No one knows exactly where things are headed for 2009 and no "expert" can truly tell you what comes afterwards. The best thing you can do for yourself (and your business) is make sure that you are getting the most out of available technology to stay on top of any shifts in the economic framework.

If things get rockier down the road, it's best to position yourself where you'll spot trouble from a mile (or a megabyte!) away. And if things look up and we get back to financial sanity like we're supposed to, well consider yourself all that much more connected and well-informed.

James Booth is Editor-at-Large at ZATZ Publishing. In addition to writing for Computing Unplugged and Connected Photographer, he's the author of Do-It-Yourself Wedding Photography. A self-taught photographer, James also dabbles in digital graphics and has learned to be a PC and handheld specialist through personal trial and error. James can be reached at jbooth@zatz.com.