Christmas

Season

/ Pete Denison / Leave a comment

In what will be a final post before the Christmas festivities begin in earnest, I would like to thank you dear reader, for your support over the past year, as this blog continues on its journey to wherever it may be heading.

If you have contacted me and provided feedback, constructive criticism, praise or advice — I thank you. If you have simply read along over the past twelve months, yet never been in touch — equally, I thank you as well. You may be here as a pen-friend, coffee-friend, other miscellaneous-post-friend, or a little bit of them all.

In whatever capacity your readership takes, I hope in the next twelve months, this at times erratically scheduled and topic-scattered place that is my online home, will provide at least something that may be of interest to you.

Please know I sincerely value your support in providing the very reason I keep writing here — that is, knowing at least a few great folk read these words. That means a great deal after starting out a couple of years ago thinking no-one would.

I am not sure of your particular plans for this season we are now headlong into.

If you are taking a well-earned (and perhaps extended) break, enjoy it. I have no doubt it was hard-earned.

If you are seeking a frenetically-paced blur of fun and excitement, then go and get into it.

Perhaps you are expecting a particular gift, or a bonanza of many, and if so, I do hope you receive them all.

Or if — like me, you’ll enjoy the festivities, then hope to find a quiet spot to catch up on a bit of reading with a drop of your favourite, then I hope you get there too.

Speaking of reading, to those behind the great blogs, newsletters, and podcasts out there, thank you for providing fantastic content for us all to enjoy. To those I’ve yet to discover, perhaps next year it will be.

On that note, I’ll leave it there. To the writer’s — thanks for writing. To my readers — thank you so much for reading.

Best wishes to you all, and do enjoy what you find under your tree — just enjoy those sitting around it with you a little more.

The in-between

/ Pete Denison / 2 Comments

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Referring to exactly what you may ask?

Well, Christmas Day has come and gone, now onto the New Year in all it’s celebratory joy – or excess, depending on your particular view. I typically think of this week as the “in-between”.

Should our thoughts drift towards what was accomplished in the year almost complete, what is to come in the year ahead – or neither? I don’t know about you, though for myself the answer is probably a little of all three.

Personally, I am often thinking of what I could, might, or should have done. How I may have done better the things I actually did. In view of this, I don’t feel it is necessarily a bad thing to remind ourselves of what went well, what we accomplished, or those things crossed off the list we never thought we could do.

The year almost complete?

For myself, achievements both big and small, some that stretched me and others that didn’t. Many which could have been done far better though were completed nonetheless, and lastly, some things left undone.

Overall I would say I am happy with 2013, as amongst other things I managed to start this blog in May and have now published 70+ posts. Along with continuing to develop and refine my coffee roasting skills, this is probably what I am most satisfied with.

Professionally? Much the same, however the focus of this blog has never been, nor will it be (save for a passing reference here and there), about my professional life. One aspect from the past year that particularly resonated was a comment made by Tim Ferriss in a breakfast seminar here in Brisbane in the latter half of the year. Tim stated he did not believe in work-life balance, but work-life separation. I certainly second that thought.

I have never been more relaxed than when my head is buried in my iPad (what am I a teenager?) or a bag of green coffee beans I am about to roast.

For the year ahead?

Probably more of the same – just better!

All jokes aside, gaining more knowledge and ability in everything from blogging to coffee roasting and brewing are in my (albeit unwritten) plans. I expect I will also be searching for great pens, paper, apps and other tech goodness . Some or all of which I will continue to share on these pages – those within my ability and comprehension anyway.

Professionally, I will continue to work hard and to the best of my ability, ensuring I grow in this sphere of my life as well. Plain and simple.

For You?

I would like to take this “in-between” time to congratulate you on your achievements for 2013, and wish you all the best for the coming year. Whether your intentions are concrete, well planned and written down to every minute detail, or swimming around in your head, I am sure you will finish 2014 a step or two ahead of where you are now.

Best wishes and good luck!