2015 was a strange and pivotal year.

Early this year, I was unemployed, job searching, writing, baking, painting, and cooking. I worked on a chapter book of poems that I self-published on Amazon (Accidental Songs). It was a challenge, and I’ve still got a lot to learn. I hope to do another one soon.

In the spring, I became employed!  So I wrote less, baked and cooked less, had nothing to paint (all rooms were done). I planted tomatoes and a single pepper plant.  All did remarkably well!  Lots of pasta sauce and salsa during the summer!

I still managed to finish NaPoWriMo, then probably averaged about a post a week on my blog.  In retrospect, I delved a lot more into rhyme and meter this year than in the past.  I gained some new followers, some real, some not … ;).  Thanks to all who discovered and followed my blog in 2015.

In the summer, my eldest son got married!  Beautiful wedding. Wonderful time.  Great daughter-in-law!  Then they moved all the way across the country… 😦

Then the rest of the year just flew by…

Things I would like to do as a writer(and not a writer) in 2016:

1. Personally meet more blogging acquaintances.  Something difficult to manage, given the global nature of the medium.  But, we are human, and humans need social interaction.  I’ve never personally met a single blogging-“friend”…
2. Submit more poems for print publication – I’ve tried this, and was sorely disappointed.  But, I believe this is a valid goal for any writer. So I keep trying.
3. Do another chapter book.  I enjoyed the process.  In the future, I would like to try a collaboration with another writer or illustrator.  How has this worked out for anybody?
4. Attend/participate in a writing workshop.  I did this in 2014, and really enjoyed it, but missed the one that was local this year – it wasn’t as well advertised – and I didn’t see the notice until too late.  Anyone have any good/bad experiences with this they would like to share?
5. See more baseball stadiums (I didn’t get to a single new park this year).
6. Walk more, eat less, control my blood sugar better, be more attuned to people – be a better human being.

And that concludes 2015.  I wish you all a safe and happy New Year.

John