Happy New Year!

Confession: It's still 2010 as I'm writing this, but I'm thinking that writing a post at midnight is not going to happen, so there you go.

Last year I was SO ready for the new year. Not to hate on 2009, but it was kind of a rough year for me and my family. I had a new job (a job I love, but still a transition, you know?), but within weeks of starting it my grandmother and my great uncle (who was really more like a granddad) both died. Then on Christmas Day, the dog I'd had since I was...eleven, I think...died. It was just not my favorite year. I was ready for 2010. Really, really ready.

But 2010 has been good to me. Like I said earlier, I have an awesome job that I love. My family has been healthy overall this year, which I'm so thankful for. And in June, my son was born, which was definitely one of the highlights not just of this year, but of my life. 2010 hurried by, at least for me. I'm not quite sure I'm ready to see it go. See, I'm not good with change. And while the date is kind of a minor change in the grand scheme of things, it's still change.

What I do love about the prospect of 2011 is that it's a new start. It's a chance to make goals. It's a chance to look at life and think of little things you'd like to do differently. My family and I are building a house that we're planning to move into in 2011. My extended family is planning to go to Alaska in 2011, and if you read my post the other day, you know how excited that makes me. I know this year is going to be amazing. And I'm excited to see what God has in store. He's done so many amazing things in my life this year, so I just need to trust Him with this next year too.

In the meantime, I haven't forgotten my promised list of things-that-aren't-resolutions-but-look-suspiciously-like-them. Look for that...probably January 2nd. I have to let all the New Year-ness sink in, you know?

Again, Happy New Year! And for those of you not on East Coast time, Happy New Year whenever the date switches from 2010 to 2011 for you. =)

Stuff Writers Like

You'd think since this post is about writers and I like to consider myself one, I could at least think of a title that didn't have the word "stuff" in it. But nope. I'm still on vacation, and I refuse to think of a more descriptive word for a blog title.

This is probably going to seem random, but I'm so fascinated by the things (there I go with those awesome words again) writers seem to like, almost universally.

They usually like:

Pens

Paper

Computers

Those are obvious. They go along with w-r-i-t-i-n-g. Obvious, yes?

But the strange thing is that most writers I know also have an insane addiction/love for coffee. Black coffee. Flavored coffee. Lattes. Espresso. There are lots of different preferences. But interview ten random writers and I'm almost willing to promise you that 9 out of 10, as a minimum, will love coffee. I'm not talking tolerate. I'm talking love.

I also realized today that writers love Cary Grant. Ever noticed how many times he's referred to in books? I think it's because he's the epitome of a smooth, charismatic male hero. Or maybe just because his characters are so real. I'm not sure, but it's another thing writers love.

Anything else to add to this list? Writers? Readers? What do y'all think?

Summer Plans

Today I booked passage on a ferry to Alaska this summer. Unless you know me personally, which I think all....I don't know, 3 people who occasionally read this blog probably do, you have no idea how excited this makes me. Just in case you're unclear...

I'M PLANNING A TRIP TO ALASKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Off to make a list (I love lists. I know I've mentioned that lately, but really. Love them) of all the things I want to do/see/take pictures of while we're there.

Hurray!

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Blogging on a semi-regular schedule is something I'm hoping to start doing in January. This isn't a resolution, mind you. I don't like resolutions in the official sense of the word, mostly because it seems like they don't last past the third of January. So I kind of laugh at them, to be honest with you, which is probably terrible, but there you go. Anyway, I am planning to make a list of things I'd kind of like to do/pursue this year. But it's more like an idea list. Or an "in-a-perfect-world" list.

More to come on lists later. This was supposed to be a short post. Just to say that I hope you had a wonderful time celebrating Jesus' birth (and the fact that He came here to live as a human on earth so He could die for us), being with your family, opening cool presents, and eating yummy food.

On that note, there are Christmas cookies calling my name. Merry Christmas!

Black Friday

I learned several things about Black Friday shopping. And as I was driving somewhere...don't remember where now...I thought "hey, I should share those with the people (um, if there are any. haha) who read my blog!

And now my brain is too shopping fried to remember. So maybe tomorrow.

Those of you who get up even earlier than I did (4am) to shop? You're crazy. I admire you, but you're crazy. 4 in the morning is crazy enough for me, thanks. =)

Happy napping!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!

I hope everyone enjoyed your day. I hope you are thankful for something. I hope you ate lots of yummy food. =)

And I hope you got lots of rest if you're going to brave the Black Friday world tomorrow...

Neutral Territory

Okay, the title of this post sounds more like I'm talking about some kind of hard core warfare than how to love people more, but hey, that's what you get when you've got a very sleepy blog writer who tried to stop and get coffee this morning only to find out that the coffee shop where she tried to go does not open until 11am on Saturdays. Seriously?

I'm over it, though. Not bitter at all. Although I do think I'm going to go make myself a nice, hot shot or two of espresso when I'm done typing this.

Yesterday our church went on what is becoming sort of an annual camping trip. Now let me clarify before I keep going. I love the people in my church. Really, I do. But you know we could all do a better job loving each other and really getting to know each other. That's part of the reason I love this camping trip. When we're all sitting around a campfire eating dinner and marshmellows and smores...actually, eating anything, I'm not the pastor's wife. That person over there? She's not just the pianist. That man's not just an elder. My hubby is not just the pastor. We're all just people. We can let go of all the labels we've stuck on each other and just get to know each other as people. It's a very casual camping trip. No devotionals or anything like that. Just fellowship.

Do you have people in your life you'd like to get to know better? How can you do that? Are you a camper? (I'd recommend waiting till it's warmer, maybe. Our group about froze to death...those that didn't have heaters. Seriously? Heaters on a camping trip?) Do you like coffeeshops? Do you hit the stores on Black Friday every year? Think of a way you can get people you'd like to know better into "neutral territory." Not the church, not your house (I'm not knocking hospitality, there's just a different dynamic there).

Ideas, anyone?