On Getting Older...

Thought I’d managed to get away with it, but no, too many people reminding me that it’s my birthday. There’s all that ‘twaddle’ that says, “Don’t feel bad about growing older, it’s a privilege denied to many.” and “Youth is wasted on the young.” but frankly when you get up and the bones creak and various parts don’t work quite as well as they once did – it just sucks!

I could think of it like my good friend Bob does – as my Personal New Year – and that’s a kind of cool idea, but that requires a little thought re-wiring. Frankly, re-wiring old structures has always seems a bit of a risky proposition to me. Never know what sort of a mess you might run into when you expose the foundation!

But, to tell the truth though, I can’t think of any other age I’d rather be right now – cause then I’d have to give back all this hard-won knowledge and experience! Wouldn’t want to be 16 – no way – too much going on, too many life decisions to make, too many hormones! Wouldn’t want to be 21 – with all that worry – will I get a job, should I get married, should I have kids? And as much as I love my kids, wouldn’t want to be any age with small kids or, heaven forbid, teenagers – because it was just way too tough, especially as a single mom. I wouldn’t give back any of those times, but neither would I want to relive them!

So, I guess that leaves me here – and to tell the truth, it’s a pretty good here. I have two wonderful children who mean the world to me. I have wonderful, special friends and a few close family who enrich my life and occasionally give me that ‘kick in the butt’ when I need it! I still have both my parents who constantly remind me of who I am and what is important. I have a career that I love and a new business that excites me.

I guess that is what a personal new year is about – you take stock of your life, find the good, resolve to work on the ‘not as good as I would like’ and move forward.

Robert Browning has always said it best: “Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, 'A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!'”

Time to take my own advice!

One of the things I have told my web design clients is that to get your site talked about and indexed, get out there and get involved online. Post articles, talk in forums, become the expert, and above all, start your own blog. Most of us keep making excuses why we can't do something, but I figure it's time to put my money where my mouth is.

Web design is a relatively new part of my life. I've been online forever, with my career in science research, it's pretty much always been a part of the way things are done. As I've seen the pages and sites evolve, it got my scientific and creative minds together to discover how much of this I could learn and create for myself and subsequently, for others.

What began as a way to help out my friend Bob fix up his site has turned into a part-time business creating new sites like Secret Selling Tips and, most recently, The Prosperous Farmer. I've also helped others, like Jeff with his investigations business, update what is otherwise a really nice site. Each design, each success has taught me something new and I believe that is the most important thing.

One of the most important attributes of a vibrant personality is their ability to keep growing, to keep learning, to never take for granted the store of knowledge that is available to them. This is the true power of the web. We can access the knowledge of millions of minds - brilliant, average, and otherwise - but it is there for us to learn from. Then, finally, we too can share our 'wisdom', such as it is.

So, that is my bit of wisdom for this time around. Keep learning. Keep thinking. Keep questioning. But above all, Have fun!

Irene (aka Vitrak)