Six Peeps

January 1, 2008

HAPPY 2008!!! 6 Month Goals

OK I promised myself I wouldn’t blog until I get caught up with some work, but I have to give a Happy New Year shout to all my peeps! Sorry for another post with no photos. I promise to get caught up with my photo-blogging some more very soon!

I’m sort of protesting the whole “New Year Resolution” thing. I protested it last year and the year before. I just have always felt that 6 month resolutions are more realistic. And this year I am even thinking 3 month’s at a time is the way to go. Nevertheless, I still write my goals for as far out as 10 years every morning.

2007 was great to me. I got engaged, my weddings were through the roof, challenged myself to a 12 week health/fitness commitment and succeeded with that, spent my second winter working with Ski Patrol, commuted on bike to just about everywhere but wedding jobs, got a studio opened up in AZ with friend and uber-mentor, Jim Kennedy, bagged a couple 14ers, traveled to NYC, shot weddings in CO/AZ/IA/OR/TX/NJ/CA, and more!

But 2007 is behind me now and I have never been more pumped about the New Year as I am for 2008. First, and before anything else, I am just so happy to be engaged. Jenny and I brought in our New Year at the A-Frame in Summit County. We got hit with a crazy snow storm and I-70 closed so we were happily stuck out here with no option to go back to Denver. We watched “I AM LEGEND” which was a real happy-go-lucky movie to bring in the new year.

I have a few 6-month “resolutions”, I suppose, but I think I got a head start on a lot of them.

#1 Work on being the best fiance’ ever and prepare to be a good husband and SOMEDAY a great, positive, enthusiastic, encouraging, father! Suddenly I have a chance to create a family with Jenny and that just excites me beyond belief.

#2 on my list is to automate my workflow! I finally realized that things have gotten to the point where I can not do everything myself. Time to surrender some control, so I hired on a studio manager who is just AWESOME. When she gets back from her holiday vacation, we will be implementing our new workflow which is going to improve our turnaround time dramatically. This year was the busiest year I have ever had and the need for a better workflow had surfaced in a big way. Kendra to the rescue.

#2A get AZ rollin! Finally have a storefront with Jim Kennedy. Jim and I are ready to make big things happen out there in Scottsdale.

#2B I started a new business! I can’t tell anyone about it, really, but we got it started in December and it launches this month. We already have 46 new clients to start the 2008 year. Took us two weeks to get our site up, an LLC formed, branded, with a Trademark registered on it. By June we hope our monthly unit sales will be in the thousands. Hint: has nothing to do with wedding photography! I really felt a need for a little change and a fun experiment in lateral thinking. Although I will always love photographing weddings. That’s my #1 passion!

#2C. Pro Photo Alliance is getting a makeover and is ALMOST READY for our new launch! Just in time for WPPI. I have never been more happy about PPA and the new direction we are taking with that is very exciting.

#3. My weight is right at 180-185. This time last year I was well over 200. I plan on keeping my weight down (hopefully get down to 175) and start entering snowshoe races this winter, and maybe even some bike races next year. I hope to break my Ascent time on the Pike’s Peak Marathon in August.

#4. Continue commuting on my bike. So far this winter I have successfully made it to my studio on my bike through snowstorms in the middle of the night and on icey, snowpacked roads. I have chose to drive only once this winter and not even once last summer. I plan on continuing to ride every day. Since my decision to drive only when totally necessary, I have lost weight, my blood pressure is down to normal, I am happier when I get to work, and happier when I come home (not fighting traffic is great!), I have more color in my skin!

#5. More travel. I’m shooting a wedding in Italy soon, but I want to make a trip this fall to Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. That’s more than 6 months out so we’ll just say that by June I’ll have our plan tickets purchased and so we will be committed. Possibly a ski trip to Switzerland over Easter Weekend (Ryan???)

#6 More 14′ers! If I can get my workflow more automated, then it should allow me more time for doing things I love! I have always made a point to bag a couple of Colorado’s 14,000 ft peaks every summer. I hope to bag more like 4-6 this year.

#7 Be nicer! I want to become a more patient person and see the good in people without being too quick to judge them. I want to ask more questions and learn more from people.

#8 The opposite from #8, I plan on removing the few things and even people in my life that bring me down! I have identified some stuff that for some reason I have allowed to bother me over the past few years and have realized it’s up to me to get rid of them from my life. So I will be doing that, too! I think just as important as it is to bring on new resolutions to improve ourselves, it’s just as important to detoxify our own lives! So if you are a vexation to my life… see ya! And good luck to you! Ahhhh that feels great. I seriously have just a small handful of people and things who are either a bad influence on me, or just plain stress me out. Some “things” include a few bills I need to just PAY OFF. Both the people and “things” are easy to eliminate. Some take action, some take… inaction! Off you go!

#9 Volunteer/Charity work. I need to start making that a part of my life. I need to start contributing back to society in some way or another. I may hold another fund raiser or run a charity fun-run, or donate my time to a good cause. If you have ideas for me, let me know!

#10 Last but absolutely NOT least, on a more spiritual note, I just want to continue to be aware of my surroundings and continue to “trust my gut” in the decisions I make, never over-thinking things, but rather following my path and making corrective measures along the way. This was a huge part of 2007 and I plan on making it a priority in ‘08 as well!

So there is my top 10. Wishing all of my peeps the 2008 you want it to become as well! CHEERS!

Mark

January 1, 2008 |