Year In Review: 2008
MANIFESTO: TELL STUNNING STORIES. Dial up the volume of my voice; take risks; make it impeccable. (Adopted 1.19.08)
Gosh, this year was totally unexpected. Despite the wrenching last days of the ideology-crippled and competency-challenged Bush/Cheney administration, the year turned out to be inspiring and energizing. And I actually got some stories told.
Passions
Good year for getting mini-projects done and opening new channels of communication.
Video. Opened a YouTube Channel and completed 4 new videos. Two of them won recognition in One-Minute Shift contests.
Radio. Responded to a request by :Vocalo to play a radio piece of mine and I wound up producing 12 new radio pieces for them. This wonderful little experimental radio station gave me an audience for my audio storytelling that no other venue has provided.
Graphics/drawing. My figure drawing course was a bust -- didn't hold my attention. But my :Vocalo submissions gave me the opportunity for quick graphics (see Radio page) that usually turned out pretty well. My colorful mindmaps and my "Zuzu and Zim" cartoons found a welcoming home on Flickr.
Writing. Got that novel published! Next up: trying a little marketing so that it's not just about me browbeating friends and relatives into (dare I say "pity"?) purchases.
Web. Started a blog to become the clearinghouse for all my new creative channels. Joined both Facebook and MySpace. Trying to expand my small facebook community -- it's fun to have peer-to-peer contacts about nothing much. I really couldn't decipher MySpace. Did Twitter on my trip, but I really don't know anyone interested in tracking my every move (except me). Also established the Barretts of Catawissa web page.
I keep asking myself: "So where is this all going?" But then I think of what my friend Sally said: "Does it have to GO anywhere?" I think it does, but I'm open to surprises.
Techno-passion. iPhone, Kindle.
Stewardship and Sales
Made a dent in selling books from the public health and photo-illustrated books. Otherwise, poked along with ebay sales. Trying to clean out the Hollywood photo-related stuff, but those magic shelves just keep yielding more.
Got my studio re-floored, painted, better organized.
Travel & Friendships
We are peas in a pod, Jim and I. Enjoying our little world. Sometimes I worry that we are not making new friends, but this was a good year for refreshing old friendships.
Had a great time visiting Pat Drum in Florida and consulting with Lesley Paiva (new friend!). How great to see Pat's website spring to life and to get a buzz going among the old Pat Drum Aerobics crowd.
St Louis: April, September, November, December. Love connecting with my family, each of them always more interesting than the last time.
Great Plains/Rockies. A month on the road seeing parts of the country I'd never seen. Conjured up a little souvenir booklet, printed on Blurb.
Reconnect. In an odd twist of circumstances, the untimely death of a former colleague prompted a reunion with Deb Coleman. Great to find an old friend with new things in common. Also reconnected with circa 1990 scuba club members Jim & Judy and Joyce & Larry; will be going to the long overdue Genesee Valley Scuba Club reunion/party in January.
Higher Self
My excursion to St Louis for the re-dedication of Barrett Brothers Park and its new Hip-Hop Garden was a kind of spiritual experience, connecting good people from the past with good people of the present and future over a common plot of land.
Other than that I can't say that I made any spiritual breakthroughs or extended myself in charitable ways. Still enjoying the exploration, however.
Did a Field Guide to Chakras, but I think I was more interested in the potential to generate ad revenues. Kind of Susan off on her own planet.
Politics. Did not really participate the way I should have. Why does contributing creativity to politics seem like such a drop in the bucket? Guess I'm a little cynical, but glad Obama won without my ads, videos, house-parties, etc.
Health & Wellbeing
Extremely healthy year. Turned 60 with a smile on my face. Letting my hair show its silver... just to test out the look. Need to be more diligent about exercise/yoga, and add in some weight-training.
12.31.2008
