The New Year is always a time for reflection and review. A time for starting new ideas, and sometimes for letting old ideas go. So what are my plans for 2013?
1. As a vet in practice.
Our vet clinic, Brayvet, is scheduled to start work on a major new extension at the end of January 2013. We have been planning this for the past decade, and we’re really excited about the project. It will create a purpose-built working environment, designed to make visits to the vet better for everyone: animals, their carers, vets and our support staff. I’ll be posting progress of the new development on the Brayvet Shuttercal page.
2. As a media vet.
I’ll still be writing my weekly newspaper columns, in the Daily Telegraph, the Evening Herald, the People Newspaper Group, Irelands Own, Womans Way and several others. I’ll also be writing regular blogs in various places (such as the excellent VetHelpDirect website).
I’ll continue to do my weekly Ireland AM vet spot on TV3, every Wednesday morning, and I’m also planning to take part in the new TV3 series of Animal A&E.
I’ll also keep up the radio work, with the weekly vet spots on East Coast FM that are rebroadcast online as podcasts. I’m aiming to keep up the Newstalk work too, with a monthly visit to Shenanigans with Sile, and regular chats with Tom Dunne and Sean Moncrieff.
Other online media work is also likely to keep me busy, with my Facebook and Twitter pages needing constant updates. It can be difficult to fit this all in, but I love these new ways of communicating with pet owners out there.
I’m also really excited about my new Shuttercal project. The aim is to post an interesting photo every day, for a full year. So at the end of it, I will have a pictorial review of what I’ve been up to, and things that have interested me (and hopefully, things that interest other folk a bit too…..)
In 2013, I’m hoping that all of the above will keep developing positively. I’m planning some overseas travel, to look at how people do things in other parts of the world. And I’m always open to new media projects: let’s just see what comes up……
3. As an individual
It can be difficult to fit in any sort of personal life with all of the above going on. It can be challenging to keep the balance right, but for the whole lot to be sustainable long term, it’s really important to engage with a healthy mix of the family, social, exercise and spiritual aspects of living.
I love spending time with my wife Joyce, my two daughters Anna (18) and Ella (15), as well as all the animals at home. I’m an aspiring triathlete, with the training takes up at least an hour every day. And I’m active in our local church, with a particular interest in Christian apologetics (discussing the rational basis for belief in the Christian faith).
In 2013, my aim is to try to keep that balance right. And funnily enough, that leads neatly on to my single New Years Resolution: I am going to learn to ride a unicycle.
They tell me that the unicycle is all about balance: perhaps that’s a good way to end this first blog of 2013.
Comments are closed.
Please note that I am unable to answer veterinary questions in comments. If you have questions or concerns about your pet's health it is always better to contact your vet.