Happy New Year!

Well, almost.  There’s a few more hours left in 2011, and if you’re like me you’re probably a little tired of all the year-end retrospectives.  Best movies of the year, biggest news stories, celebrities we’ve lost – it’s hard to open up a paper without drowning in year-end stories.

The truth of the matter is that the only reason those stories are popping up everywhere is because they’re easy to write.  Most news organizations are a little short-staffed this week, and what easier way to provide entertaining content than by simply summarizing the events of the past year.

So as the proud writer of a new blog, now’s my time to throw out some year-end thoughts.  Plus I’m a little short-staffed right now too, not to mention it’s the Holidays.  So here’s my filler post.

I resolved some number of years ago to stop making new year’s resolutions.  It is really nothing more than a built-in excuse to put off things during the remaining eleven months a year.

For me the approach of the new year is a time to get organized; to reflect on where I am and where I want to be; to give thanks for what I have, and to remind myself not to take things for granted.

It’s also an opportunity to say good riddance to negative weight that has bogged me down over the past year.  So with no further adieu, a few things that I’d like to say a hearty “don’t let the door hit you in the rear on the way out” to from 2011…

• The 65 inches of rain that has fallen on (and often delayed) our projects this year
• Increases in flagstone pricing, driven by the Marcellus Shale gas boom (more on that in upcoming posts)
• That family of annoying divas (rhymes with gargantuan) with no talent who seem to have dominated every media story this year (I told you it wasn’t going to be all hardscaping info here on the blog)
• Political bickering in Washington.  Republicans, Democrats, whatever.  You’re all behaving like my 4-year-old.  Grow up.
• Prospects who take up my time requesting design ideas and cost estimates and then never even return a phone call after the work is done.  Look, I’m not saying you need to give me anything more than a 30-second courtesy phone call.  It’s not even just good business, it’s just common human decency.
• Crazy dictators who were killed or passed away.  Good Riddance!
• Telemarketers on my cell phone.  My cell phone!

All things considered, though, 2011 has been a pretty good year.  I wish everyone a safe, healthy and happy new year, and I look forward to getting to know you more in 2012!

Welcome to my blog!

I have to admit, those are four words I never thought I'd be typing.

It's not that I'm a technophobe.  I have a website, and I text message and email, and I'd be absolutely lost without my i-phone and computer.  It's just that I'm not really a technophile either.  While some people are quick to embrace new technology, rushing out to buy new equipment the day it is released, I'm usually a little late to the party.

Slow and steady.  That's me.  So while much of the cyberworld has been blogging for some time now, I'm finally getting around to it just now.

I’ve always joked that my media of preference are rocks and wood.  Fitting for a landscape construction contractor.  Pixels and gigabites, not so much.  Maybe the preferred media for a techie, but up to now, not me.  So why now?  Why am I entering the world of online blogging?

A few reasons.  Number one, I love to write.  Always have, going back to kindergarten.  Whether it was creative writing assignments in elementary school, research papers in high school, journalism assignments or term papers in college, or advertising copy in my former life as an advertising account exec, I’ve always loved to write.

Number two, I thought it would be an efficient way to communicate with my clients.  I can’t even begin to tell you the amount of times I’ve been asked certain questions again and again when meeting with clients.  Hopefully this blog will save me the time and energy of going into the same song and dance time after time while answering questions from various clients (not that I don’t like talking to you, we can just talk about something else now!)

And number three, I thought it would be a great way for my clients (and anybody else who cares) to get to know me.  After all, business is all about relationships.  Hopefully this blog will provide some degree of insight into who I am, not just as a landscape contractor and business owner, but as a father, a husband, a dog owner, a sportsman, a music lover, and, well I won’t spoil any surprises.  You get the idea.

So what can you expect from this blog?  Well certainly you can expect timely and seasonal information pertaining to the green industry in general.  New products, new trends, new technology, etc.  But I’m hoping for more than that.  Environmental issues, how-to posts, how to maintain a positive client/contractor relationship, current project updates, and anything else in general that I might be able to tie into the landscape industry in a round-about sort of way.

But most of all I want you to be entertained, and hopefully interested enough to keep checking in.  I welcome your comments and feedback, and look forward to beginning the journey.  Time to get bloggin!