“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” Benjamin Franklin

Looking back over the year that was, I can honestly say that it has been, the latter half, at any rate, the best one we’ve had in a long while. Gas prices and economic upheaval and the loss of a dear one aside, it’s actually been a very good year!

After four years of slogging along and not getting much of anywhere with my business, I regrouped, took the suggestion of my cousin, Debbie, and added genealogy to the photo restoration, making mine a genealogical services company. I made a pledge to obtain my genealogical certification with a specialization in Native American lineage within five years. I figured it could take that long, due to the business and the fact that it takes a whole lot of work to get certified. I also was privileged to find my very own marketing fairy in the person of Nancy Masse. She gave me suggestions to grow my online presence, and, although it was pretty hard, at first, to break through the excuse wall I’d built, I did what she said. I’m not saying I’m in the Fortune 500 category, quite yet, but, boy did it help! The really great thing is it also translated into more business, especially in the previous three months. Things have slowed down over Christmas, but I remain hopeful it will pick up and continue to grow! If it does, you can best believe there will be a Photoshop World in my future!

I continued my work with Operation Photo Rescue, taking on some real boogers! Every photo I help restore for a family affected by these horrible disasters makes me that much better at my craft. I feel like this year has seen a marked improvement in my restoration skills, and only have reason to expect more of the same in the coming year.

I suffered my first work related rejection this past year, this past month, in fact, but other than losing the money, it’s turned out to be a blessing. The advice and encouragement I recieved was priceless!

Speaking of advice & encouragement, I was lucky enough this past year, again, due to Nancy Masse (I owe a lot to that one, I do!), to fall in with a great group of people both on the NAPP forums and on Twitter. Just good people, period. Just today, for instance, I made a casual comment on Twitter about having to maybe seek help, at some point, for a little issue with my WordPress theme. It was from the original theme I based mine on, and I knew what I had to do, just not how to write it or where to put it. I’m not kidding, less than two minutes after I post, Chris Harrison, wonderful human being (or, as I used to say, when I was 6, human bean) that he is, sent me a direct message offering to help! I told him the problem, he sent me a few lines of code, told me where to put it and, just like that, problem solved! I mean, seriously, how cool is that? Luckily, I’m somewhat smarter then a turnip, albeit not much, and I didn’t have to keep bugging him. That would have been embarrassing!

While I’m on the subject of smart turnips, I was told this year the content of my website was written on the level of College Undergraduate, and I needed to dummy it down to appeal to “the masses”. Well, thank you very much for the advice, but I happen to think the underestimation and undervaluation of your customers can be almost as devastating. I think it would be a neat trick if my website really was written at that level, since I wrote it and have never graced the hallowed halls of higher learning. You see before you a humble high school graduate. But, see, I learned to read and write and speak, and, luckily, haven’t had too many people underestimate my intelligence. I like to think I’m speaking to people like me!

We had one sad event, this last year, with the loss of our cousin Herbert Funke. He was actually my grandmothers cousin, but he was only 10 years older than my mom. Cousin Herbert had a long career as an accountant with American Machine and Foundry, better known as AMF, and retired as Vice President & Comptroller. He served on the U.S.S. Santee in WWII in the Pacific Theater, and, along with his ship mates, experienced the first kamikaze assault against the Allied Forces. He was 92 when he passed on Aug. 26. He was a true gentleman in the truest sense of the word, and will be missed.

Well, I hope y’all had a wonderful 2008! I’m wishing the very best 2009 for each and everone of you! Be safe, tonight! There are a lot of crazy, irresponsible people out there! I want to see each and every one of you back, here in 2009!! Blessings, salutations and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Tags: Good Stuff, Happy Days