2013 - The Year Things Really Came Together

When I was in high school then college and then those uncomfortable "who am I, really?" 20s moments, right before I headed out to party it up for New Year's Eve (which usually ended up a disappointment; it took a long while for me to learn that the anticipation of New Year's Eve is the best part of the night), I wrote in my journal of all the things that happened that year as well as what I planned for the coming year.

Now that I'm old, a mom of two and prefer the comfort of my Justice League jammie pants more than the obscenely short skirts, my journal (though not as often) has morphed into this blog. I haven't set a resolution for years except the weak 'gonna jump out of a plane!' (haven't still and never will).

Still, for nostalgia's sake and because I'm still trying to get a grip on the subject matter of this blog, I'm going to do it. Presenting Ann Marjory K's New Years entry.

What I accomplished this year (the short list):

I stepped up and became a writer more than I ever was. A year ago, I finished my first draft of a book I'd been musing one day a week for the past three years. I gave it to my husband to read (for three long months; he's a slow reader) and then added more. Then I decided the tense needed to change and rewrote 75% of it this year. It's really looking great and I get excited when I think about it. It's no longer a muse, for the first time ever, it's my life.

I participated in NaNoWriMo. I cheated, because it wasn't all new words, but still accomplished NaNo giving my first draft a second draft shine with a revision of 75K. I loved waking up to write every day.

I went to my first writing conference. Chicago's writing conference was huge for me. I talked about my book with other writers for the first time. I wrote a summary, two different pitches and synopsis for my book. I got huge chunks of advice on it. Best thing is, I met fellow writers and made new friends and kindred spirits. I even discovered a wonderful spot to go write and take classes. Worth every penny and I can't wait to go back next year.

I got all Twitter on myself. In June, I took my old twitter account, changed it to @annmarjoryk and slowly started looked for fellow writers. I had no idea it was so vast! The contests, the weekly talks and chats, the other writers who support each other in wonderful ways made me want to join this club. I'm close to 900 followers and try to communicate with them frequently.

I kept to a diet that worked and has changed my entire way of eating. The Whole 30 diet was a whim my husband asked me to join him on last January. It was only a month,  surely we could survive. The huge thing missing from my crap-eating style was vegetables, and boy howdy, did I learn to love them. To boot, I dropped three pants sizes because I've kept up a slightly modified version since. We're doing it again for January just to keep things in perspective.

I started running. "Only when chased" used to be my answer when asked if I ran. I used to watch runners jog by and wonder what the hell they were running from. I also chalked up to my double-ACL-replaced knee, that I was never going to run. This year, I ran two 5Ks. I'm no Barry Allen or Wally West, but the feeling of finishing is amazing (especially with my family cheering me on).

I learned to love yoga. Running was pretty cool; yoga was a lot more. I buy into all the spiritual stuff of yoga. It makes my body feel good and me feel good. I'm hooked.

What I want to do in the next year:

• Finish that second draft. 
• Involve my small, but growing list of Critique Partners and Beta Readers. 
• Get regular with this blog.
• Enter some of those Twitter contests with agents out there.
• Run my third and maybe fourth 5K.
• Be able to get inverted.

I hope all of you out there had a wonderful year as well. I look forward to more in 2014.

Happy New Year!