Another quarter has passed, now another half year has gone as well. Time flies, Q2 2023 is now over and so it H1 2023. Saturday 1st July marks the start of Q3 2023 and H2 2023, dawn of a new period, beginning, as well as continuation from the first half of 2023. This also marks the return of a regular writing feature of mine, writing down my reflections, thoughts, views and upcoming plans – Reflecting Q2 2023 & H1 2023 (Technology, Business and Personal).
My Yearly Theme for 2023 (Technology | Business | Personal) is “Transform. I published and announced it earlier in Q1 2023, at this halfway mark in 2023, I am reflecting on my journeys and progress, how much have I transformed in the things that I wanted to do. I feel that there is some small progress and changes, I can do more with transforming, changing and adapting for new challenges and a more complex and difficult world environment ahead.
Technology (Media news coverage | Special interest topics)
My technology media news coverage has slowed down, I highlighted it previously, this is an ongoing challenge that I am facing right now. I still haven’t figured out a solution to this matter, rest assured that I am working on it.
On the areas of special interest topics, I feel that I am making small strides toward a better quality, understanding and informative technology research and writing. I still have a lot of areas to improve on, I continue to strive forward, research, read and understand more in-depth on those special interest topics. On the Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector, I feel that I am making some progress here. As for the areas of sustainability and ESG, I need to do more and get more hands on with those areas.
In-depth interviews
This is an area that I didn’t emphasis on or work on over my years of technology writing and media news coverage. As I slowly progress through covering enterprise technology and special interest research topics, I realised conducting interviews helped me understand the topics that I am working on even better.
In recent months, I embarked on conducting interviews whenever any opportunity arises. A few more interview articles are already in the works and more are being planned.
Business (Digital marketing/Social media marketing & Other business interests)
My initial business expansion plans to integrate digital marketing/social media marketing into my content creation and photography services didn’t exactly get off on a right note. The integration process wasn’t great, I have to work on re-strategising and re-alignment for both sides of the equation to come together fittingly as much as possible.
There are some opportunities in other business interests that I have been looking at for the past few months. It takes a certain amount of risks and funding, not ruling them out and can’t rush into them too.
Business ventures overseas are definitely on my plans, the risks will inevitably increased by a few folds. I have some plans in mind, I am also exploring other opportunities if they arise.
Personal
A segment that I sometimes want to talk more about it, I take a few steps back, reconsider and decide not to do so. I am now very careful and selective on how and what I want to share on social media.
Balancing social on social media
I probably talk more on Twitter (Follow me there!) without sharing too much personal stuff and details. I am pretty private on my personal FB, I try to be more active on my FB Page for my photography business and social media outreach. As for Instagram, I am trying to be a bit more active in posting photos without overdoing it.
Face-to-face is so much more welcomed nowadays, sometimes I wish that we can be more social and meet in real life more often instead of everything social media and messaging.
Trying not to feel old
I recently completed a pre-wedding and actual day wedding shoot for my niece and my now nephew-in-law. While I am trying not to feel old, I can’t escape that I have aged, as well as time doesn’t stop and it will not stop for anyone.
Plans for Q3 2023 & H2 2023
Further integration of interviews into my articles
I am looking at moving up a level higher, adding on more in-depth analysis, research and writing, especially into my special interest topics. While this might meant a bit of compromise for my media news coverage, I have to work on balancing those two out.
Better integration of my digital marketing/social media marketing and collaboration
Whether I am taking a whole project on my own, partnering or collaborating with agencies, I have to work more on this, a better integration of my visual storytelling, photography and writing with my social media/digital marketing or with agencies.
Staying grounded and low key
The challenges ahead are not getting easier, a mix of world economy slowdown and geo-political tensions are not going to help us here.
A reminder to myself to stay grounded and maintaining a low key profile, my life is probably going to be boring for you. I would enjoy my great outdoors in nature, with my photography and writing (When I am not running my business).
Last but not least
More than just my photography and travel segments, please do visit and check out my Reflecting H1 2023 & Q2 2023 (Photography and Travel) on my TGH Photography and Travel portal/blog.
Although I will not be able to write down and share everything that happened or took place during Q2 2023 and H1 2023, compiling and writing them down serves as a form of diary, collection of memories and moments.
Some stuff/matters are also private and confidential that I do not want or wish to be shared on social media.
The content, reflections, thoughts, and views might be lengthy and boring to others, even to my friends. Some are probably busy posting on social media platforms flooded with media and videos, we need to know what is happening to them, they don’t want to know what is happening to others.
Writing down my reflections, thoughts, views and upcoming plans are more than a good way of regular writing, constantly honing and improving my writing skills, this is also therapeutic in its own ways.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for making it to this line, reading my lengthy writing and ranting (sometimes).
* Photos shot with Canon EOS R6 Mark II *
** A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R6 Mark II Explorer Series Production **