2009

I've always been fond of the number nine. It was my first ice hockey number, the number of my childhood sports hero - Gordie Howe, and the predominant digit in my first loves' phone number. Now it is the last digit of the new year. I am always skeptical about judging something too soon, but I feel confident 9 will continue to be fine.

Now 8 on the other hand, well that just is not a good number! My last day of 2008 encompassed a dead iPod, a dead car (and needing $2000 worth of repairs), the AAA truck towing my car getting hit by a car, and lastly taking my car to a rather greasy and grimy garage somewhere in a yet to be gentrified section of Chicago's West Loop neighborhood. I am not a superstitious man, but I must tell you, I truly believed someone was taking revenge on me before the year was up! But, again, I say nine will be fine!

Today, in the office, we got some news that brightened all of our ears. Over the past couple months, Qi has been trying to attain a visa from the US Gov, in order to stay in the US. For weeks the prospects looked grim and it seemed roadblock after roadblock was thrown in her path - but she kept going and fighting. Today she received an email from her attorney saying, YES! VISA APPROVED! I knew something was up when I heard her screaming down the hall for me to come to her office.

Not only is she an important piece of our family at TSEA, much more than that, she is also one of my best friends. I'm not sure what it is, if it's the fact that we're both only children or that neither of us are from the Chicago area or that we connect personally or that we are both game and ready to try anything. I've never had a sister, but if I did, I would imagine this is how it would feel.

I know she is feeling a lot of things today, being that without this decision from the Government, the course of her life would have changed beyond any of our wildest dreams. So I can't speculate on the array of emotions she's feeling. I do know that I feel extremely lucky and fortunate to have Qi continue to be a part of my life and a part of our work family.

So, yeah, 2009 will be fine. And also, I met a girl a little while ago, who I'm getting close to saying the 'L' word to. I'm in a good place.

Ryan

New Webinar List!

Thanks to our wonderful volunteer speakers, we have successfully uploaded our webinar list for 2009! Please stay tuned with us for updates!

- Qi Fan
Education and Events Coordinator

The TSEA Blog

You'll hear from all of us at HQ. We'll share industry news - and personal news; fun facts about TSEA and about ourselves. Most of all, we want you to know us and we want to get to know you better. Let us know about things you wish we would do, what we do right and what we need to improve. This is YOUR association and we hope this will make it easier for you to participate and interact with us.

-Margit Weisgal, CME
CEO/President of TSEA