Last post of the year
As 2004 closes, I spend this evening alone, pondering how the year went from my perspective. And as I think about it, I'd have to say that overall I'm pleased with it. There are a number of things that I might change if I had the power to do so, but overall, I choose not to be depressed about the year. My part in it wasn't all that bad.

Looking back at my archives, I note that I took all of January off. I didn't post anything to this blog until February 8th.

Also I had announced at the end of October in 2003 that I would be sending out a regular email to a wide circle of friends via email. I soon realized that that idea was not the best one I had ever had. To impose an email on folks who didn't request to be on my list wasn't cool, so after I announced Ron Klieman's pancreatic cancer and his subsequent death on May 25th, 2004, I decided to quit that ill-advised project.

I then resolved that if folks wanted to hear what I had to say, they could visit my blog to see what I was thinking and saying. If they didn't care, then I should respect their decision and not "impose" my email upon them. So I abandoned my "regular correspondents" email mailing list around the end of May.

Once I made that choice, I devoted more time to communicating via my blog. Since that decision, I'm pleased with the results. Those who want to hear from me regularly visit my blog; those who don't, just don't. No hassle from me; no problem for them. That's okay from my point of view. One has to accept that others make choices too about how much communication you'll have with them.

The job I had at the beginning of the year has evolved into something different at the end of the year, but I judge that to be "good." I like being back in tech support. I think I do it well, and I am happy in this role. Unfortunately because of the limitations the company has on hours that they'll allow us to accumulate in any pay period, I'm not making as much money as I once did, but I am doing the thing that I signed up to do when I joined the company, so I am happy with my contribution to our customers' online lives and to our company.

Finally, I'm pleased that I have a photo web site to which I can easily add digital pictures and from which I can easily incorporate pictures into this blog. This combination of essentially FREE services gives me a very nice setup for communicating with friends and family (and yes, even strangers) via the Internet.

So as 2004 closes, I'd have to say I am satisfied with my progress in using the Internet in ways that match my goals. I'm also looking forward to bigger and better things in 2005, but that's a post for tomorrow.

See you in 2005. I hope you all have a safe and happy celebration of the New Year. Thanks for your loyalty and support in 2004.

- posted by Perry @ 9:45 PM