2019 Year-In-Review

Where has this year gone? I have had the busiest, fullest, at times challenging, frustrating year of my life!

I'll start with the positive. Come June I had become beyond frustrated with my job. Not enjoying it. At all. More work than one person can do. No end in sight. Seeking a way out, I began applying at photography-related jobs. I either felt underqualified or undereducated. I had a couple e-mail follow ups but nothing beyond that. Out of the blue I got a text from the manager of LifeTouch portrait studios for their church directory position. I was hired over the phone and began work in September, Definitely an answered prayer. I travel to various denominations of churches in the area and take photos (and hopefully sell them) to the members for their church directories. I love it. It's not stressful. I only get stressed in driving to the locations. It's not really work, it's more fun than anything, the only "work" is setting up and tearing down the studio. I was pulling 6 day weeks for the first month I started, so I had literally Sunday to play catch up on everything. I've traveled to Waco (twice), Tyler, Athens, Ft. Worth, Eastland, Waxahachie, etc...I'm thankful that when mom retired in February I got her car because my old Cavalier wouldn't have been able to handle all the miles I put now. Thankful for an answered prayer, and that I get to do what I love and that I work in churches with, for the most part, like-minded people where I can openly talk about my faith and/or politics (depending on the church)

I went to races at 6 different dirt tracks this past year. Superbowl in Greenville will ALWAYS be my home track, and again I got to help out there. Some nights I was in the infield shooting photos, a couple nights I was actually in the scoring tower helping call the action. Love that little track and thankful I get to help out, again, kind of living the dream there, I've always wanted to help out or be involved in racing.

I also attended races at RPM Speedway in Crandall, south of Dallas, a Friday night show, traffic was fun. Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite for some sprint car action, and got to meet one of the greatest sprint car drivers of all-time, Sammy Swindell, who, in his mid-60s, is still one of the best in the business. 82 Speedway, 60 miles on a way, on a last-minute decision because Superbowl rained out, same with one night at Grayson County Speedway near Sherman, because again, Superbowl rained out and left on a last-minute decision.

The coolest racing experience I had this year: at the June truck race at Texas Motor Speedway, I was allowed on track before the race started to get interviewed for the Big Hoss screen (the giant HD tv that towers over the backstretch) It was cool, seeing myself and hearing myself as well, on a small delay. I've been very fortunate and blessed to have some cool experiences because of my love of racing.

I attended 2 concerts this year, which is my average, but they were both good ones. I saw my 2 favorite bands within a week-and-a-half of each other at the same location in Deep Ellum in Dallas. Demon Hunter, my favorite band of over a decade, I saw in late September, 2 separate shows. First half of the night was all acoustic, then after a short break they came back out and melted my face off. was an awesome night! Was able to meet their bass player after the show. A week-and-a-half later I saw my other favorite band, Red, at the same venue. They played their entire second album, in honor of it being a decade since it was released. They played again in Dallas in December, but I missed that one. I also missed out on Switchfoot, they played in the spring, and I waited too late to get tickets and it sold out..

This year has been a roller coaster, God had His hand in all of it and opened doors and answered prayers as to where I need to be in life, I was miserable at my previous job and thankful that I found something I love. My motto is work hard play hard, never more evident of that than this year.

Can't believe it's almost 2020. Y2K is now a distant memory, the non-event that it was. And, for the first time since I was about 12, I can finally say I have 2020 vision! Ha!