Fasten Your Seatbelts

So, I've been procrastinating since last I graced these hallowed pages.  I was so behind on everything, so overwhelmed with trying to figure out where to start with all the behindness.  So I did nothing.  And guess what...got further behind.

New Year, New Plan!

So, in the procrastinating for really just over a year now I've had to let a lot of things slide.  With kiddos in and out of the house and job changes and life changes something had to give and this was the thing that was easiest to 'give'.  And I'm finding myself pouring a lot of myself into other passions for a while.  I have a moderately successful Sims blog right now.  If you don't know what Sims is I'm not sure we can be friends.  Or I can explain it to you at request and then you will understand and be part of the magic as well!

Once I had the computer back, which required for them to reset the hard drive completely therefore removing operating system which caused me a few extra days of panic once it was back in my loving arms.  I digress, I was so deep in books that I had read all year that I was having trouble settling in and starting reviews.  Too many books, too much time had passed and I just kept devouring books.  So, I had to make some hard decisions.  I've decided to set this year aside, it wasn't that great anyway, and start fresh.  New year, new blog, new plans, new candles, just lots of new.  Mixed in with the old favorites of course.

Having said that, I feel as though it's only fair to you to also offer a few disclaimers and a few things to bear in mind.  I'm going to be posting book reviews pretty prolifically I hope.  And when it comes to books I'm an anything goes kinda gal.  Mystery, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Action, Amish, Christian, Young Adult, Supernatural.  Pretty much, if it has words and is not a technical manual or how to put something together I'll read it.  That being said there will be lots of different books reviewed here.  Not all will be your cuppa and that's OK.  However, please don't go after me when I choose to review something that you don't care for, wouldn't read or for some other reason find 'inappropriate'.  You may see conflicting genre's reviewed one after the other.  That's OK, I promise!  There will certainly be something for everyone.  Don't see a book you like, that's OK another will be coming.  Offended by books about witches and paranormal?  Don't read the review.  Don't like mysteries?  Don't read the review.  Don't like... you get the idea.

There will be other things too, don't worry.  This blog isn't going to ever be just any one 'thing'.  Just give me time to reconfigure life for a minute.  Give me time to figure out a schedule that will work for me and allow me to encompass most areas of my life.  I realize I can't do it all but I want to find a way to do the things I am really passionate about.  Journey with me.  When I space out and you see nothing for a while?  That's OK.  Something else is taking it's focus on this journey.  I'll always be back.

Happy New Year

I thought long and hard about the 2014 blog I wanted to write.  I've written many times through the years how I feel about the tradition of New Year's Resolutions.  Not a fan, in case you missed any of those.  It's not that I'm against making choices and proactively working toward improving yourself and your life.  I think when you stop working toward moving forward you stop...period.  However, I don't see the point in waiting for a magical turn of the calendar to start working at making those changes.  Birthday resolutions, Valentine's resolutions, Easter resolutions, Halloween resolutions could all carry just as much importance.  The most important thing is to set your goals for something and then make a plan to achieve them.  I feel like the majority of people don't fulfill their resolutions.  I believe the main reason they don't fulfill them is because they are vowed because of the calendar and not because of actual forethought and planning.  (That is the condensed version :S)

But as I thought all this through this year and the fact that I do love New Year's Day.  I really do!  The calendar kept coming back to me.  For years I have kept a planner.  An actual paper planner.  And I write everything down.  Mostly work stuff but the other important things too.  Today we get to open a new book.  A new planner.  Twelve months worth of events and memories to record.  And what we record on those calendars are our stories.  Our memories.  Things that help to shape the person we will become through the year.  The person we will be a year fom now as we begin another journey through the days.  I love calendars.  I love planners.  And today is a blank slate.  Well, ok I've already starting filling mine in with meetings and birthdays and appointments.  But it's a blank page.  Another set of stories to be written in the journey.  For her entire adult life my Grandma kept a diary.  She wrote every day even it was just the weather or who visited or what they did with the animals.  I tried the whole diary thing and kinda epic fail.  I couldn't find a way to be consistent.  I'd do ok for a while and then slack off for months.  And who wants to take the time to 'back track' life just in case someone reads it down the road.  A planner though, a calendar, easy to fill in the important things.

Today, really appreciate that blank slate.  Twelve months of empty days waiting to be filled with life, with living.  There are events to record, memories to be made, and stories to be written over that time.  Today is the day to reflect on who you became in 2013 and anticipate the potential of 2014.  Make it the best collection yet!

What was...and Will Be

2012 was an amazing year full of many ups and downs.  I’ve neglect to write my traditional Thanksgiving blog, lost time to write the hilarious Halloween blog and slept through writing a Christmas blog.  So, I’m going to make the New Year’s Blog happen!

Over the last year I took an amazing promotion with The Day Job (TDJ).  The first 6 weeks were kinda rough, driving about an hour away one way to work but getting to come back home to work after that has been such a blessing.  I don’t regret the decision to take this position one bit.  I also celebrated the first anniversary of The Fizzy Pop Collection this year, which has been more successful than I dreamed considering I took some considerable time off from actively promoting due to TDJ change.  The highlight, at times, is that Munchkin and MooMoo came back to live here.  And Goobie came along in September.    I’ve gathered some amazing memories this year, found new friends, grew a deeper appreciation for the friends I had (and still have!), reconnected with some old friends I hadn’t seen in ages, and started the road to some definite changes professionally and personally. 

I’m looking forward to 2013.  To continue to develop the changes and growth with TDJ and The Fizzy Pop Collection.  To spend more time with the wee ones and my amazing friends and family.  To read more.  To play more.  To blog more.  To love more.  And, and, and….so much more~