows selected for the 2009 program, and I still cannot believe my name is on that list. I will be preparing for my 1-month trip over the next few months, and I am so honored to represent America in this way, especially during such a historic time of transition for this country as we move in a new direction under a magnificent new leader.

To Dad, Lynn, Jay, Toni & Brien: Thanks for all your help and support during the journey. To Ivan & Cathy: Your recommendation letters made all the difference in the world. And to Michael, I am indebted to you for having enough faith in me to take this journey in the first place.