For a few months, I’ve been thinking about what I need to do to seriously work on this goal relating to my career.

Working for a daily newspaper, it has been very clear ever since the internet became “public domain,” that newspaper companies and their employees were going to have to rethink how to get the message out effectively, clearly, quickly and most of all easily accessibly.

Evolve or die.

Like most newspapers, ours basically ignored this fact until this past year when 2006 became the year of plummeting circulation, fewer ad revenue, craigslist popularity … thus, major layoffs, retirement buyouts, etc. Yes, these trends have been here for awhile, but 2006 was dramatic. The trend will only continue.

So what does a middle-aged visual journalist do with the prospect of being down-sized in the next few years?

Get her shit together. And double-quick.

• Improve my skills by at least 15 percent this year. Thankfully, I have a good assessment of what current skills I need to improve.
• Learn new software by at least 15 percent this year.
• As far as new media is concerned: I need to figure out which direction I must focus and start plowing through.

This last task seems difficult. Where do I start? Technology is changing so quickly, I don’t know where to begin. What will be obsolete in six months? What has staying power? Or what can I learn that is a jumping off point to the next generation of technology?

• Continue to assess online media groups and stick with the ones that definitely “see” the future and embrace it. Learn with them.

*Also, I want to solicit ideas from those individuals who are actively embracing new technologies and will continue to do so over time.

With all that said:

I need a nap.