Year End 2009 Editorial

As opposed to many who tend to write year end articles as a preemptive recap of the year, sometimes missing out on a whole month of events that have yet to happen, I have decided to discuss 2009 in its entirety.

Here were are, sitting on the doorstep of 2010 with all the baggage that we brought with us from 2009 and years past. It's not necessarily a bad thing, its part of us, much like the records we add to our music collection each year.

We can look through it and be reminded of the different phases we went through in life and also recall some of the albums that helped shape what we listen to now.

If nothing else, I can say that I'm happy that 2009 is finally just a memory. The year started with the inauguration of a new president, for better or worse depending on your views it was definitely a product of the nations desire for something different in their lives. Fed up with the economy and the day to day hassles that everyone is facing it seemed easier to go in a totally different direction. For some, the change that has occurred is welcome, for others it is like watching the fall of Rome. Regardless, it feels like a wedge has been stuck between the nation for eight years and still continues to fester.

Personally, 2009 has made a big impact on who I am as a person and the path that I see myself traveling in 2010. The summertime in all its glory and freedom allowed me to extensively travel the United States with a group of people, half of whom are my closest friends, and other half who would become the extension of that same group. To relive all the experiences of the summer in this article would be a lengthy task, but in short it has given me an alternative to what I thought the rest of my life might look like.

Strangely enough, I welcomed 2010 very similar to the way that I did in 2009. Conflict. However, I can look at this in two different ways. I Can say that each year it is started with conflict, or I can say that I welcomed 2009 the same way I bid it farewell. I choose the latter. Choose for yourself, how do you want 2010 to shape up for you?

Last year I wrote about how many of us reflect upon ourselves at the end of each year. Though reflection can be helpful in setting goals for oneself, it can also be harmful if you choose to wallow in your failures of the year. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start over. The greatest thing that man has is the ability to do, is to be resilient, if we allow ourselves to be.

In 2009 we saw tremendous growth here at Big Wheel Magazine. Our viewership continued a steady increase and our staff nearly doubled in size. Just a few of the stats that we recorded from 2009 were that our staff wrote over 200 show reviews, listed over 1100 shows, reviewed over 90 records, published over 7200 photos and gave away 180 concert tickets. We are extremely proud of our staff and feel that we have assembled a group of some of the finest people that have dedicated themselves to this mission. Of course we look at these numbers and are proud of them, but start to think of what we can do better this year to continue to grow. Please grade us... and you did.

Just added: We just added the results above of how you felt we did in 2009. Perhaps amongst our staff we still feel we can do better and then on the other hand we are very proud of what we were able to accomplish this past year. As a team we are committed to continuing to push the envelope and do even better in 2010 -We can not rest of the accomplishments of 2009, that was last year and it is now time for us to work on our 2010 grade. If you like what we do, here is a easy way to show your support by adding one of the easy to use banners to your MySpace or website that can be found HERE.

So as you start to come alive from your alcohol and food induced comas of the holidays, take account of your life and see what you can do better this year, even if that means drinking twice as much next new years eve.

Best wishes of health and success to you all!


-Matt C.-
Editor in Chief