It’s difficult to make myself believe that 2011 is here already. Didn’t 2010 just start a couple of weeks ago? Where the hell has the time gone so quickly? It almost feels as though each and every year goes by faster than the one before. I’m not getting old, so that cannot be the reasoning. In any case – for better or for worse – it’s now 2011.

This year is going to be a better one. I don’t believe in making resolutions on New Year’s Day. I feel it’s more important to make changes in your life as soon as you know they need to occur. Don’t wait for a specific day to start living better. It’s better to evolve yourself year-round. By making a resolution, you’re putting WAY too much pressure on yourself and the chances of failure are much higher. Additionally, some people set unrealistic goals for themselves, making things more difficult and convoluted.

I have hopes and wishes for the coming twelve months, of course. Many of them involve all of you. We plan to continue building the community and giving you the tools and resources you need to go out and make a difference in your world. We hope that by connecting you to each other, collaborations between people who may otherwise have never met will happen. I’ve seen some pretty amazing things begin thanks to the meeting of minds that can occur within a community, and ours is no exception.

I’d like to thank each of you for contributing to the community – and to my life – every day of the year. Doing the things we do isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely worth it when we see the interaction between you, and the bonds that are created… both personal and professional.

Happy 2011 everyone!

Happy 2011

Holy heck! Is it already that time of year? Is Fall really officially here? How the hell did that happen? I was just browsing through questions on Lockergnome, and noticed a thread talking about Halloween Costumes. It’s ONLY September 23rd! Do we need to worry already? Great. I have no idea how to dress Wicket and Pixie this year. I need some suggestions, y’all.

It shocks me to find Christmas displays in the store earlier every year. I’m telling you… this year we’ll start seeing plastic Santas and gift wrap before Halloween ever gets here. It’s insanity! We as consumers are being pushed to spend, spend spend more and more – while fighting the fact that we don’t have as much to part with.

Do you start planning for the holidays this early, or are you one of those who tend to go a little crazy when you see witch costumes on shelves when we finish the 4th of July?

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Thankfully, you don’t have to wait for a holiday to enjoy the best software at the hottest prices – thanks to our download center.

Are You Gearing Up for the Holidays Already?

As I sit here preparing for the big event tonight, I can’t help but reminisce about Cory. While doing so, it just reminds me of the past ten years in general in my life. What a decade it has been! I’ve been fortunate to make a good career out of doing things I am passionate about, and I can honestly say I love what I do. My Gnomedex conference is heading into its tenth year in 2010, and I promise you we’re already working hard to make it as awesome as we possibly can!

I’m not one to make resolutions, really. Instead, I prefer to set goals for myself. I know that if I say “I will… “, it will likely not happen exactly the way I planned. Life gets in the way. Priorities can change in an instant depending on what’s going on around you. I would rather just set some goals for myself, my community, and my work. What goals or resolutions do you have?

I could never have accomplished everything in the early part of this year that I have if it weren’t for all of you – the community. Your support, strength and enthusiasm have driven me further, helping me to reach for new heights personally and professionally. You guys (and gals!) are the backbone of everything I do. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here, and going along for the ride with me on our journey into 2010!

Have a happy, healthy and safe New Year, everyone!

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Check out the hottest new apps and software available in our downloads center today!

See Ya, 2009! Hello, 2010!

After a pretty good dinner on New Year’s Eve (at Latitudes on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager cruise ship), Ponzi and I retired to our small suite for the night. We’re not really party people. Plus, Ponzi’s been feeling a bit under the weather since leaving Seattle. She’s had a sore throat, cough, upset tummy, etc. I believe all this honeymooning excitement has been hindering her body’s immune system.

We celebrated Midnight silently in each other’s arms. On New Year’s Day we’re “at sea”, so I’m going to force her to stay in bed with plenty of OJ on hand (the beverage, not the bloody glove guy).

I guess sitting on the cusp of 2006 / 2007 is just as memorable as any other New Year’s for the two of us. We usually don’t plan anything large, and I’m grateful for that. She’s fast asleep, so I’ll take this time to outline a few of my New Year’s resolutions for 2007:

• To remain close to my ideal weight (145lbs). Of course, being on a cruise ship with fantastic food is a serious suspension of any normal eating habits – but I’ve set up the exercise equipment in our new house already, and will be jumping back on the Gazelle when we return home on the 9th of January. I’ve been in that range since Gnomedex, so my lifestyle doesn’t need much tweaking at this point.
• To kick Gnomedex into a higher gear. There’s so much I really want to do with Gnomedex, and I hope we’ll be able to solidify some kind of industry partnership to bring these dreams to fruition for one and all.
• To conserve more energy and “think green.” We just watched ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ on the cruise ship’s cable network, and it’s… really got me rethinking about how I could be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. If I can, I’ll rework my Acura RL lease and trade it for a hybrid. I’m also going to go through our entire house and replace every light bulb with more energy efficient lighting. Apparently, I’m also suppsed to call the power company and ask them if they have something called “green power,” too. We already recycle, but I’m actively researching other ways we might be more proactive in curbing our expenditures and emissions.
• To extend an open line of communications with my family. For his present a few years ago, I promised my dad that I’d call or email every week (even though he says that email doesn’t count). For the most part, I’ve stuck to it – and on busy weeks, he’d call me to remind me that I didn’t call. I am going to try to do weekly emails to my family, so that even if they don’t care what we’re doing – at least they’ll know. It may be nothing more than a series of bulletpoints and minor updates, but it’s better than nothing. Having them in Seattle for our wedding was really nice, and now my family is twice as big!

There’s a small set of realistic goals for me to achieve. I’ve been wanting to pick up smoking for a few years, but I can’t seem to ignite the habit. Maybe in 2008 I can become the Marlboro gnome?

New Year’s Eve Party Poopers