Lists. I love lists. They are so easy. I can jump from one topic to another and not have to worry much about making sense. So, this is my list of the best things that happened to me in 2012. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll make a list of the things I would like to happen in 2013. I don’t want to push it, though.

1.  A new job. I hate to jinx it, but I love my new job. I have only been here for 4 months and I know things can change. But so far, I’m pretty darn happy with it.
2. I succeeded at NaNoWriMo. I wrote over 50K words in 30 days. While the novel itself is not finished, that’s a pretty darn good start. I have vowed to keep up the momentum. So far, I’ve added 5K words since the first of December.
3. I got an iPhone. Why did I fight it for so long? I love it. But when the bill comes, I want to run over it.
4. I finally bought myself an elliptical trainer. I’ve been pricing and comparing brands for several years now. As my reward for NaNo, I bought myself one.
5. I made some new friends through the Knoxville NaNo group. And through this blog.
6. I learned a great way to cook bacon.
7. I decorated for Christmas. I haven’t done that in several years.
8. I revisited my old love – photography.

It seems like a short list. Each item on this list has helped make this a banner year for me. It started out as a dark, bleak place. There seemed to be little in the way of hope for me. I had a miserable job. I know a lot of folks have crappy jobs and they don’t allow that to define them or their lives. But at the time, my job felt all consuming. I probably let it eat at me more than I should have. But there is no looking back. Now, it is time to move forward. And hope that next year I continue to push myself.

There were plenty of bad things that happened. But I think I will not make that list. It’s too much like moving backwards.

Spring Tulips

I include a photo of spring flowers because sometimes, in the depths of winter darkness, we need to remember that spring will come.