Another New Year -- Already?!

Over the past year I have checked in here only on occasion, partly because I post weekly at another blog, partly because this year slipped by so quickly, but mostly because I struggled with how I wanted to use this blog or what I wanted to say here. In the coming year I want to show up more regularly -- in my writing in general and here in particular.

For now I am still planning what that content might include, but as a book lover -- an avid reader as well as a writer -- I thought at the very least that I could share the titles of the books I am reading. That's at least one thing I can do to check in here more often.

If you have other thoughts about what you would like to see here, please chime in -- inquiring minds want to know!

Until then, I wish you all a joyous start to the new year and a happy and safe 2011!!

xoxo,
bex

Five Good Things in a Year Full of Bad

After a quiet start to 2010, the past few months have been some of the toughest yet, with one emotional stab after another. There hasn't been a lot of good stuff to happen in this year, which makes the bright spots, when they've blossomed, that much brighter and my gratitude that much deeper for those unexpected but much appreciated bursts of goodness.

So as this year winds down, I have been thinking about the bright spots and thought I'd share the top five things I am grateful for in 2010.

5. FIFA World Cup action. I know it may sound silly, but this exciting tournament is one of my absolute favorite sporting events and it only comes around every four years. I love international play and miss it acutely when it ends.

4. Having an old friend get back in touch after a long absence.

3. Meeting someone new who has become a quick and big part of my life.

2. The RWA National Conference. It was an amazing experience for me from top to bottom - the absolute best yet!

1. One of my nearest and dearest confronting a cancer scare and getting through treatment.

A yucky fact of life is that no matter how bad we might be feeling at any given time, there is always someone out there in the world who has it worse than you. So to all of you who have had a year of bad, I send you my deepest, heartfelt sympathies. I hope you get bursts of goodness to help counterbalance the tough stuff.

xoxo,

bex