Passion for Poetry will appear on Friday, and the next chapter of the Space Opera will appear on Saturday.
Don’t get all excited now, I’m not talking about having all my Christmas presents wrapped up, it’s time for the monthly AW Blog Chain and this month’s topic is the year end wrap up.
In many ways, the past year has been a real roller coaster ride for me. Sometimes it went slowly, sometimes it went fast; there were ups and downs and many unexpected twists and turns. I’m pretty sure you’d find most of the details uninteresting, but I’d like to share some of the highlights.
January
After 7 long years, the daughter finally finished with higher education. She has a BAH in Art History, a BA in Military History, and an MLS. We raised us one smart kid! Not only did she graduate, she had a job waiting for her as the town archivist, which meant she and the fiancé and their cats moved in with us.
February
The daughter and her fiancé (and their two cats) moved into their own apartment. Okay, this may not be a highlight to anyone else, but trust me, in this family it was a highlight! :-)
March
I started taking myself more seriously as a writer. To this end I instigated Creative Fridays, in a first step to putting myself more out there.
April
In the spirit of it being National Poetry Month, I took (and completed) the PAD challenge – write a poem a day for the month of April. Sort of like NaNo, only with poetry. The big difference is that there’s a chance of publication with this. The five best poems from each day will be included in an anthology – unfortunately, I’m still waiting for the results.
May
Two highlights for this month. First, I started back to school – I’m taking Business Management. So far I’m on track for honours, but then I haven’t taken my bookkeeping exams yet (Level I and Level II). I’ve discovered I actually enjoy Microsoft (Word, Access, PowerPoint, Excel) and my best mark so far has been in MS Project.
The second highlight was I joined a local poetry group – The Cobourg Poetry Workshop. The CPW has a members only meeting once a month in the upstairs of a local pub, and sponsors a poetry reading once a month at a local coffee shop that includes two guest poets and one poet from the group. I’ve been asked to read some of my work in August 2010. :-)
June
I started organizing my blog posts and setting goals. Sometimes I even managed to achieve my goals.
July
The daughter was married on the 4th of July. What else needs to be said?
August
I started my first ever serial to replace Creative Fridays (I was running out of creative stuff to post). I’m actually having a lot of fun with this.
September
Had a poem accepted for publication in a poetic horror anthology. This is to be a themed anthology and the poems are all based on a fictional scenario. Now that the excitement’s died down, all I can say is the publication wheel turns very slowly.
October
Hmmm. I don’t recall anything notable in October, except maybe my awe of everyone’s massive preparations for NaNoWriMo – like character sheets, plot outlines, story boards, maps . . .
November
Well duh, NaNoWriMo of course! But what you don’t know is that I almost didn’t do it this year. My story idea was kind of vague and my available writing time was about half what it was last year. I signed up anyway, prepared to fail. The way it went it kind of reminded me of the PAD challenge, I’d fall behind and then catch up with a burst of words, fall behind, then catch up. No one was more pleased (and surprised) than me when I won the challenge.
Along the way I made some awesome new friends via the internet and I can see a definite improvement in my writing. I’ve also started to take my writing more seriously than I ever have before. It’s not just a dream any more, it’s a goal.
Participants In The Chain
Lost Wanderer
Claire Crossdale
coryleslie
bsolah
DavidZahir
RavenCorinnCarluk
Ralph Pines
shethinkstoomuch
Please read those who went before me
Myself, Lady Cat
As well as those who come after
truelyana
misaditas
collectonian
laharrison
beawhiz
razibahmed
FreshHell
AlissaC
Aimee
Forbidden Snowflake
14 comments:
Dear CR Ward,
Sounds like a very positive year all round in discovering new ways of experience in connecting more with yourself and your writing.
It is wonderful to see others around you blossoming and you share that lovingly here. :)
How is your Business Management course going? (Funningly enough I have a degree in BA Honours in Business Management)
All the best to you in the New Year and keep on shining as you are.
Happy Holidays. :)
Sounds like a pretty good year!
Busy year for you - but obviously, you made it through with flying colors. I'm glad to have "met" you this year. :-)
Excellent wrap-up, and you actually remember what happened each month. :-) I am so envious of your daughter. I would love 7 years in college. Except for the college loans part :P
Sounds like a packed year full of wonderful things! Let's hope next year holds just as many as this year. Glad to know ya :o)
You've had an awesome, amazing, full, complete, wonderful year! Wow!!! I love your list! So full of joy! Kudos on the poetry, the Nano win, the wedding!! Yeah! I hope 2010 is even more spectacular! :)
Thank you, everyone for your kind words!
A brilliant wrap up. A wedding, returning to school and writing. Yours sounds like a ripe full life and I'm nothing but happy for you.
I wish you a happy successful 2010.
Warmest regards,
Simone
What a year! With weeding bells and all. And congrats on NaNo.
I'll have to have a look at your Creative Fridays posts--that sounds like a great idea. I wish I'd known about the PAD challenge in April--or was it just a personal challenge? Aren't challenges great for getting the creative juices flowing!
Congratulations on getting a poem published in an anthology!
Thanks for sharing your year in review!
Thank you both!
Beatrice - the PAD challenge was done through the Writer's Digest Poetic Asides blog - hope you join in the fun next April!
What a fantastic year!
Congratulations on the NaNo win! And PAD sounds like fun.
It is clear that your daughter means a lot to you. YOu had a good year and hopefully you will have a better year in 2010
I see myself in your daughter -- lots and lots of school. I imagine my parents were just as pleased when I finally finished and got a job. :) It sounds like you're on track for a great 2010. Good luck!
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