This time last year I wasn’t who I am today. Not even close. That’s your fault.

If you had suggested during last year’s New Year’s Eve party that much of what has transpired in the past 52 weeks was even remotely possible, I would have laughed at you.

Hahahahaha. LOL.

But it happened.

Date-Line Digital Printing was named as the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year, I was paid to talk about my unconventional views on customer service and building a life that matters, I helped give away a few thousand free thank you cards and ended up on the front page of the newspaper and the tv news as a result, I had the opportunity to meet and interview a number of remarkable people, I became a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, and my friend Lauren engineered #thxgeoffwelch day during which a bunch of old and new friends used my face as their Facebook profile picture and made me cry in my office.

But the really unbelievably ridiculous part of 2013 was the encouragement and support I received from so many amazing people…some of whom I didn’t even know a year ago. If I can reciprocate even a tiny fraction of the kindness and generosity they have shown me I will have accomplished a lot.

When I consider all the unbelievable events of 2013 I can say without hesitation that I would trade them all for the friendships I now enjoy. That is something I want to share with the people I love every single day.

Thank you all for making my 2013 completely ridiculous. It wouldn’t have been nearly as fun, or even possible, without you.

PS: The second most important lesson I learned was the importance of asking for things that seem unattainable, because they aren’t.