2008

So here we are in the new year. 2007 blew by like a storm.

Business-wise it was a good year. I definitely improved my profits over the previous year...something like looked doubtful around the middle of the year. This was right before my wedding and things got a little slow. I was like , "UH OH!"

Then after getting married it took a while to adjust. Luckily I got slammed with work in the last quarter that made up for everything and then some. So it goes to show you never know.

I'm not liking that though...it's kinda hard planning ahead on a pay cycle that isn't regular. I know all my associates that work for themselves all say the same thing. I gotta find a way to circumvent this.

If there's one disappointment that I've had lately is the fact I'm still not at the point where I'd feel comfortable leasing out an office and hiring someone yet. I just can't risk that overhead feeling uncertain whether I could weather out a couple of slow months here and there. On the other hand, I'd hate to have to wait till I'm slammed and stressed out before I expand out in desperation. I just don't know how to bridge this gap. I'll get there, but it's just a matter of feeling my way.

Two and a half years of doing this though...not bad eh? I thought I'd have a lot more confidence by now but each time a client pitches me with new challenges I don't know how to immediately solve, or each time I see someone else's artwork I wish I could have though of myself I'm definitely humbled.

It's also coming around to tax time too. DAaaaamn. Here's where I see how much Uncle Sam is going to take from me again. Even my wife is discouraged by how much is taken out of her paycheck over here in the US. She says after taxes, FICA, medicare, SS, medical insurance (yeah she still has to pay a little bit even though she works at a hospital how's that?), etc. she's seeing about 36% of her paycheck wisked away. She says in Hong Kong it was only about 17%. God even I'm discouraged after hearing that. Hong Kong is supposed to be among the top 10 most expensive cities to live in.

Anyway, I've been paying a huge amount of estimated taxes all year, I hope this time I'm not slammed with a huge payment of taxes to write out like I did the year before. That hurt. This time I'm a little wiser with my deductions. Keeping my toes and fingers crossed.