> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.philsimon.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# 2010: A Look Back and Forward
- URL: https://www.philsimon.com/2010-a-look-back-and-forward/
- Published: 2010-12-20T10:30:05.000Z
- Updated: 2025-12-30T02:07:20.000Z
- Description: Thoughts on the year that was.
- Author: Phil Simon
- Tags: Miscellany, Golf, Kickstarter, Rush, The New Small

This time last year, I wrote [a post summarizing my 2009 and looking forward](https://wp.me/pI5f6-rj?ref=philsimon.com). Let's do the same now. It's been an interesting year with a good number of accomplishments--both personal and professional. In this post, I'll look back and foreword.

## Highlights

Looking back, I am particularly fond of the following events and achievements:

- It's hard to top [the premeir of the Rush documentary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT0GTSoAQwA&ref=philsimon.com) and the fist-pumps that I exchanged with Alex and Geddy (about 1:33 in here). Yes, I'm the guy in the "Got Geddy" blue t-shirt with the ear-to-ear grin. Great event—and the concerts supporting the forthcoming album were just awesome.
- I am particuarly proud of the publication of my third book, *The New Small*. It's my best book, period. Early reviews ([such as this one from Dawn Westerberg](https://dawnwesterberg.com/2010/12/18/2010-%E2%80%93-category-non-fiction/?ref=philsimon.com)) have been extremely positive. Along these lines, the [Kickstarter project](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/705402671/the-new-small-my-third-book?ref=philsimon.com) was particularly inspriational. I made some great new friendships with some incredibly dynamic small business onwers.
- The launch of my [new book site](https://www.philsimon.com/books/the-new-small/) was quite a rush (pun intended). My developer [@shiriamram](https://twitter.com/shiriamram?ref=philsimon.com) is ridiculously talented.
- Attending DataFlux ideas and speaking to the attendees was amazing. These folks are just amazing to work with.
- I appeared on [television for the first time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBsl9JzJ-rI&ref=philsimon.com) to discuss my new book. Fastest seven minutes of my life.
- Five words: An honest 85 at Rutgers. I shot the single best round of my life at the end of the summer with a only one double bogey. I'm not a good golfer but I remember every shot of that round. There weren't that many, after all. (Ironically, I'm still a bit miffed that I three-putted 18.)
- My new iMac Pro brought me into an entirely different world. I still have quite a bit to learn, but it's neat to no longer be on the outside looking in at what I believe is the future of computing.

## Disappointments

I have my health, a great cadre of friends, some degree of financial stability, and a reasonably solid family unit. It's hard for me to gripe too much. However, not everything went my way in 2010\. That's life. Disappointments included:

- I thought that my second book would do better than it did. I'm proud of it and I suppose that that's all that ultimately matters.
- Along these lines, I expected to speak at a few more conferences. I had chances to go to some fairly big events but people seemed to have a problem with paying me to travel and share my knowledge. Maybe this had something to do with the economy. Maybe I just wasn't giving off the right vibe. Something tells me, however, that this is about to change.
- After 25 years, drummer [Mike Portnoy left Dream Theater](https://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=59646&ref=philsimon.com). (Mike - you're not reading this and I don't know you, but I've met you a bunch of times and just hope that you find whatever you are looking for.)

## The Year Ahead: A New Level?

I'm going "all in" with *The New Small*. It'll be available electronically in early January of 2011, once I make a few minor fixes. I can't release details yet, but I have a great shot to be on some very prominent TV shows and to keynote some conferences for the first time. I believe that the new book hits on something very important.

What do you wish for in 2010?