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Thanksgiving 2011; Is There Anything To Be Thankful For?

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Wow, what an interesting calendar year. How things have changed or gone from Thanksgiving last year until now. I’m not only talking about this blog, but my life in general. For this blog, I wrote last year and put up an image of myself with a friend, and then had to tell people that wasn’t my wife; won’t make that mistake this year. lol


This is my wife and I

I’m finding myself wondering if there’s much to be thankful for this year. My grandmother first got hurt, and then passed away. I had to take a guy to small claims court, though I won. I worked on another project that took me more than 4 months to be paid for. The really big projects didn’t come through.

Had my first (last?) colonoscopy and then had a second one on the same day. I had to change diabetes doctors after 11 years. I had a few friends pass away that I wasn’t expecting it to happen to. The local symphony shut down, as well as a few of my favorite restaurants.

I had some issues with affiliates including one, Finish Line that not only didn’t pay me but then decided to drop me and threatened me while they were at it. And this year, for Thanksgiving, my mother is with her friend, my wife is with her friend, and I’m home by myself (at least for now).

Overall, it seems like it was a pretty hard year to deal with. Things to be thankful for? As I sit here trying to think of things there’s not all that much that comes up. However, one of the blessings of blogging is that you sometimes chronicle things that have happened that actually turned out to be a good thing. So let’s see…

I actually began the year by not only getting my first gig just days after the new year began, but I was named at a Fabulous 50 top blogger on the same day. Thanks Bev!

I created two new blogs this year. One is my Syracuse and central New York area blog called Syracuse Wiki. The other is my second business blog on SEO and social media for businesses called SEOX Blog. Both have done relatively well, even if they don’t get tons of comments.

I got to do some live presentations this year. I gave two presentations at a local library, one at a large conference, and one to my consulting group. I might be forgetting something but I’m not sure. I also got to be interviewed on a couple of podcasts and was in Bev Mahone’s real radio program one day this year.

I reached my 1,000th post on this blog and I started creating videos as well. According to YouTube I’m not breaking any records, but at least I’m producing something different.

We finally got Osaba bin Laden, and many other countries are seeing major changes as the people have realized just what kind of power they have… as long as the leaders of those countries decide not to just kill everyone that misbehaves, which also happened a couple of times.

I went to my first karaoke club this year and found it fascinating, although I doubt I’ll go again. I also got to go to Las Vegas for a conference and got a much different experience out of it than the first two times.

My online income started to increase drastically, not quite to the level I’d been hoping for but higher than any other year; that is, until this last Panda update, but even with that I’m going to have my best year ever.

I got personally reacquainted with old friends this year, going first to a reunion at my college, then to a memorial get-together for my friend that recently passed.

I also celebrated my 10th year in business this year; I never really thought I’d make it this long but now that I have I guess I should really learn how to do it better, eh? lol And I’m about to hit post #900 on my business blog, which is almost a shame for as long as I’ve had it compared to this one but hey, a milestone is a milestone.

If I have to be truthful, I’ve met a lot of new and wonderful people this year, both online and off. Even though it was under horrible circumstances I got to meet and get to know my grandmother’s brother, Uncle Bill. I’ve connected with relatives and old friends I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to interact with again via Facebook, so I’m not hating on that.

And finally, even though I continue to battle with diabetes and being tired all the time and vision and occasional short periods of depression and a few other things I won’t mention, when all is said and done I’m relatively healthy, still go to the gym on occasion, still get to go where I want when I want, and still have a lot of people that talk to me via social media, networking events, and just events in general; I even went to some parties this year (actually ate outside once this year at all; that’s Josh’s fault).

All that and the continuing visits from friends both old and new on this blog and my other blogs. I mean, weighted properly, I’d have to say that other than my grandmother not being with us anymore the year has actually given me a lot to be thankful for. With that, I thank all of you for putting up with me, I thank my wife and my mother (both of whom will never read any of this stuff) for hanging in there, and I guess I’ll thank me for not just quitting and going off into the wild blue yonder, however that would have manifested itself (nothing like suicide so don’t go there, but who hasn’t ever had a day when they just wanted to give it all up and go lay in bed forever?).

Thank you all, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving (and if you’re not from this country, I’ll just ask you to take some time and think about what you might be thankful for on this day as well). And just to see who actually reads all of this to the end, click on this link and mention what it is because I’m posting it just for you. 😉
 

23 thoughts on “Thanksgiving 2011; Is There Anything To Be Thankful For?”

  1. Hi Mitch,

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones, that’s a great picture of you and your wife.

