Writing Resolutions

Happy 2012, everyone!  I apologize for going MIA the last 2 weeks.  My husband and I traveled North to visit my family for Christmas, then we popped over to Louisiana to see his side of the family to celebrate the New Year.  A lot of family and a lot of traveling make for one tired Mo, so I don't have a post for this week's WoW, but I promise WoW will be back next week.

As a majority of people do in January, I have created a short list of resolutions for the new year with an emphasis on my writing.  Maybe not this year, but one day I want to say that I have started and completed a story that is all my own.  Yepp, you can lump me in with all the other author dreamers because I want to write a novel.

1.  Write for 30 minutes every day.  (not blog related)

2.  Blog at least twice a week.

3.  Learn Latin.  I took one semester in college and I have hauled the textbook around with me since I graduated (that would be through 3 moves), so I should finally put it to use!

4.  Write a handwritten note to someone (family or friend) once a month.  I recently watched the BBC miniseries of Pride and Prejudice (fantastic version), and was reminded of how beautiful the art of letter writing is.  My hope is that I'll enjoy doing this so much that I will end up sending more than one out each month by the time 2013 rolls around.

5.  Read one book a month for pleasure that is not related to school.

There it is.  A short list, but I'd rather not over commit and fall short.  Learning Latin will be a bit rough, but I'm hoping that semester will come flooding back to me once I begin.   (I tried to teach myself French in 2010, and that went nowhere.  If Latin in 2012 goes well, maybe I'll retry French in 2013!) 

Keep me honest, blog readers, and whenever you see me, ask how I'm doing with these.  I'll also write update posts to help keep myself on track.  Bring it on, 2012!

I'll be back later this week to show off my favorite Christmas gifts and gush about my extremely thoughtful husband.

My Beasts & Thank Yous

I consider myself a pretty typical pet owner.  I love my beasts.  I think just about everything they do is adorable and sweet and lovely and brilliant.  Well, except for what the cat does.  He's cute, but seriously lacking in the intelligence department.  I talk about them to my friends like they're my children.    I talk to them like they're licensed therapists.  I woke up this morning as big spoon to my dog and little spoon to my cat.  All pretty typical pet owner habits, I'd say.

Now, I'd like to shamelessly link up to my dearest husband's Youtube page.  What does this have to do with my beasts?  Everything.  Just go. Look. Do it.  Soak in the adorable-ness.  Now.

I have more videos to post to the Youtube page once I get around to it.  The fights take on new venues and obstacles.  Get excited. Do it. Now.

Finally, a big thank you to our good friends for letting us borrow their stylish yellow truck to bring our mound of leaves to the dump.  Shadow really enjoyed the leafbox (similar to a sandbox, but way more awesome).  AAAAND one more finally, thank you to my father who spent part of his Florida vacation raking the leaves in our backyard.  Ask him about his raking system.  He'd love to show you a little trick.

First Kiss Follow-up

Last week I went home for a few days to see my family and attend my cousin's wedding. It was great to see my parents and brothers again, having not seen them since the hectic week of my own wedding.

My father brought up the topic of my blog the second day I was there. I know my mother has been reading this since my first post (Hi, Mom!), but I assumed my father simply skimmed it if he even looked at it at all. I was excited to hear his analysis, but what he had to say only reassured me, once again, that I am my father's daughter.

I was waiting for a comment on improper grammar or language usage, but, instead, he exclaimed, "I did the exact same thing for my first kiss!" Apparently, an inability to think on one's toes when the big moment was upon us is, in fact, a genetic trait. I wonder if I will pass this on to any of my children, and when will it be appropriate to ask them if they did the same thing as their mother and grandfather had. Will it ruin my relationship with them if I stand in wait at the door while they are on their first dates and pounce like a puma that hasn't eaten in weeks when they step foot in the house? I'd be doing it for science!

Geneticists across the globe would thank me for my groundbreaking work!
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You disagree? Really?
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Well, I think they would, loyal readers. I think they would.

Oh, DNA, why do you have such a strange sense of humor?