success begets success

hey look, i got a promotion

first thing thursday morning, creative director comes over to my desk, giving me a nice pat on the back and bringing the great news of my promotion. sweet—the year-and-a-half senior art director is now art supervisor. the usual official announcement to the agency isnt out yet but news travels so ive gotten some "so i heard.... well deserved" congratulations from some people, and even got treated to a chinatown dinner by one of the writers i usually work with. which is weird coz isnt it the one with the raise usually the one treating? but free dinner to celebrate a bit of success, im in.

jazz band @ holiday party

success was likewise the theme of the agency (post) holiday party on friday. all the talk about how targets were met and surpassed. and how this year will be even better (especially that we did get named 2006 global ad agency of the year by adage and campaigns). but more importantly, the night was all about celebration—nonstop dancing to 80s and hiphop music, live jazz, open bar & best of all, a new fave drink to rival the usual sapphire & tonic (jack & tonics on the house).

travel a thousand miles away to manila. saturday—a friend runs his first ever 10k. unsure days before whether he'd manage to finish, i just got an instant message that he did. great to hear another personal goal met. now, he's talking about joining 5 other 10k's this year and even betterring his time.

another success story

travel another thousand miles away. this time to holland, saturday as well—coen, good (but crazy) dutch friend, up to his crazy plans again. this time taunting the impossible and hoping to bike all 260 kilometers from amsterdam to his hometown down south in maastricht in one day. i have yet to get word on whether he did manage to accomplish it. but somehow, finishing or not doesnt really matter. the will to push oneself was the real story. the need for a bit of a jolt of life and (im sure) managing to get it with a killer of a ride.

it's great being surrounded by people driven to succeed. somehow, you draw a certain level of inspiration. a push to excel. a second wind of sorts when things seem to feel a bit of a challenge. sure, their goals and capabilities may be different from yours but instead of envy, a sense of being propelled by their success to pursue your own.

art supervisor goal accomplished. and so, up next for me — back to school for a class at pratt institute in 2 weeks to be better with web design, a spinning class at NYU to train for the 5boro bike tour in may and a possible half-marathon in november, new zealand and australia in june. but first things first, much-needed rest tonight. oh and ya, hopefully finish cleaning up the room sometime soon.

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EDIT: 7:45 in the AM now. just got the email from coen that he did it. the 260 km turned out to be 285km. and he covered all of that in 11 hours. wow, i think im hopping on the bike now. ummm, maybe not. time to get more sleep. congratulations, flying, er biking, dutchman.