2009 was an amazing year for me. I decided I would end the year with a blog post version of my highlight reel for the year. Life has its share of ups and downs, but I feel like I get a lot more good than bad every day. For that I am grateful. It seems like nearly every day had some serendipity. Here are some of my favorites:
- I completed my first 5k and then my first 1/2 marathon, doing both with my wife Colleen by my side.
- I helped my daughter learn to ride her bike, and then rode with her in the 4th of July bike parade.
- I made a lot of chalk drawings on the driveway with my son.
- Not only did I get to do a podcast with Chris Brogan and see him speak twice, I also got to have dinner with him too.
- I presented to thousands of people at dozens of events on topics ranging from social media and marketing to data analytics, presentation skills and creativity.
- I was quoted in an article about social media that appeared on the CNN / Fortune Small Business web site.
- I was given the privilege of writing a column for the monthly publication Dayton B2B.
- Twice last summer, I performed original music at Canal Street Tavern with longtime friend and musical collaborator Derek Wade.
- I also played guitar and sang a song I wrote to open a presentation on PowerPoint at a meeting of business professionals in Cincinnati – something completely new for me.
- I helped to plan and then got to emcee SummitUp, a social media conference here in Dayton, Ohio.
- I shed some tears as my daughter hopped on the school bus for the first time, and watched in amazement as my son began spelling word after word at age 3.
- Seth Godin left a comment on my blog.
- I got to interview, among others, Kevin Dugan, Artie Isaac, Bob Gilbreath, and Peter Shankman.
- I saw The Dayton Marketing Community social network that I launched at the end of 2008 grow to over 350 members, and I organized and led 3 successful Big Idea Breakfast events.
- I continued to offer my time as a member of the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio, and attended my first Mud volleyball tournament – an event that raised nearly $80,000 for the organization.
- I drank approximately 2,000 cups of coffee, read about 40 books, took 2 trips to the beach, got my first bass guitar, and got my wife her first drum set.
- I won a flip cam from sharethis.com and a multiple books from inbubblewrap.com – thanks!!
- I shook hands and said hello to smart guys John Battelle and Peter Kim.
- Just last week, while picking up some last minute groceries for Christmas Eve, the COO of Dorothy Lane Market recognized me from my blog, introduced himself, and thanked me for writing about how much I love shopping there – a very gratifying experience.
- On a sad note, my grandmother died just a few years shy of 100. She was an amazing woman, a huge influence on me, and someone who made everyday count. Thanks Grandma Peg for teaching me that playing it by ear beats the hell out of not playing at all. We should all be so lucky as to live life like she did.
- I helped to organize the 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Dayton, and a day later witnessed history as America inagurated our first African American President.
- My idea “User Generated Healthcare” was selected as a finalist in the Cincinnati Innovates contest. Although the idea did not win, it was a huge honor to be a part of the whole thing.
- When my Blackberry finally gave out in September, I finally got an iPhone – how did I live without it for so long?
- I discovered Nike+, became consumed with tracking my every step, and learned a lot about where marketing is headed.
- I got to meet Tim Westergren, founder of music site Pandora.com, and introduce him to the crowd at a Cincinnati Social Media Breakfast event.
- Speaking of music, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, and Phish all released music in 2009. I spent a lot of time enjoying the fruits of their labor.
- I made hundreds of new friends, and connected with hundreds of old ones. How lucky I am to know so many great people.
- I spent a lot of time with my family, who never ceases to amaze me, always supports me, and serves as the inspiration for all I do. I love you.
2009 was a year filled with amazing adventures, exciting challenges, and pleasant surprises. Thank you to all who helped make it so great.
