w00t w00t booyah

Yes, I'm here. I'm also still very very much THERE, if you catch my drift.

As soon as I can get everything from THERE, HERE - I'll start posting here and pushing it THERE.

In the meantime, anyone up for some Advent ideas?

I'm going through last year's entries - I actually thought I could do flash fiction every day. I was seriously deluded.

But. This year? Looks pretty awesome with upcycling ideas for gifts, some links, some music and maybe some flash fic. Who knows.

Name your desires here, please. Will attempt to comply.

With all the yuck and sick, Thanksgiving this year is total fend-for-selfage. That's right - I neither have to show up or put up. I should be unhappy. I'm not.

I remember when this was hard.

Have a four year old. Getting up at the crack of dawn, no matter how late you got to bed - NO PROBLEM.

Boy, will I want that nap this afternoon, though.

More New Years stuff later - first off, lucky bags (this year with added kid!) and back home again.

Hot chocolate wating for me. Oh very yes.

Welcome, 2010. So far, you're very pretty.

I, uh, introduced Xander to bath fizzies. They had wee toys in them - don't judge.

Suffice it to say, he loved the whole idea and would like one every night, please. (Not recommended for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is cost.)

If it fixes the whole dry skin issue? Okay. Good. Now. Find more bath fizzies and this time, it's for the kid!

For me?

I'll own up to it. this is my Yuletide story and I don't hate it. I mention the lack of time I spent on it largely because I would spend MORE time writing, but I like eating, sleeping indoors and so on. *sighs* The time I did get for this was carved out of my life with a sharp knife. VERY sharp. This is my third year, and the comments are just food for my wee soul. I'll be living on this for months. One more time - less than four hours, no rewrites or beta. I ran a spellcheck on it. That's it.

I'd like this cookbook. You know I collect them, right?

My appreciation for Avatar extends largely to the Happy Meal toys, which are awesome, are genderless and we have all of them already. The movie - no idea yet. But I am splendidly happy that something without a franchise walking in the door is doing so well right now. Fuck you Twilight, right in the ear.

Moving on.

Christmas came like a summer storm - it hit, blew out all the lights, entertained us greatly and left as fast as it came. The day after was absolute bliss - I am finding I much prefer just the three of us when we are together - add family and I completely stress out. Best gift for Xander? A needlepoint stocking both my mother and sister worked on, that was originally for my 25+ year old nephew? It had survived a house fire, that's how old that project is. And it has his name on it and everything. STOKED.

Beyond that? He'd love to start opening more presents now, please. But he literally can't decide which toy to take to school for show and tell first. *snickers*

I also have a craving for a roaring campfire and a massage. Maybe the readoption party on the 15th could include a beach party with s'mores?

There's a crockpot roast waiting for me at home - and I am so ready to begin 2010, you have no idea.

I, uh, introduced Xander to bath fizzies. They had wee toys in them - don't judge.

Suffice it to say, he loved the whole idea and would like one every night, please. (Not recommended for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is cost.)

If it fixes the whole dry skin issue? Okay. Good. Now. Find more bath fizzies and this time, it's for the kid!

For me?

I'll own up to it. this is my Yuletide story and I don't hate it. I mention the lack of time I spent on it largely because I would spend MORE time writing, but I like eating, sleeping indoors and so on. *sighs* The time I did get for this was carved out of my life with a sharp knife. VERY sharp. This is my third year, and the comments are just food for my wee soul. I'll be living on this for months. One more time - less than four hours, no rewrites or beta. I ran a spellcheck on it. That's it.

I'd like this cookbook. You know I collect them, right?

My appreciation for Avatar extends largely to the Happy Meal toys, which are awesome, are genderless and we have all of them already. The movie - no idea yet. But I am splendidly happy that something without a franchise walking in the door is doing so well right now. Fuck you Twilight, right in the ear.

Moving on.

Christmas came like a summer storm - it hit, blew out all the lights, entertained us greatly and left as fast as it came. The day after was absolute bliss - I am finding I much prefer just the three of us when we are together - add family and I completely stress out. Best gift for Xander? A needlepoint stocking both my mother and sister worked on, that was originally for my 25+ year old nephew? It had survived a house fire, that's how old that project is. And it has his name on it and everything. STOKED.

Beyond that? He'd love to start opening more presents now, please. But he literally can't decide which toy to take to school for show and tell first. *snickers*

I also have a craving for a roaring campfire and a massage. Maybe the readoption party on the 15th could include a beach party with s'mores?

There's a crockpot roast waiting for me at home - and I am so ready to begin 2010, you have no idea.

"We're closed for the holidays beginning 12/21 until...oh, after the first."

This is me, finding out I don't have childcare - of any kind - the busiest two weeks of my year.

The busiest two weeks of EVERYONE'S year.

"What, didn't you know? It was in the signup paperwork...."

Lady, I did that paperwork in May of 2008. You have no earthly idea of what has had to be tossed out of my memory like so many temp files since then.

SO GLAD I ASKED NOW.

Boy, Fourth of July weekend is going to look like a bargain at this rate.

