% document
\documentclass{letter}
\usepackage[margin=0.5in]{geometry}
\usepackage{multicol}

% text
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\renewcommand{\familydefault}{\sfdefault}
\usepackage{lipsum}

% graphics
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{wrapfig}

% signature environment
\newenvironment{sig}[1]%
 {\begin{list}{}%
         {\setlength{\leftmargin}{300pt}}%
         \item[]%
 }
 {\end{list}}

\begin{document}

\pagenumbering{gobble}

\large{\textbf{Winter Solstice Greetings \hfill 2024}}

\begingroup
\setlength{\intextsep}{0pt}%
\setlength{\columnsep}{10pt}%

Friends, family---greetings to each of you.
It's snowing hard here, a few inches on the ground and we're only halfway through the storm.
Finals week means scrambling to finish up the semester---finish grading, take notes about what went wrong and right, organize the filing cabinet.
At the same time preparing for next semester and dreaming of big long-term projects.
Glad to have this yearly letter-writing tradition.

\begin{wrapfigure}{r}{0.4\textwidth}
  \begin{center}
    \includegraphics[width=0.4\textwidth]{"./blaise.jpg"}
  \end{center}
\end{wrapfigure}

Each year I read through my old solstice letters as preparation for writing.
This year was pretty dramatic---a lot has changed in my life since December 2023.
I have a new job, a new relationship, a new outlook.
I'm in a much better place than I was last year.
National politics are scarier than I've ever experienced, but locally things are looking better and better.
Trying to focus locally...

In July I left the Electronics Shop for a new role in the Department of Chemistry.
I'm now ``Instrumental Lab Director''.
The move is bitter sweet, since this role was previously filled by my friend and long-time mentor Rob McClain.
Rob did such a wonderful job, I'm intimidated trying to fill his shoes.
Furthermore, I really enjoyed my work in the shop.
I'm going to miss the luxury of focusing directly on instrument design full time, especially in a shop with professionals such as Amber, Steve, Matt, James, Sam, Tracy, and Lauren.
Still, after six years I'm happy to try my hand at something new and this position as lab director is exciting.

VACATION TO PITSBURGH PARAGRAPH

LOST COAST PARAGRAPH

HOUSE WORK PARAGRAPH

Thank you all for being a part of my life this year.
Please---stay in touch.

\vfill
\raggedleft

Blaise Jonathan Thompson \\*
\hspace{0pt} \\
1813 Fisher St. \\*
Madison, Wisconsin 53713 \\*
\hspace{0pt} \\
1-424-225-2493 \\*
blaise@untzag.com \\*
https://blaise.zone

\end{document}
