New Year, Mediocre Outlook

Wednesday, January 06, 2010 by Bethany

I spent much of late last year working. And, as from the last posts here, you can see I am still at it. A LOT. So having a week off at the end of year, I spent time reflecting and promising myself I wouldn't make any resolutions. I slept in, did minimal work work, did some writing for the book I'm currently under contract for, and did a bunch of nothing. Including no blogging whatsoever. Then I wondered.... should I even blog again? Is it worth it? Is it garnering me any benefits?

Undoubtedly, if you corralled 30 bloggers in a room, you'd get any number of answers to these questions. But for me, it forced me to at least think about writing every day. Even if--as you can see--I didn't. And it forced me to spend time writing (when I indeed put my ass in the chair and did it) what I liked to write. Then, with luck, I'd move over and start writing a bit of fiction afterward. So it was a win-win for me. Regardless of hit numbers and what I actually wrote here as far as content and its entertainment value.

Which brings me to the point of this all. I'll still be blogging this year. I can say with great confidence, it likely isn't going to be as regularly as it was in 2006 when I was blogging almost every day. But I will be blogging. And tweeting. And trying to keep up my writing. Even when it is hard and difficult and doesn't jive with my day-job work life. Which right now, unfortunately, is MOST of the time. But I refuse to give up the dream of writing on my own terms. So, I begin again, making the ONLY new year resolution I ever make. And that is, to KEEP WRITING.

Happy New Year All.

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9:48 AM | | 4 comments

Ringing in the New Year

Saturday, December 30, 2006 by Bethany

The forthcoming posts about the new year, resolutions, dreams, goals, regrets are all about the flood the Internet. And I'm either slightly ahead of the game or behind--but I figure why not join in the madness?

I don't really do the whole January 1st resolution thing. Mostly because I hate the frigid coldness of this part of the year and don't particularly find it inspiring creatively or personally (catch me mid to late summer, and well, I am brimming with new ideas). So, I avoid the lack-luster, half-felt promises this time of year and tend to think backward. I look back at the previous year and collect my thoughts of thankfulness, what I have accomplished, and then take stock for warmer weather (get the headlights cleaned for when I do make my new year goals).

So to not wax too poetic on all the year end greatness (or new year beginnings) let me just say, here's all that I have done in 2006, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (in no particular order):

The Good
  • Health, prosperity... all that mumbo jumbo.
  • Finally, finally became comfortable with myself as a mom. Parenting style intact and solidifying. Kid growing into a young kid in front of my eyes. And well, just learning that I can parent half-way decently (if not down right fantastic at times). This even surprises me.
  • Committed myself to my fiction writing. Continued to shop around my novel to agents (can anyone say query, query, query?)
  • Found a lovely agent.
  • Confidence to rework my novel a few times more.
  • Sent my novel to submission. Real. Live. Editors. Looked. At. My. Book. Oh my. Anxious doesn't even describe it.
  • Moved to a new city/state just because. Not because of a move. Or a bigger house. Or... well for any reason but because we wanted to. Family lives much (much closer). Cost of living isn't atrocious. And, well, just wanted to move.
  • Found some time for myself. It's been damn hard to carve out that time, but it is damn worth it.
  • Switched to another job. A more creative one. One that has me doing new things I hadn't done in the 11 years prior of my career. Well, except for the meetings. We always have those.
  • I have a social life. One with nights out with friends. Ones where I can take the afternoon and head out for coffee without the kiddo tied to my leg.
  • My new house. Really. I am at my breakfast bar right now, writing. Sipping coffee. Giving myself a pat on the back. Overall, I'm one lucky gal.
  • Disney World. What a nice break from reality. Everyone should try it for a few days.
  • Confidence. The High School Years. The ones I cowered in the corner blushing something fierce because I had something to say. Or the time when I just couldn't voice my opinion about the latest gossip. Those days are gone. I've learned to stand up for myself all around my life and take a bit of control. I mean, who are we living for if it isn't ourselves? (Sorry, that one got a bit too deep).
  • Blogging. Complete entries all of last year. I waste as much time as the rest of you, don't I?
  • Appreciating Hubby and Kid. Honestly, we've had some financial and personal stresses this year. And you know what? Well, they are THERE for me. And that can erase almost any badness beyond this bullet on the 2006 list.
The Bad
  • Owning two homes right now. No one said that when I make a decision I am patient about it. Two mortgages are proof of that.
  • Likelihood of having to take my house off the market til Spring. Honestly, can the house market be that bad.
  • I'm driving a good 40 minutes each way to work (when before it was a whole 7 minutes door to door). Hey but the new digs? Definitely worth it.
  • Kid's in day care almost full time. Or was. Now I am working with him a few days a week. One might think this is a blessing (the work at home thing)--and when he is sickly, it is. When he isn't, some days I wonder what the hell I got myself into. I wouldn't necessarily call this bad, but it isn't ideal.
  • Weeks of house improvements, cleaning, and painting. Oh and moving itself. I hate the pack, move, and unpack routine. It kills me for months afterward.
  • I'm gonna lose time off from work. Apparently I didn't let myself take enough vacation. And I suppose that in and of itself is a bad thing, ain't it?
  • Kiddo's hospital visit (a first and hopefully last). Though thank God it wasn't life threatening.
  • Too few trips North to see my parents, family, and friends. I've been too pre-occupied or otherwise obligated to take the drive to see everyone.
The Ugly
  • The miscarriage. I really can't say anything more about this. I'll end up in a pile of mush. I mean losing a baby at 13 weeks is bad enough. But losing the baby 2 days AFTER you told your boss, co-workers, friends, and some extended family. Nightmare no matter what way you dice it.
  • That damn weight gain again. It got worse after the miscarriage (didn't lose a pound of what I'd gained). It means I must exercise and I hate exercise. All of it. So unless some miracle way to stay aerobic is invented--one in which I enjoy the act of movement, I may have to give-in to my curves.
That's the 2006 recap. Or at least what was memorable--in more ways than one. The Good does out-weigh The Bad and The Ugly, so I know I'll be in for an even more memorable 2007. Or maybe that is just the optimist in me.

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6:05 PM | | 0 comments