    Although it seems as though you faced some challenging obstacles this year, it’s good to see that you have things to be thankful about, and that’s good.

    Who knew that you could say “I like you” in so many ways, actually I was slightly disappointed. I thought it was going to last longer, but I’m thankful for what I did see. It was cute. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Thanks Opal. You know, sometimes it’s hard thinking about good things that have happened when bad things are thrown in there, so I’m glad I had some help to look through.

  2. I like you too Mitch. Yeah, I pushed the red button. lol

    I have a lot to be thankful for too. We have a lot of family coming over in a couple of hours to share Thanksgiving with us. I’m thankful for that and for having two bathrooms with that many people over. 😉

    I am very thankful for getting Hot Blog Tips back. For something that, at first, seemed like a deal gone bad when I sold it, I guess things can happen for a reason. Now I have a second chance and I’m really enjoying it.

    I’m thankful for my online friends, like you, that give me a variety of experiences from all over the World that just wasn’t possible not that long ago.

    That’s a great looking couple in the photo. 🙂

    Happy Thanksgiving Mitch

    1. Same to you Brian. My family is drastically small now so this year we’re all scattered. But we’ll have our times together, and I’ve enjoyed a restful day.

  4. Hello Mitch!
    thanks for this nice post! And of course – Happy Thanksgiving! I see that your year has been very interesting and good. Mine as well. For what i would like to thank this year is very simple – I want to thank for my wonderful husband and my adorable son!

  5. Well, Happy Thanksgiving! Even though I don’t celebrate it I understand it. Glad to see you eventually got this post on a positive spin since at first you talked only about bad things.
    As for my self, I’m also thankful for on thing and one thing only. Good Health. I’m off my asthma medication for almost a month now and I’m felling fine, hope I’m cured and it will stay this way.

    1. Thanks Cristian. You know I’m always going to be truthful, and sometimes it’s hard to find the good stuff through the power that is bad stuff. Health; that’s a great one.

  6. First I want to thank to you, Mitch. For the amazing information on this blog, as well for contribution to my social network.

    For me the years is much better compared to the previous one in every aspect, compared to previous one. As well I hope it have been for everybody. Happy Thanksgiving, Mitch!

      1. You are welcome, Mitch and I hope we can have our chat on Skype probably around next week. I think I found the balance this year and things that used to destruct me have disappeared, so I guess this will just lead to better things.

  7. Happy Thanksgiving Day to you and your family.

    Congrates for being in list of fabulous bloggers list.
    And best of luck for your new projects.

  8. I am thankful this particular day because you told me in your own way that you like me, lalalalalalalike me!

    A handsome pair the two of you make Mitch. I hope that we will get to meet personally some day.

    I post a gratitude list every Saturday on my blog. Have you read any? In fact, today, I have written a special LBC post on Gratitude.

    1. Rummuser, I’ve had to have seen some here and there; I’m making sure to check this one out today. I know I should do a gratitude list daily, but like a lot of other people I just go on about my business & don’t think about it.

  9. I like you, too. Crazy person. I’ve been enjoying our conversations and am thankful to have someone like you to share ideas with.

    To infinity – and beyond!

    Cheers,

    Mitch

  11. Hi Mitch,

    I love reading your work. About the diabetes I’m also suffering on it. Thank God I’m still alive. I have a lot to be thankful of. But the greatest is that I’m still alive and kicking. Happy thanksgiving!

  12. Hey Mitch,

    Well I didn’t make it by here last week so sorry about that. I was with family and then had computer problems when I returned home. Such is life! Never ending sometimes.

    Great picture of you and your wife. Not that she’ll ever know since you said she doesn’t read your blog but you did good putting that one up there.

    Sounds like you had some bumps in the road. Sorry you lost some friends unexpectedly. I wish I didn’t know what that was like but unfortunately I do. At least we are thankful for the ones who are still with us. Overall it sounds to me that you still have a lot to be thankful for. I mean you do get up every single morning and are still with us. That in itself is something to be very thankful for.

    I loved the little guy you linked us to at the end. Now that was so adorable and I’ll just say I like you too!

    Thanks Mitch and hope this message finds you well. Now chin up because December’s almost here. 🙂

    ~Adrienne

    1. Hi Adrienne,

      Yeah, after all that work I did end up having a pretty good year overall. I think it’s an interesting exercise that most people won’t deign to try, and I don’t do it all that often. You know, the thing about gratitude that Rummuser mentioned in his comment. I know some people who have said that doing it every day helps them immensely, but we Americans are kind of mentally lazy in general and thus never stick with something like this. Still, it did wonders for me. And I’m glad you liked the little guy. 🙂

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