PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

During the storm it was difficult to get a full grasp on what was going on. I could hear the hail, I could see the tree down in my backyard but the full scope of what had come to town was difficult to appreciate until after it had passed. There was hardly a street in town that was passable. Getting a vehicle out on the road was nearly impossible.

My home sustained some minor damage, shingles on the roof were damaged and I lost two trees in my backyard along with piles of branches from the other trees on my property. I was lucky compared to many of the other property owners in Tyler who have significant damage to their homes, businesses and vehicles.

The response from our community was astounding. Within minutes of the storm passing by, neighbors were out helping neighbors and people from other communities poured into town to help in any way they could.

For my part, I went to work taking photos throughout the community of the damage, preparing a record that would be first published in the Tribute a few days later. It was difficult not to think I should be doing something else, but I fully recognized the need for letting people know what happened.

No one was seriously hurt from the storm and today life has mostly gotten back to normal. Less than a month after the storm our town held its annual celebration along with the Lincoln County Fair – at the same time. The city crews and volunteers helped bring the community back to a place to be proud of.

There is yet a lot of work to be done and it will be years before Tyler looks the way it did before Friday, July 1 at 4 p.m.

It’s New Years Eve now. There is snow outside, I’m listening to music and doodling on the computer, not doing any thing particularly productive so I figure why not sketch out a few of these resolutions that I won’t follow through with in the new year. Here goes.

1. I resolve to keep up with house work. With work and a lack of energy lately the house work has fallen behind. Dishes in the sink, newspapers piled into a corner: it needs to stop. I’m actually going to try to make this one happen.
2. Finally cut Cable TV. I have been talking about doing this one for years and with some minor exceptions I have actually made this happen already, I just need to tell the cable company I’m doing it.
3. Spend less money on things I don’t need. Self explanatory.
4. Exercise more. Obligatory I know.
5. Write more for my website?

There, that wasn’t so hard. We’ll see if and when I actually follow through with these resolutions. This past year has gone by in a flash but looking back on it, this year feels like it took forever to go past. Funny how that works. By the way, have we made contact yet? I thought 2010 was the year we made contact. Oh well.