A Year in Words

Last week, when I was cleaning out one of the three junk drawers in our kitchen, I found my Christmas letter from 2003. Yes, from ten years ago! I know, do I ever clean my cupboards or drawers! To make this find even better, the darn letter was three pages long! Single-spaced, standard margins, font size 12. Whoa! Has a consecutive series of 365 days in my life ever been that worthy of mention? No, and it wasn’t so ten years ago either. But it was fun to read it over and see what was going on then. Of course, I tucked the letter back into the folder and into the drawer.

This year’s Christmas letter barely made a single page. I don’t know that my life has become less exciting, but maybe I just find less excitement in it.

I won’t reiterate the entire letter here, just the highlights.

My son, my daughter, my husband and myself all continue to be gainfully employed. Nick has a puppy, Val has a live-in boyfriend, Himey has ME.

Val and I returned to Kenya this spring. Me for two weeks and Val for three months. When she came home she started a nonprofit organization, Tumaini Volunteers, Inc. I am supposed to be spending my spare time working on the IRS forms to get tax exempt status but I just haven’t done it.

My second book, “The Christmas Story in 40 Days”, was published in the fall. I admit that I have been disappointed in sales, but the bigger disappointment is how much of a slacker I have been in marketing it. I don’t know how other authors do it; I just am not a salesperson more than an hour or two a week.

The hubby and I went to Lifest in July and to Milwaukee on vacation in September. I ran in a 5K in July. That’s about all that I can think of that happened this year that is worth mentioning. I also have no resolutions for the New Year, in case you were wondering.

Somewhere or other, I saw a thing about having a word for the year. An uplifting or inspiring word, like “Hope” or “Achieve” or “Diet”. (I don’t know if “diet” was one of the examples, but it could be someone’s word.)

I thought about choosing such a word, something to put on my bulletin board, to keep in my head to keep me motivated. I have yet to select a word. Maybe you can suggest one, or at least pick a word for yourself. Let me know.

Have a safe and happy New Year.