Resolutions

I'm not big on ceremony, on waiting for events to line up before I commit to a certain course of action. I've never resolved to start a diet or exercise program on January 1st. When I want or need change in my life, I tend to start it now when it needs doing (albeit sometimes after a respectable procrastination period).

But...argh...I love making lists. So here are my career-related resolutions/goals for 2011:

1. Work smarter.

2. Be more patient.

3. Learn something new every day (which I do already).

4. I've been a very fortunate woman this year, so I'd like to give back more to other writers. Others have helped me and it seems right to perpetuate that. Good writer karma.

5. Write a handful of shorts set in my post-apocalyptic world.

6. Write the best books that I can.


On a personal level:

7. Be more patient (can you tell I struggle with this? :D )

8. Reply to my email more promptly (or when I get around to it).

9. I resolve to not get lost more than once per week. Or, when I do, use the phrase "There's more than one way to get to XYZ".

10. Maintain my current weight/health and improve my overall fitness level.

11. Enjoy life--because it's really pretty sweet.

Happy New Year, folks!

Christmas

I was outside Walgreen's when I saw a man dressed in last decade's jeans and this season's sneakers.

"Got any change for the bus?" he said as I approached. His teeth sparkled gold and yellow.

I artfully dodged him the way one dodges gum on the sidewalk.

"Merry Christmas, bitch," he added.

For whatever reason, this year people seem snarkier than usual. Maybe it's Texas; the weather this winter has been typical--for spring. Maybe it's because the holiday season started so early and we're all weary to the bones of Rudolph and Frosty and the Little Drummer Boy. Or maybe we're just tired of being told that if we love people we have to buy big rather than thoughtful.

It's the most stressful time of the year.

So now that Christmas Day is here--and almost over--I hope you're all feeling the holiday stress dissipate. Merry Christmas, folks.

Inspiration is Everywhere...

...but I almost always find it in these places:

The Big Picture.

Strange Maps.

Dark Roasted Blend.

Where do you go for inspiration?

Santa's List

For all my talk about list-love, there's one list in my life that's woefully empty: my Christmas list. It's basically an empty Post-It flapping around staring covetously at my shopping list.

There's nothing I want for Christmas--at least nothing money can buy. Somehow this makes me feel like a bad daughter.

But if we're talking about things money can't buy, the list looks like this:

- Super powers.

- To catch my cat in a truly LOLcat moment.

- To bake a cake worthy of Cake Wrecks.

- For that one traffic light that always turns red as I approach to stay green.

- For the people I love to be safe and happy.

- For clowns to become extinct. Ditto mimes.

- For my pillow to constantly be cool side up.

- For someone to start publishing Dorothy Koomson's books here in the US.

- For GRRM to deliver a completed manuscript to his publisher.

- I'm not saying spiders have to become extinct, but I'd be okay with never seeing (or feeling) another one again.

What's on your Christmas (or holiday) list that money can't buy?