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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Goodbye 2009!

What a year this was. I can't say I'm sad to see it go. In truth I'm relieved. But before it ends I want to thank everyone for their friendship, love, prayers, patience and support in helping me through this past year of worrying about my cousin Tami and many other blood cancer patients I have come to care about. Thankfully Tami continues to recover, and I continue to meet a vast array of wonderful, caring, and empathetic people who have enriched my life in so many ways.

Creating the Helping Tami website and blog was an experience completely unlike anything I had ever done before in my life. Sure, I had made many other websites and blogs but one thing I had never learned to do was to ask for help. It was never my ego that stopped me from asking for help, it was the fear of imposing on others. Asking for help and worrying they would feel obligated to say yes whether or not they had the time or energy available.

When it came down to my moment of clarity that for Tami, and others in need of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, they are facing a life or death situation, all of a sudden it was easy to move beyond my concerns and just put it out there: I needed help. I asked can you help me and people rose to the occasion not just friends but complete strangers. So many people helped in a hands on manner volunteering time and talent, spiritually with prayers and good thoughts and even financially that I spent most of the year feeling quite humbled by all of their generosity. Wow, it was and continues to be an amazing experience.

2009 also saw me hiring two independent contractors to assist me with my businesses.

Lori is my new administrative assistant to The Flirty Guide. She will be my new point person in 2010 who will be keeping me organized and on schedule. It's going to feel odd to have help since I've pretty much done everything completely on my own since becoming self employed in 12 years ago! I'm hoping that by having Lori on board it will allow me to take some time off now and then. Just a normal day off like anyone else who works a 9:00 to 5:00 job.

Joan is my new Director of Submissions and Communications at Best Bridal Blogs and Best Wedding Blogs. She is the one who will be doing the preliminary review of all submissions to make sure they meet our listing criteria. She will also be the person responding to all submissions, questions and comments. PLEASE I'm begging you, if you don't post often enough or your blog isn't old enough PLEASE do not click the yes buttons and submit your blog anyways. It will not be approved and so many people do that I am now forced to impose a tough new policy:

The first time your blog is reviewed for consideration the review process is free. If your blog isn't old enough or you don't post often enough your request will be denied. You are welcome to resubmit your blog at a later date but there will be a review fee the second time.

So that's it. Only a few more hours left of 2009. Thank you all so much for making the Flirty Blog a stop on your day to day online tour of the internet. 2009 was a rough year for so many people. I am hoping and praying that 2010 is a better, happier, more successful and healthier year for everyone!

Photo of Stacie and Tami by: Todd Rafalovich

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