Compared to 2007, 2008 was a frigging miracle. I'm actually looking forward to revisting the last post of the year - because I'm sure I'm going to be very pleased.

In case you need the reference.

Let's take it one thing at a time, neh?

- I have to leave Mom on the "might leave the building" list for 2008. It does feel less precarious right now than this time last year, though. May just be battle-hardened, though. Hard to tell.

I have to toss this one on the list every year - but I'm pleased to report that not only is she still with us, she's in more stable, happier condition now than when the year began.

It's not perfect - she's got a TON of dietary restrictions, looking at dialysis someday (and someday could be next year, but not today) and she's 83. But more and more I'm finding I'm one of the few people in my age group with a surviving parent...I'll take it. She's also cognitively better, brighter and happier. I'm good.

- I expect changes in the adoption process. We will either be able to see our placement from China, or will be leaving that program for one that will end in a placement. It still may not be next year, though.

HOOBOY. In spades. We didn't have to leave the program, and we received a placement. Xander will be coming home before Q1 is over with...but Sierra will likely not come home until 2010 at the earliest. But we will have our family started - hooray!

- We're going to do whatever we must with the house. Remodel or tear down and start over.

Not a chance. The lending meltdown kind of sealed the deal on this one - even though the urgency is growing. We MUST make repairs to the patio covers, we MUST take down the back house, and we MUST add the bedroom and bathroom before Sierra comes home. Stay tuned. I don't have a clue how this is going to turn out.

- I want to see my friends in their natural habitats. Is this the year a filk convention might make sense?

Nope. I think I made it upstate twice this year, both of them for anime conventions. Ended up working them/auditing them when we did. And I don't think this is going to change much - if Xander doesn't hate airplanes after what we're going to have to do to get him home, I'll be grateful - but travel is really going to be a wait-and-see affair.

- I want to get those 50 books read.

Did better - but actually getting my hands on the 50 books was a challenge in itself. That recap is coming as well.

- I want to make something by knitting that can be put in good service. A sweater, a baby afghan. Something.

I ended up completing my learning project (a ribbed hat), have a good start on the matching scarf...and I completed TWO hats for Hat Attack before bailing due to battle fatigue. Not too shabby for newbie.

- I want to go back to Hawaii.

Nope. Thanks for playing. The universe laughs at you.

- I want more spoons and less forks.

Got them. Got them, a new job and everything good that could have gone with it after the summer from HELL.

Let me recap 2007 for 2008:

- I'd like a title change at work.

Nope. It's good to want. Builds character.

- I want to add at least one more work-related skill.

I think the most useful thing I could add is some trust and confidence that everything is fine, and boredom is a normal result of doing a good job.

And I need something more than surfing the internet to keep me occupied.

Oh dear God. Could the writing have been on the wall in any bigger letters?

The moment they realized I was actually going to be a Mommy - final straw. Trust and confidence, my butt. There was none, and there hadn't been any for YEARS.

I still miss them. Nearly nine years will do that to you - but stable? Can we say gone in sixty seconds or less?

So what can I expect from 2008?

- Xander comes home, and we get him settled into routines of home, daycare and growing up. We don't end up losing our little minds in the process.

- We manage a trip of some kind afterward.

- Mom may very well leave the building - gotta be prepared.

- I continue on with new gig, learning more and staying happy. Adding more skills.

- We find a way to work on the house.

- I put a garden in.

- More work on building financial security. We'll need to, and start getting ready for Sierra.

- Go back to that work that brought Jim and I together - and try to get it put together, update it and perhaps even finish it. (After this year's yuletide, I've got the hutspa to say it's worth the effort.)

- Knit something awesome.

- 50 more books.

2008? Thanks - you were everything I could have hoped for. Leave some awesome behind for 2009 - looks like we may need it.

Compared to 2007, 2008 was a frigging miracle. I'm actually looking forward to revisting the last post of the year - because I'm sure I'm going to be very pleased.

In case you need the reference.

Let's take it one thing at a time, neh?

- I have to leave Mom on the "might leave the building" list for 2008. It does feel less precarious right now than this time last year, though. May just be battle-hardened, though. Hard to tell.

I have to toss this one on the list every year - but I'm pleased to report that not only is she still with us, she's in more stable, happier condition now than when the year began.

It's not perfect - she's got a TON of dietary restrictions, looking at dialysis someday (and someday could be next year, but not today) and she's 83. But more and more I'm finding I'm one of the few people in my age group with a surviving parent...I'll take it. She's also cognitively better, brighter and happier. I'm good.

- I expect changes in the adoption process. We will either be able to see our placement from China, or will be leaving that program for one that will end in a placement. It still may not be next year, though.

HOOBOY. In spades. We didn't have to leave the program, and we received a placement. Xander will be coming home before Q1 is over with...but Sierra will likely not come home until 2010 at the earliest. But we will have our family started - hooray!

- We're going to do whatever we must with the house. Remodel or tear down and start over.

Not a chance. The lending meltdown kind of sealed the deal on this one - even though the urgency is growing. We MUST make repairs to the patio covers, we MUST take down the back house, and we MUST add the bedroom and bathroom before Sierra comes home. Stay tuned. I don't have a clue how this is going to turn out.

