Spotlight 2018: Andrew

Andrew, 2017

Something in 2017 that...

*you saw or did that was awesome:  Going on our 20th anniversary Disney cruise to the Caribbean with Patrick and Marianne.

*you'll remember: Going on our family cruise and visiting the Mayan ruins in Chacchoben.

*you want to forget:  Experiencing so much grief when Wyatt passed. Spending the entire year living with pain in my right shoulder. I was diagnosed with a torn labrum, bone spur, scar tissue, and arthritis. Surgery to come in February.

*scared you:  Getting a phone call that Dad would need quadruple bypass surgery.

*you're good at:  Fantasy basketball.

*you're proud of:  That our family has fun together and enjoys being together while the kids are still at home.

*made you happy:  Watching the many hours of practice that Brandon and Caroline put into rock climbing pay off in their competitions. Watching Whitney dance so beautifully in the Nutcracker. And hearing about Andrea dominating her tennis season.

*was exciting: Throwing down what will probably be my last legitimate dunk at the stake center.

*you earned, won, or accomplished:  I won my fantasy basketball league in a thrilling victory over my best friend/fantasy nemesis, Michael, thanks to Lebron James and Draymond Green.

Any other notable changes/events for 2017:  Visited Portugal and Windsor Castle on two very cool work trips. Bought a new van. Bought a used Toyota Solara for the kids to drive. Played a Canon in D duet with Whitney at the ward talent show. Went to the Winston-Salem Open and the Wyndham Open with Andrea. Went to Carolina Beach and the Biltmore with my parents. Got promoted to staff writer at Cat Scratch Reader, the Carolina Panthers blog at SB Nation. And, as always, our fun summer road trip to Utah.

Windsor Castle, England 

Porto, Portugal

Follow-up from last year's hopes:
Hold my own in tennis after getting bumped to a 3.5. (I went 4-0 in my men's league, despite playing with my bum shoulder.)
Have the Panthers return to the playoffs. (Yes, but it was a disappointing loss in the wild card round.)
Win my fantasy basketball league. (Yes!!!!!!!!!!!)

Hopes for 2018:
That my shoulder surgery is successful.
That I win my fantasy basketball league.
That the Panthers make at least the divisional round of the playoffs.
That BYU football isn't so awful that it makes me want to burn all my hats and shirts.
That my job at work of leading compensation and benefits is something I enjoy.

Something you like about your job:  The variety, the complexity, the independence that I have, and being a member of three different leadership teams helps me see the whole business.

Something you don't like about your job:  That the number of HR people we have the US continues to shrink and shrink.

A job you might want when you're older:  Professional sports blogger--Lakers, Panthers, and fantasy basketball

FAVORITES:

Restaurant:  The Deck House

Sport:  Football

Recent reads:  I'm really down on reading right now and haven't read a good book in a long time. Reading takes too much mental energy and I would prefer to just chill out and watch TV.

Candy or other treat:  Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream

Color:  Blue

Movie:  A Christmas Story

Animal:  Caracal

Snack:  Chocolate covered almonds

TV show:  Survivor

Place:  Carolina Beach

Season:  Fall

Meal:  King crab legs and Beef Szechuan (PF Chang's)

Game:  Madden, playing as the general manager

RANDOM FACT:  I have a stray hair that grows out of the middle of my forehead, called the unicorn hair and it is the source of all my power.