On the first day of this year on my old blog, I wrote:
“Here’s hoping it’s a great year for everyone.
So long, 2008 …
…
Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.”
And then I included a picture of heavy door that one might find in prisons or middle schools.
There were definitely bright moments in 2009, but the year was probably the most stressful in recent memory. My wife Sara and I navigated through it as best as we could, and well, we’re still standing. And yet, I look back at pictures of myself from a year ago and see that I’ve aged visibly. I suspect the year was challenging for many of you, as well.
“Challenging” is a good adjective for this entire past decade! My life is considerably different now than December 1999. I had finished my first novel and had begun to revise it. I was at home in Oklahoma for Christmas-New Years, but I lived in Seattle at the time. I soon moved back home and stayed there until 2003, helping my Mom run her gift gallery, Starry Starry Arts. Then I moved to Portland with Sara (then my fiancee). We were married in 2005 and we bought a house in 2007. So, overall, it’s been a good decade. Definitely one of tremendous change.
I think optimism is a worthwhile state of mind, so I hope that 2010 is a better year. I have many goals that I’ll enjoy working toward. This blog will hopefully become a regular chronicle, and it will also be a place where I’ll touch on topics that I hope will be helpful for many people, primarily about writing and editing, but some marketing and business-oriented subjects, as well. And of course I’ll discuss things that make my inner geek happy. :-)
As always, you’re welcome to comment or send me e-mail.
Happy New Year!
