Quick update

I want to give just a basic update on my life and get any first time visitors or long since talked with friends caught up.
First, the bad:
I lost a very dear friend to suicide.
My family’s store lost their main manager, who was a friend of mine, to an intoxicated driver.
A very talented athlete I used to fence with died in a motorcycle crash.
My grandparents were in a pretty nasty car wreck (follow up to this in the “good” section!).
Since the store lost their manager, I’ve stepped in to help them out a few days.  I actually really dislike working there…retail, despite my skill at it, is not my passion.
I haven’t done anything with fire in far too long.

Now, the good:
I have the most amazing girlfriend a man could ever ask for.
My grandparents are recovering well from the car wreck.
I have an amazing support system of friends and loved ones.
I became an uncle.
I love my dogs.
Since taking up a part-time position at the family shoe store, I’ve been able to increase the work I put into my job with the Fortune 200 company.  I’m an independent contractor with them, so I have to create my own business with them.
I’ve further developed my style, skills, and prowess as a photographer and model.
My love for my religion has been rekindled thanks to many factors and I’ve grown so much more knowledgable in it.
I successfully won a productivity contest with my main job to win an iPad, which is just freakin’ awesome.  Oh, it’s made my presentations bomb-diggity.
I’ll expand on this as much as I can, when I get the chance and energy.  I’m going to be keeping this much more current this coming year (no, I’m not going by the Gregorian calendar here, folks).