Alyosha Stukalin, 46 years old

Since I’m keeping my own blog again (as prevention against early Alzheimer’s), it would be strange not to sum up the past year and sketch plans for the one that has just started. My new personal year began today at 12:10 a.m.-that’s the exact time I was born, so I can literally celebrate all day.

I spent my 45th year searching. It all began with stressful upheavals at work: new management, new colleagues, new tasks, and new areas of responsibility. There was nothing to do but roll up my sleeves and get through that stage with dignity. Over the course of the year I delivered several large-scale projects, wrote a ton of working documents, concepts, and technical specifications, and also came up with and launched a couple of new products.

From a scientific standpoint, the year was, without exaggeration, a breakthrough. Several years of experiments and wandering finally crystallized into an invention idea: I described it, built a prototype, proved its viability, and defended it before the academic community. The result was the first computer program registration certificate of my life and a patent application that has already passed formal review. For the first time in my life, I also took part in creating as many as four printed publications. I built my own website in the best traditions of Fido, something I had long intended to do but never quite got around to. It was a good year-productive and far from boring.

For this new year, I have several grand projects on my list. First and foremost, to bring all my children together so they can enjoy each other’s company. Then, to move up academically and obtain a patent for my invention. And, if you won’t consider it presumptuous, I would also like my work to find practical application and bring me fame and-why not-wealth. I began the year with a kiss from my beloved wife, a mountain of balloons, and black caviar for breakfast =)