Tuesday, January 06, 2015

Big changes in 2015

Happy 2015!


Christmas in 2014 was, for this family, all about starry-eyed kitties climbing trees (Isabel), untying ribbons on packages (both kitties), turning ornaments into soccer balls (Fiona) and a good bit of general mayhem. In the past, we've either plucked Isabel out of the tree or shouted at her when she attempted to climb. This year, we delayed decorating, apart from a few unbreakable ornaments at the bottom, and just let it go. The only thing I wouldn't let the cats do? Chew on the tree. I didn't want them to ingest fake pine needles. Otherwise, I let the kitties have at it and, amazingly, it went very well. Isabel moves very cautiously when she climbs so it looked like wind was blowing through the limbs but the tree stood firm and no ornaments fell; Fiona stuck to playing with the unbreakable ornaments on the lower limbs. They both made us laugh every day.


Sometimes the two kitties even played together.



There were only three of us here, not counting the kitties. I prefer big family gatherings but have to admit that I appreciated the low-key family time. There were no big fancy dinners, no big plates of hors d'ouevres. I asked friends for sugar cookie recipes and got several suggestions, so we chose two of them, prepared both and compared, mostly for the sake of getting into the spirit of Christmas.

New Year's Eve was equally subdued. We started a new tradition, watching O, Brother, Where Art Thou? while neighbors were setting off noisy fireworks. And, I began working on keeping my resolutions before the New Year began, with the thought that I'd already come up with them so I might as well get started.

About those big changes:

I don't feel like I need to list everything I'm planning for 2015, but there are a few things worth mentioning and they're major. I'll update my Review Policy, soon, to reflect my intent for the coming year.

My priority in 2015 is writing fiction. Long before I became active in reading groups and, eventually, blogging about books, I was a writer. I wrote obsessively, was active in a number of writing groups, attended conferences, and was published (a short story, a monthly humor column that I kept up for 3 years, and a number of articles about writing). I've finished several novels. The only time in my life I can recall not writing was during my college years when I was too focused on studying and marrying that good-looking boyfriend of mine. The reason I stopped writing, pre-blog, is not something I want to go into but it has passed and I've been ready to focus on fiction writing for a long time. I just wasn't ready to change my blogging habits. I think it was pretty clear in 2014 that I was struggling with how to fit both into my life. It didn't work. This year, I've committed to writing daily -- even if that only means a single sentence -- and, so far, I've managed to do so.

That leads to what will be changing. Because I've committed to writing daily -- and I have a few other daily resolutions, which I won't go into -- it seems like my days are absolutely crammed. I think that's good in many ways but it does mean I'm going to have to stop blogging regularly. I've got a few books I desire to write about because they were excellent and they just happen to have been sent by publishers; and, I'm going to post my 2014 Reads list, tomorrow. Beyond that, I don't know. I've considered going on an extended hiatus because I haven't really felt compelled to write about books the way I used to and I think I either need to continue not blogging till the urge returns or simply go to weekly or monthly posts about what I've read -- maybe weekly Monday Malarkey and a month in review. Thoughts are welcome.

I'm going to ponder which way to take the blog for a few more days. In the meantime, I'll post my 2014 reads. Just before I went on my Christmas break, I reverted to letting books call to me rather than trying to fit in whatever ARCs were soon to be released. So far, a return to reading the old-fashioned, pre-blog way is totally working for me. I've been in a classics and non-fiction mood and the joy of reading is back. My reading goal for 2015 is lower because I intend to read slower, indulge in longer books and savor them instead of crashing through as many books as possible. Since some of the books I've read were sent by publishers I will definitely write about them soon, if only in "mini" form.

Also, that sidebar is, of course, totally outdated. I finished Eleanor Roosevelt's autobiography weeks ago (it is a fabulous rendering of political history as viewed by a woman I have long admired). I'm not sure whether I'll bother with keeping the sidebar updated. That's another thing to ponder.

The bottom line: blogging is definitely going to be a lesser part of my life in 2015, whether I go back on hiatus or just write occasional updates but I'm still considering how to go about enacting changes.

Best wishes to all for a fabulous year!

©2015 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

27 comments:

  1. I'm so happy for you. It's exciting to know that you're getting back into fiction writing, and I certainly know you will kick all the tail at it. Do what you can/want to with the blog. You rock regardless.

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    1. Thanks so much, Andiloo! I appreciate your support! Love you bunches. :)

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  2. Good for you - letting the blog be there when you want it but not letting it rule your life. Smart!

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    1. Thank you, m'dear. I feel good about it. It's great to know my old buddies think my plan is a good one! Online (((hugs))) for your kind words. :)

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  3. I would like to blog a bit more this year than last year, but I still don't want to pressure myself into it. Other things have to happen, too! I hope you have a great 2015. :)

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    1. I think it's important to do what feels right to you, Kelly. Hopefully, this year you can accomplish what you feel more comfortable with on your blog. Thanks! Hope 2015 is a great year for you, too!

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  4. Just keep posting pictures of your cute kitties here and on Facebook and I'm good. I think it's awesome that you're going to start writing again.

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    1. I can do that! There will always be kitty pics. If I do Monday Malarkey and a monthly update only (which is what I'm leaning toward), I can insert a cat photo in the Malarkey posts. Thanks! I'm rusty at writing but enjoying the practice, at this point. So happy to be writing regularly, again! :)

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  5. Wishing you all the best as you get back to your writing. I think that's fabulous news!

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    1. Thanks, Iliana! I appreciate all the cheering-on I'm getting, here. I hope you have a wonderful year!

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  6. Best of luck with your writing. I hope it takes you where you want to go!

