I spent some time reading through my old posts here. What a walk down memory lane, for better and worse. So much has changed in ten years. For example:

• A majority of the blogs and resources I cited and linked to are no more. So much information lost. So much experience and perspective gone. And my efforts to not borrow too much from anyone, but rather refer readers to those sites instead has left my own blog largely useless. Perhaps I should have summarized and quoted more, just in case. Lesson learned, I suppose.
• My sister, aka TaxiDriverMom, passed away from cancer a few years ago. I had forgotten she’d had a blog–and that I’d guest posted on it. Not all walks down memory lane are cheerful ones.
• I cringe a little now at my bold declaration, upon setting out on my short-lived consulting career, that I was now liberated and would never go back to corporate America again. Though I’m technically a successful entrepreneur, I’ve been entrenched in corporate America for the past eight years.
• My little kids have grown. My oldest is in Canada, living on her own, and studying concept art. And I failed to buy her a basic tool set when she left, though mostly because the dormitory she lives in doesn’t give her much chance to need them, but also because space in her luggage was at a premium. Perhaps when she graduates or moves into her first full apartment situation.
• My business (or rather, my fourth attempt at a business), VIP Gamestore, will turn ten years old this year. I’m proud of what my partners and I started, even though I’m more of a silent partner these days. The residual income has been a real blessing through the years.
• Our house here in Sandy, Utah, hasn’t proven to be as great for storage as I’d hoped, even after I built another shed. The shed is my best one yet, however.

One of the main impressions I came away with was that I was very unfocused and hesitant to offer any personal experience on the topic. It was a discussion of theory, of concept, but I turned to everyone else for substance. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But I do hope to have some substance of my own to add now.