At this time each year, the Stone World editorial department receives the year-end stone import and export statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

When I was in journalism school, I was taught that the editor's column is the most valuable space there is. It is where I get to communicate directly with my readers and, on occasion, to speak from the heart.

At stone industry trade shows such as StonExpo or Coverings, the one event I always make sure I attend (no matter how early it takes place) is the "Fabricator Forum," where industry members gather and present their issues to a panel of industry experts.

Whenever I go to a large-scale trade event, I am always impressed with the advances in stoneworking technology.

Every January, Stone World presents its annual Fabricator Market Forecast, where hundreds of stone fabrication professionals from around the country present their expectations for the coming year as well as their feelings for the long-term.

So I'm sitting at my desk a couple of weeks ago, and it's about an hour past quitting time (when I can actually get some work done).

We've all heard the expression, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing," and now that the Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives, this is more true now than ever.

Earlier this week, I returned home from the annual Marmomacc stone trade fair in Verona, Italy, and as always, the event never failed to impress me.

A decade ago, I traveled to the famed Giallo Veneziano quarry in Brazil -- via helicopter -- and immediately counted it among the most interesting places I visited while doing this job.

A little less than three years ago, I remember sitting down with an long-time fabricator friend of mine from Boston, and he was one of the first to tell me that his business was being seriously affected by the recession.