Some years it is the unexpected things which make or break the annum. Not this year. In January of 2006 I had three huge questions that would tip this way or that and would determine the year. Would my book pitch be accepted? Would my job go away? Would we have a baby? These are the three things that defined my year and as the final score was Book Yes, Baby Yes, Job No, I am fairly content to accept that ratio of good to bad.
It would be nice to have money again, though. Also it would be very nice to transition to a place where writing was enough of an income source that I could get away with working part time. I will be bending my will to that end in 2007.
You know what I'd like to put ON THE LIST? Holiday planning.
I'm certainly not one to go to an extreme amount of effort, but I do like to do some things that require effort, time, and care. But it seems that all too often (especially this year) that things get pushed back and corrected and easy-ed up because there's just. not. enough. time.
I know that it's a silly thing, but it makes me feel horrible when I have to punt and get a store-bought gift when I had planned for homemade, or get cookies in a tube instead of making my own. There's nothing wrong with what I end up doing, but I feel like a failure. And I'm not having any fun, which is what the holidays should be about
So, I put it ON THE LIST.
::stamps not-so-tiny foot::
I will be bending my will to that end in 2007.
I know this isn't an advice thread, but David, I highly recommend John Scalzi's blog -- he's got some solid advice on making a living doing freelance writing, even if some of what he's writing isn't what you would be writing. He's an SF writer, although he also does dvd and game reviews and a lot of nonfiction.
I have Christmas presents pretty much assembled and wrapped, with the exception of the ONE RELATIVE WHO READS THIS BOARD.
Grrrr. Idea fairy, where are you?
2006: re Bitches, Dec, 16. 2 am.
2007, let me be less stupid.
Ok, peeps. This is kind of the opposite reason for this thread, but I've got a SERIOUS case of the Holiday Bah-Humbugs, and I'm looking for some cheering up. Does anyone have a heartwarming holiday story? Anyone? Bueller?
Yesterday I went to a holiday party where at the end of the night, we all pooled our money and donated a cow, two sheep, 4 months of fresh water, and an emergency toilet through Oxfam Unwrapped.
Well, no. But I'm listening to "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses. That always cheers me up.
Attempt at heartwarmingness:
mr. flea: Who comes at Christmas?
Casper: Santa and his little elves!
mr. flea: What do they bring?
Casper: Um, presents?
mr. flea: For who?
Casper: For the children!
me: There are other things we celebrate about Christmas. Like, the birth of the baby Jesus...
Casper: And some people celebrate a harmonica!! [makes shy face, because she knows something about that is wrong]
mr. flea: I was telling her about Chanukah the other night.
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (the MST3K version preferred) has been good for my holiday humbugs, even if it isn't particularly heartwarming.
