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Good-bye 2009.

And good riddance. It’s oddly fitting that only a cliche could capture my sentiments to a year that, with such varying highs and lows, appeared to be a lil’ drama queen in full tantrum training.

Where to start? I mean literally where to start?

I’ve been home 3 days now from spending close to a week in Brighton for FOTB. And for the first day I experienced what I can only identify as separation anxiety. It was just that good of an event. Right now I’m struggling with … how much do I share? I’ve never been one to censor ….

So for the summer, and what looks like it might continue well past, I’ve been part of a podcast entitled “Summer of Flash” over at InsideRIA with a bunch of fun folks including Garth Braithwaite, Leif Wells and Zach Stepak. Have to admit, I have a bit of fun doing these even if I do make more work for Garth with everything that he has to edit out to avoid the ” censored” tag. Now if I can only convince the guys to publish our Skype chat log …. where the true hilarity occurs….

I’m completely honored to included amongst such amazing people for this years speaker line up at Flash on the Beach. I’ll be breaking my FOTB cherry – I’ve never attended but have always been eternally jealous of those who did get to go – people have done nothing but rave about what a great event it is. I’m excited both to present and enjoy the company many of my collegues ( friends first really, colleagues a politically correct second). There are a few people I haven’t seen in years ( yes, Pelsor, I’m talking about you … we did meet once I somehow recall) and a few more I have yet to meet ( Mr Davey, fine sir).

Just found some footage on my mino from Nye’s – the excellent polish piano bar – the last night of FlashBelt. I censored some of the videos ( friends….check your inboxes ) … but see Julian Dolce sing What a wonderful world, Mario Klingemann doing Abba or the Lion Sleeps tonight and Seb Lee-Delisle do his favourite Mustang Sally.  Other videos can be found on my vimeo account – http://www.vimeo.com/bitchwhocodes

Traveling always seems to afford me with a fresh perspective on things.  I suppose being forced to sit still for8 + hours while on a flight where the on-board entertainment system flakes out in the first 20 minutes helps. I just returned from a week spent in Barcelona to several signs that the next couple of months are definitely going to be some of the most challenging personally for me.  I’ve felt something I haven’t felt in so long – fear.  It made me realize how unfamiliar and uncomfortable that is – and how I would need to embrace it before I could conquer it. 

I’m struggling right now. Struggling to protect a community I love and adore. Struggling to find the words to articulate what I think, don’t think or haven’t given thought to about an issue that I’ve worked so hard ( and successfully so ) to make a relative non-issue for me. And yet, here it is, staring me in the face, and I realize, regardless of what I have to say about it, I simply can’t win.

Just got back from this year’s FlashBelt conference in Minneapolis. I’ll start by saying thanks, Dave, for having me – and for everyone who attended my session.  I had some really great conversations resulting from my session – and I think thats more than I could ask for. Now here starts FlashBelt according to me:

Whew.  Managed to upload a just a few of the pictures I have from FOT 2009 to my Flickr account tonight after spending some time not wanting a beer after Flash on Tap in Boston. As I failed miserably to blog during the event, here goes nothing with my version of the event…

The 15th Interactive Annual is out from Communication Arts – and I’m honoured to have been part of the fine judging panel.  You can check out this years winners at the Communiation Arts site or check out what I had to say about traditional advertising in the digital space.  Some of the work from the winners is just exceptional with a big shout out to my friends and family at Big SpaceShip and Driftlab – congratulations guys!