Last year (2008) was a tripping year. Good and bad trips through each month. I remember how excited I was for the 2008 New Year when it was approaching and thinking it was going to be a killer year! Things didn't go as I had expected, but other surprises popped up along the way. Isn't that how it goes?!
I want to highlight the best here...
FAMILY
Ok... yes, this has to be 1 - my family!! They are the best. I would not be the person I am today without my loving husband and beautiful smart boys who are now 15, 13 and 9 years old (he survived chicken pox this year)!! Where does time go????
I'm so proud of my brothers for the awesome job they do serving our country. My nephew has joined the ranks now too and is going to celebrate his 21st birthday in January in a foreign country while serving. Pray they stay safe!! Love and hugs to all of my family!!!
BUSINESS
Yeah... it was a financial roller coaster, wasn't it? Ok... so "9" is my lucky number... let's see it work in the year 2009!!!
* * * * * 5 Tips * * * * *
1) Simplify things so you can focus your time on more valuable important tasks that produce results.
2) If something consumes too much time and doesn't yield favorable results, drop it and put your energy and talent into a different productive area.
3) Get rid of old clunky tools and try to incorporate new gadgets that work better.
4) Research everything about a product before you buy it.
5) Research people before you work with them. When you find the good folks to work with, treat them well.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I'm happy to say...
- Officially Plugged In is growing. Expect more videos and mini interviews this year. I am also starting an online magazine called Officially True. This will be an outlet for those folks showcased on Officially Plugged In. I really want to see this site take off more than it has. If you know of anyone who should be showcased, tell them to contact me and I'll get them up there.
- Profile Minders is growing. I have taken on a few more friends and clients to help them 'mind' their social profiles.
- Fan Finders is part of the website design and profile minding I do. If the person doesn't have much to 'mind' I help build their fan base.
- Studio Matrix and my other websites are growing a bit. I've taken on some more web design and I also work on tweaking myspace profiles... keeping them simplified so they don't take for-e-ver to download... and make them match the person's website. Some projects are still in the works. Which brings me to my friends and clients... so much exciting stuff happening...
FRIENDS
Ahh... friends who have passion for doing what they love as much as I love doing what I do... I get inspired by them. Below you'll get to read about some of the cool things some of my friends and clients are doing... and I swear, they don't get enough recognition for their talents. Maybe like myself, they like to give their family and friends the kudos more than accepting it for themselves. I help most of them with their website and or social networks or in other ways. All links and myspace links are located here.
In no particular order...
- Shawn Collins - my long time online friend - his business is growing. He sells out his conferences repeatedly. Gives wise advice that changed things for me a while back and which I'll always be grateful for.
- Bill Hoogterp - amazing - started the League, a school-based system that combines lessons and oint earning for kids in public school. Giving and helping community is a big part of his outreach. Vision for a better world.
- Will Moore - finished his Cowboy Smoke film. He got best director award at the AOF. I watched the film and wrote up a review about it. You should be seeing it out soon. Hopefully a distributor gets in touch with his reps soon.
- Paul Reeves - busy bee - always drops me a note now telling me all of the creative things he is working on. Film, animated graphics, 3d, martial arts, super man... hehe.
- Sean Patrick Flanery - oh boy... finally... Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. For years fans have been asking for a sequel... and they've written me plenty of times about it over the last year and a half. The video diaries and funny skits were a blast to receive and share. Besides that, Sean has a bunch of other film nuggest coming out soon including The Whole Truth, Bump, To Live and Die and more. I help Sean with his official sites and social networks.
- Paul J. Alessi - thank you... for everything... Knuckle Draggers is a wonderful comedy coming out soon. Starring Ross McCall, Paul J. Alessi, Amie Barsky, Danielle Nicolet, Justin Baldoni, Jennifer Alden, Sarah Dlaine, Brandon Olive and Omar Gooding! More exciting things in the near future. He's got some other films coming out soon too.
- Traci Lords - she is sweet and really busy with her little boy and hubby, but managed to show her talent in some films this year. She's been so busy that her myspace seems to be exploding sometimes. I help her there, so she doesn't have to worry about it.
- Norman Reedus - woah - busy in the film and art world. You'll get to see some new stuff on his official site and myspace soon. Not sure if I can tell you about it yet. I'm working on it over the next week or so. He's really talented, so that always inspires people. Yeah... and he returns in the Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day film with Sean too.
- Clifton Collins Jr. - also known as Clifton Gonzales Gonzales - he is blasting into this year with a ton of movies including Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, Star Trek, Crank 2, and more. One thing that stuck with me was a video that he directed for the Zac Brown band for the Chicken Fried song. Neat song with a wonderful family feel and the video definitely reflected the vision. Get it on iTunes.
- Bob Rubin - comedian - makes me laugh - he has been doing comedy for 25 years and appeared in films. You'll see him soon in Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day as well. A memorable role from what I understand.
- Brett Pemberton - model - musician - working on an album. Yep... as he should with the talent of singing and using all of those musical instruments. I can't wait... hurry up! lol
- Frederic Doss - actor - new daddy to be - busy year coming up. He was recently in the Transformers movie. He has some new films coming out this year where he'll play roles in GI JOE, Coyote County Loser, Expectations, Kevin Can't Wait and more!
- Trey Moore - nice as can be - model and up and coming actor. He recently was a part of a world premiere in Los Angeles for a film named Captive. He has a lead role coming up in a film called Revamp. Did you know he had a small role in the movie Leatherheads? Yep. He deserves it and more.
- Will Kaufman, Holt Boggs and Matt Beckham - These talented guys are making a film called Sinner and Saints. They all collaborated on the film The Prodigy, which got nice distribution last year. It's full of action and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Now, Sinners and Saints is being produced with mr. Sean Patrick Flanery in it too. I can definitely see more cool action films coming from these fellows in the future.
- CC Perkinson - she has some good taste - busy woman with some films coming out. She has something up her sleeve for the new year, but I'm not sure what it is yet.
- Dan Masucci - man with an amazing vision - touches the heart and soul with his short films Against The Wind and Letting Go. I can't wait to see what he creates in the future. He was actually on the reality show On The Lot. His films have been getting so many awards I can hardly keep up with them.
- Marc Sebanc and James Anderson - I started a website, TheLostHarp.com, for an excellent fantasy story called "The Stoneholding" It's a book written by some author friends of mine. Exciting things should be happening for them this 2009 year. The second book in the story should be released in the near future.
- Jason Benjamin is making a new film soon. He's created a series of pre-production videos for you to check out.
- Robert Gordon Spencer is making a film called Kevin Can't Wait. Lots of folks in that one that I know from what I can see.
- Drew Henriksen is busy with a cool role on an NBC show called KINGS.
- Kurt Yaeger was just highlighted in a humor book and is working on a film.
- I'm not able to list everyone here... as I haven't kept up to date with everything they are doing or what projects they have coming up. I'm sorry if I missed someone. PLEASE list your New Year's goals, wishes and creative projects in the comments below to share with everyone!! Perhaps we'll look back in six months to see what was accomplished and new goals we can make. :)
NEW YEAR WISHES
- Love, happiness and good health for my family.
- Accomplish new goals in a timely manner.
- Increase my business financially to support my family.
- I'm allowed to add more to this list when I wish. lol