All rejuvenated for twenty-ten

Having close to four week off work over chrissy and it still took me until February to get my 2010 update for Rah!Creative online:

Whatcha think?

I’ve moved away from the WordPress install I used last year and now I’m back to good ol’ fashioned HTML.

I’ve kept it fairly simple and experimented with the 960 rule for this one.

I’ve spent hours at my desktop, getting intimate with Dreamweaver, Topstyle, Notepad ++, Photoshop, Illustrator, html/css validators, Firefox, Chrome, IE6 and IE8.

But now I’m done!

Relief.

On 2009 (the top-five version)

Last year I ripped off a post from Fifikins (aka the woman who keeps kicking my arse in Words With Friends), reflecting on my 2008.

It’s actually one of the better meme/survey thingos out there for that sort of thing, so I’ll use it again later this month.

But it goes without saying that 2009 has been my year. Sure, some of it has been shithouse, but it pales into comparison to the rest of my year.

And on that note, I present my 2009 top five:

1. Started by own business (now known as Rah!Creative)
   Things have been slow, but that’s kinda how I need it. I can’t handle having a full-time job as well as a needy home business. I’m learning heaps, I passed the Tax Man’s rules and regulations and I even made a profit in my first financial year. WOO!
2. Got my first blog gig (at That’s Noice!)
   I helped Leigh with setting up That’s Noice! at the end of 2008, but we launched in Feb this year. Fark knows why Leigh trusted me enough with one of her projects, but I’ve LOVED it. It’s not always easy coming up with content and I’ve had to get my head around all the technicalities of having a ‘real’ blog, but it’s been a great experience and hopefully 2010 will be an even bigger year for the blog
3. FINALLY had our water feature repaired
   After 709 days, our leaking loungeroom wall was repaired. We were also told our building should be condemned in the next 5-10 years, so we at least have a goal for moving out (?)
4. zOMG Dan proposed!1!!!!!!
   Easily the most amazing event to happen to me. There’s someone in my life who’s willing to tell the world he wants to make it permanent? Crazy. Just don’t ask when/where/how the wedding will happen, cause we still can’t decide!
5. Ben Folds at the Opera House, thrice
   Ahh, the week that Dan and I played excited fangirls, seeing Ben Folds at the Opera House. Each of the gigs was unreal, but the hands-down favourite was the ‘by request’ gig where we had perfect seats, Ben played my favourite song and played Dan’s actual song request. Blew my mind and we still talk about it to anyone who’ll listen

Have you got a top 5 of 2009? Join in and do yours too!

5 web sites great for small business

Since I started LRKane Creative earlier this year, I’ve looked at (seemingly) a million web sites to inform and inspire me in these early days of my small business.

Here are the top 5 web sites that I’ve found to be the most helpful in terms of getting started with my small business:

1. ATO
   As much as I hate the tax office, I have to admit their web site was pretty good in giving me the answers I was looking for – whether I need to charge GST and complete a BAS every quarter (I don’t think I do because I’ll be earning less than $75,000 a year)
2. ABNs and business info
   I had no idea that ABNs are free (WIN!) and this site’s been a huge source of info, especially the how-to guides
3. Click Business Cards
   Not only are these cards a dead-set bargain (less than $70 for 250 cards incl delivery), the cards were on my doorstep within 36 hours of me submitting my order
4. Easy Signs car magnets
   A cheap alternative to stickers on my beloved car and the beauty is that they’re removable! Perfect for when I’m in the need to let out some road rage
5. SmallBiz
   I’ve only found this site fairly recently, but already finding the NSW-centric info really really helpful.

Shameless

So! I’ve decided to spruik myself with magnets that I’ll chuck on each side of my car:

I’m going to feel like a bit of a mong, but based on Nicky’s feedback since she got her car magnets last week, it’s definitely worth the $70 investment.

This was my test print that i propped up against the car to get a better idea of how it’ll look against the dinted black doors of my baby Mazda 2 (aka Talyn). I’ve since added my mobile number, but fear that I’ll end up regretting it.

I’ve also realised that I’ll have to be on my best behavour when I’m driving around now—no more road rage for me!