Some random thoughts as a New Year gets underway

Some random thoughts to share for this first posting of 2014, now that the holidays are drawing to a close for another year.  Now, we have to look forward to...snow.  And lots of it, apparently, over the next day or two.

I don't know about you, but all that talk about global warming sounds rather hollow in many parts of North America this winter, including here in Niagara.  Just be careful out there and take it easy if you are shovelling or doing any strenuous tasks in the cold weather.

I have been taking some down time the past week or so before I get back into my part-time routine at the Brock radio station, CFBU-FM, with my show Inquisitive Minds returning to the airwaves this coming Wednesday morning at 11.  The first show will look at math scores, an innovative boxing program in Toronto that helps women come to grips with their abusive relationships and remembering the early days of Brock as their 50th anniversary will be celebrated this year.

The downtime was needed, quite frankly, because I have just been dealing with so much in my personal life the past several months, all of which have caused me to feel totally run down and in need of a rest.  It all began with an eventful summer of 2013 when, a month after my former employer was taken over by a media giant, a number of senior staffers - myself included - were relieved of our duties.

At my age, it will prove difficult to find new, full-time employment, but I am continually searching and trying for that all-important job interview that could bring some financial stability to my life once again.  I am open to any and all offers, by the way, so if you hear of anything drop me a line and let me know.

Along with that, my wife and I had to deal with our little cat Pia taking ill Labour Day weekend, being diagnosed with diabetes.  It was a long and painful recovery process - and very expensive too, I might add.  Ultimately, it ended last week with us having to make the very difficult decision to allow Pia to rest and no longer prolong her ordeal, and our lives have not been the same since.

Tied in with that was the fact, as I wrote about in an earlier posting this month, one of our other cats, Shalom, went missing for 17 days, only returning the very day we said goodbye to Pia last week.  What a relief that was, after a very stressful holiday season trying to juggle job hunting, the holiday season, and Pia's illness.

When Sophie had to go in for emergency laser eye surgery a week before Christmas, we couldn't imagine what else could happen in the month of December.  But by the end of the month, Sophie was recovering nicely, Shalom is almost back to normal and Pia, well, is at least not suffering any longer.

But the upshot of all this is I am tired, and in need of a rest.  I am going to take much of the rest of January to reflect on the previous year, look ahead to 2014 and gather up enough optimism to embark on an even more concerted job search now that the holidays are over.  In addition, I will be reassessing the viability of keeping my online music business, A Web of Fine Music, going or not.

I did the number crunching this week while I had the time and I just concluded the worst sales year since I began the business almost 11 years ago.  The grim reality is people are not buying hard copies of recorded music anymore, at least not in the numbers we once saw.  I still have the small core of dedicated customers I have always had, but beyond that, there is not much to show for the work I have put into the business the past number of years.

So, I will take the month to decide whether I want to continue with it or not, and how much time I want to devote to it if at all.  It is a hard decision to have to make, but perhaps the time is right to let it go.  I don't know yet. but I will give it some thought in the coming weeks and see where my heart suggests I go.

Right now, the priority has to be on finding more work in order to pay the bills, so I will be doing what I can do increase my qualifications for employment in whatever way I can, within reason of course.

Something I started this week was to expand my social media presence and look beyond the obvious main players, Facebook and Twitter, both of which I use frequently.  Now I will be looking at Pinterest, Instagram, and perhaps some others.

Those who know me know I have something of a love/hate relationship with social media and the way some people approach it, so expanding my social media reach is something I have not exactly embraced as of late.  I am still coming to grips with the logic of both Pinterest and Instagram, but I realize becoming more adept at both will perhaps help my employment chances.  So we'll see how the new foray goes in the coming weeks.

One other social media platform, Four Square, is one I cannot embrace, however.  I just don't see the point of it at all.  Knowing one of my Facebook friends is working out at the Y at this moment, for example, serves no useful purpose to me as far as I can see.  What it does provide is less savoury individuals with the knowledge of where you are and the fact you are not at home at the moment.  Hmm, is that such a good idea, do you think?

Anyway, just some random thoughts from your humble scribe this evening.  Since I will be taking a rest for a little while, that will also include writing my blog posts too.  I am just ready to step back, take a fresh approach to some things and come back soon with some new perspectives.

Rest assured, though, if I have any big news to share, you will read about it first here.

Have a great January, and we'll talk again soon.  I promise!

January 4th, 2014.