2011 In Retrospect

This year we welcomed the newest member into our little family. He’s healthy and lovely. His big brother continues to challenge us and enlighten us. As a father and a husband, I am very fortunate to have such a dynamic, vibrant clan. We’re also very lucky to have the unconditional support from our parents and siblings.

This year I took on a new job and the new position has been nothing but positive. I enjoy coming to work everyday and interacting with a nice group of people around me. Like it or not, work plays a big part of our lives; therefore, work can make us miserable or pleasurable. I am fortunate to have found the latter. Let’s hope it will be that way many years to come.

This year freelancing has been a very interesting. I had much more inquiries than previous years, but landed on less projects than before. The economy might have something to do with it. Clients shopped around for cheaper price than quality of work. Some prefer a pre-made WordPress theme over a customized theme that is tailored to their business. Some would rather pay for an existing template than a unique design for their brand. Even though I have done my research and offer fair prices, I couldn’t compete with lower bids, especially with HTML5 and responsive design as part of my standard offering. Since freelancing is only a side job and my time is very limited, thanks to the two boys, I didn’t worry about losing bids. I want to take on projects that are worth of my time and effort. So a few rewarding projects (big or small) are better than just taking on everything. I will be satisfied If I can get a few of those next year.