It has been a wonderful year for me both professionally and personally. Here are the stats:

• I have been invited to talk in 25 states and the District of Columbia.
• Due to scheduling conflicts and other matters, I could not honor them all. I always feel guilty in not being able to present to everyone who asks.
• I was able to present in 19 different states and the District of Columbia this year. With some states, I presented more than once with Texas being the most frequent which was 7 times. I presented in Illinois four times, in Georgia twice, North Carolina twice, Ohio twice, and California twice.
• Next year, I am scheduled to pick a few new states for in instructing attorneys, judges, scientists, and policy-makers: Missouri, Kansas, Nevada, Minnesota, and Nebraska.
• Since July 5, 2011, I have been using an application on my mobile phone called trip-it (which I recommend). According to it, since July 5, 2011 (when I installed it), I have traveled 25,326 miles and have been away from home for 53 days. I think conservatively, we can double both the days away and the miles traveled to cover the whole year.

Thanks to my good friend Josh D. Lee, Esquire of Oklahoma for making this map.

It is my honor and great privilege to get to present and spread the word of good and validated forensic science all across the United States. I enjoyed meeting literally thousands of people. Each conversation and occasion I have cherished. Every follow-up email and every visit to this blog has made it all worthwhile.

There is a quote that I like to live by that provides for me inspration:

Develop an expertise in that which interests you. learn, lean, learn, then do something totally counter-intuitive…. give away your knowledge for free to everyone and anyone who will listen. Become the proverbial Johnny Appleseed. People will love you for it and the justice system will be better for it.

All of this would not be possible without my wonderful family. There have been many nights away, but thanks to Skype and a great wife who understands that teaching lawyers to become better is what I very much like to do, I am able to do it. This year, I will be speaking and traveling a bit less overall so as to spend more time with my best friend, who is my daughter—Baby Mia.

I also have to brag that my co-workers who are simply amazing. They make the balance between work, teaching and family possible. On top of all of this speaking, I also have the honor of personally (and by way of extension, with associates) defend those suspected or accused of a crime. It is an amazing trust that people place in me.

Thank you all. Here’s to 2012!