California Dreamboat

Mr. Fleece passed his final actuarial exam this year & was officially recognized as a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society! That's right, he can put the initials "FCAS" after his name. Cue "For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow..." Notably, this milestone indicates hundreds of hours of studying behind him. Behind us! There were some rough days & nights in the height of his studying phase. Lots of worn out zombie looks on his end & feeling lonely & unimportant on my end. But just like our four years of long-distance dating, we managed & got through it! I'm proud of his work ethic, intricate mind for learning/understanding/retaining, & his growing self-discipline through it all. He really is quite a catch. 17 year-old me knew how to spot 'em.

This week we attended the recognition ceremony in Anaheim, CA & while he sat through a bunch of seminars & sessions, I was free to explore on my own (with a $50 per diem in hand!). We tacked on a side trip to Joshua Tree National Park on the front end, & I thoroughly enjoyed the days to myself where I could meander at my own pace. I hit up Fullerton, Laguna Beach, & downtown LA. I wasn't expecting to enjoy Orange County as much as I did. The weather helped of course, but really, I had no idea how beautiful & majestic the landscape was. Don't think I'd actually want to live there - traffic really is what they say. Although listening to the La La Land soundtrack while driving down I-5 was pretty stellar.

In honor of Mr. Fleece,

• My love for you is endless, like a perpetuity.
• Since the first time I saw you, my interest in you has compounded continuously.
• If you put 5 red, 4 yellow, and 3 green balls in a vase, what's the probability of you coming home with me tonight? 

SJW