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    1. Thanks, Marie! So far, it's taking me to a happier place and that's definitely what I needed. :)

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  7. Enjoy your daily writing and fiction. I hope that we will still see you blogging occasionally.

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    1. Thanks, Serena! I'm sure I'll still occasionally drop by. I'm not ready to completely cut the ties to blogging. I just don't want it to dominate my life. :)

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    2. That makes total sense!

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  8. I think this is fabulous! Heck, use the blog as a way to update us on your writing every now and then. Doesn't matter how often or when...we'll see the update in the feed reader or on Facebook. Just get back to doing what makes you happy. Regular blogging and book reviews are far, FAR overrated in my opinion. :D

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    1. I may do that, Michele! I've thought about chattering about writing in the past but wasn't quite ready. Now that I'm not reading quite as much because writing is interferring, it makes sense to occasionally chatter about that (if I feel like it). I'll only talk about books a little and when I feel like it. It's long past time for a change and I'm ridiculously happy with my plan for the year. :)

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  9. Good for you my dear!!! :D I'm so glad that you're getting back into writing again!! Life is too short to not do the things that we love and the things that fulfill us. Yes, there are certainly times where life paints a picture that doesn't seem to have room for those things for awhile, but when the space is there, fill it with things you love.

    I say blog when and only when you want to blog. That's the peace I had to make and I feel like it's going to work for me in 2015. My reading mojo is coming back and I feel like my blogging mojo just may be coming back too but I'm not going to jinx it :p Remember that blogging is supposed to be fun...not a chore. When it feels like a chore, step away. When you want to blog, blog. That's what I'm doing at least.

    The kitty photos are SO adorable and I'm glad y'all had a nice holiday even if it was quiet!! Your kitties remind me of Charli when she was coming to visit. There was one day when she was in the apartment and I couldn't find her anywhere and then all of a sudden I saw my Christmas tree move :p This was last Christmas...and there she was in the middle of the tree just hanging out, lol. It became her favorite place to hang out. Whenever I'd let her in she'd go right into the tree. I really miss having a kitty friend around! Darn allergies :(

    HUGS

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    1. Thanks, Chris! I just read your last two posts from my iPad (before I was willing to get out of my nice, warm bed -- I forget how shocking cold can be) after approving your message and noting that you said you've posted. Yay, so glad you're back!

      You're so right about those times that we simply can't fit in the things we most desire -- and so eloquently stated, my dear. I think during 2014 I began to really realize that the empty nest is granting me opportunities I need to grasp. If I could fit in writing when I had little ones running around, I can certainly find a way to do it now that they're away from home. Even though last year kind of sucked in that I was constantly struggling with direction, it certainly helped me figure out where my focus needs to be.

      Anyway, so glad you're getting your reading mojo back, as I am! Sounds like your difficult year helped you to enter 2015 with more confidence, too. Wahoo for that!

      LOL That's so cute about Charli hanging out in the tree! I watched some hilarious videos of cats knocking over trees and you have to appreciate it when they just climb a little, sprawl in the tree and do no damage at all. Isabel was super cautious about climbing, almost doing it in slow motion to make sure she had proper footing. I think we learned that it's okay, at least with Izzy and Fi, to just relax and let them enjoy Christmas as much as we do. As always, I'm sorry you had to let Charli go. I know that sucks. Our eldest is allergic to cats and at one point we had to take a cat back to the Humane Society because Eldest puffed up like a tomato when we brought a kitten home. I don't know if it was the breed (Anatole was Siamese) or the fact that we were living in an apartment at the time, but I figured we'd never be able to have cats and several more years passed before the guys unexpectedly brought a kitten home. So glad that worked out. They do entertain us endlessly.

      I hope 2015 is a fabulous year for you, Chris!! HUGS back at ya!

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  10. Me too on the fiction writing. I agree with Michele's comment. I'm glad we're FB friends as well as blogging buddies.

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    1. I absolutely loved observing your progress on the NaNo novel in November, Susan! I'm glad we're FB friends, too. So exciting about your move! I hope returning to the U.S. goes smoothly for you and that you love your new home!

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  11. First, best of luck with your writing endeavors. Second, I hope we'll see you around the Interwebs somehow...once a month, once a week, however. You'd be missed. I hear ya on blogging, though. I cut back to once a week in December and think I'm going to continue that into the new year. It seems to be working. I know of at least one other blogger who has done the same and is sharing her reads on Instagram. I probably will be doing the same or similar.

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    1. Thanks, Bryan! Yep, we'll see each other around. I still always click through to your blog posts when I catch the links. Sounds like you and I have come to the same conclusion, that blogging should be something that's still a part of our lives but not a dominant one. I like the idea of keeping my foot in the water, so to speak, without getting in over my head. What works varies for everyone but a lot of long-term bloggers are making some major changes, so we're far from alone in paring back. It's nice to be in good company in that regard. Best of everything to you in 2015!

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  12. This makes me excited for you :D I think it's awesome and I'm super glad that I'll be able to keep up with whatever you decide to do with your blog. It's yours, do with it what feels right to YOU. <3

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer! I'm so much happier not feeling obligated to post regularly, I can't even tell you! Glad we'll still be in touch, even if I don't write anything at the blog (but I probably will). :)

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  13. Totally get that extended hiatus thing...like maybe forever. How long can we keep doing this?

    On the other hand, a dear friend of mine just shared this cat concerto video. Perhaps you've seen it, but if not, click. I just loved it!!!

    http://www.catcerto.com/cat_video.htm

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    1. Well, we can do it forever but then we're not really blogging, are we? LOL I've actually decided against an extended hiatus. I'll post, soon. I've just been busy making new habits and helping Husband move to a new office. Some of it's sticking, I think.

      Oh, a cat video! Yes, I will watch that. Thanks!

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