- I want to see my friends in their natural habitats. Is this the year a filk convention might make sense?

Nope. I think I made it upstate twice this year, both of them for anime conventions. Ended up working them/auditing them when we did. And I don't think this is going to change much - if Xander doesn't hate airplanes after what we're going to have to do to get him home, I'll be grateful - but travel is really going to be a wait-and-see affair.

- I want to get those 50 books read.

Did better - but actually getting my hands on the 50 books was a challenge in itself. That recap is coming as well.

- I want to make something by knitting that can be put in good service. A sweater, a baby afghan. Something.

I ended up completing my learning project (a ribbed hat), have a good start on the matching scarf...and I completed TWO hats for Hat Attack before bailing due to battle fatigue. Not too shabby for newbie.

- I want to go back to Hawaii.

Nope. Thanks for playing. The universe laughs at you.

- I want more spoons and less forks.

Got them. Got them, a new job and everything good that could have gone with it after the summer from HELL.

Let me recap 2007 for 2008:

- I'd like a title change at work.

Nope. It's good to want. Builds character.

- I want to add at least one more work-related skill.

I think the most useful thing I could add is some trust and confidence that everything is fine, and boredom is a normal result of doing a good job.

And I need something more than surfing the internet to keep me occupied.

Oh dear God. Could the writing have been on the wall in any bigger letters?

The moment they realized I was actually going to be a Mommy - final straw. Trust and confidence, my butt. There was none, and there hadn't been any for YEARS.

I still miss them. Nearly nine years will do that to you - but stable? Can we say gone in sixty seconds or less?

So what can I expect from 2008?

- Xander comes home, and we get him settled into routines of home, daycare and growing up. We don't end up losing our little minds in the process.

- We manage a trip of some kind afterward.

- Mom may very well leave the building - gotta be prepared.

- I continue on with new gig, learning more and staying happy. Adding more skills.

- We find a way to work on the house.

- I put a garden in.

- More work on building financial security. We'll need to, and start getting ready for Sierra.

- Go back to that work that brought Jim and I together - and try to get it put together, update it and perhaps even finish it. (After this year's yuletide, I've got the hutspa to say it's worth the effort.)

- Knit something awesome.

- 50 more books.

2008? Thanks - you were everything I could have hoped for. Leave some awesome behind for 2009 - looks like we may need it.

And it won't be long now. Ghad, as much as I hate to see time pass without making the most of it - 2007 can leave the building and I won't miss it one bit.

Let's take a quick look back at what I expected and see if it's as far off as last years -

- Better financials to show for by this time next year. I'll be able to change banks - I should also make better plans.

Overall, I'd give this about 25% - better, but not so over the top I'm applauding. Still plenty of room for improvement, but overall. Not bad. I *did* get the banks changed - and couldn't be much happier.

- I insist on visiting people this year. A bunch of them in Texas. No, I don't plan on doing conventions. Unless you have planned to do one with your friends, seeing friends at a convention is a sure thing for a very disjointed experience.

Still have not made it out to Texas to see friends. For work, sure. But not to see anyone. This needs work. Still. A bunch more on the East Coast. I can go around the world and not visit Boston. Tell me this is wrong. I'll agree with you. *puts this one back on the board for 2008*

- I suspect the whole becoming a family issue will be made this year. I hope to have a placement - or be very close to it, by this time next year.

We're closer. We're further away. We're so firmly in a holding pattern, I can't say what's going to happen. Except we're committed to becoming a family of more than two. How and when, still not clear. Answer hazy, check back later.

- I also expect I'll lose my mother this year. I'd love to be wrong, but so far - I haven't been. Her status just gets too precarious too quickly. I've had two other elders in my circle go into the hospital for permanent placement into care since I last posted - both expected, both for exceptionally good reasons...and I called it both times. (I really shouldn't know this...but I do and it sucks.)

I am wrong. I hereby love myself. *mwah mwah*

Put I'll put this one back on the list for 2008. I have to. I likely will each year she is still with us.

- I'd like a title change at work.

Nope. It's good to want. Builds character.

- I want to add at least one more work-related skill.

I think the most useful thing I could add is some trust and confidence that everything is fine, and boredom is a normal result of doing a good job.

And I need something more than surfing the internet to keep me occupied.

- I'm going to get the fan fiction site updated, and get new stuff out there. I've paid for a DNS for three years and the webspace to go with it and only use it for images and mp3 downloads. Feh.

Nope - but not entirely. I did the yuletide challenge for the first time this year, and I did add the wireless router. I'm now eyeing some machines for web and file serving uses. Maybe soon. Maybe now.

- I've heard from everyone in Switzerland - they want me to come visit. This has to be given some priority.

God knows, I tried. I will simply have to keep trying. Being in San Francisco over the weekend reminded me so strongly of Zurich, it was uncanny - I haven't been there since 1992. I want to go. I need to go. I have to find a way - to go.

- I also need to go back and get started learning German, and the Japanese too. I like it - and I'm reasonably good at learning it.

Money...and time. Money. And time. All good, but let's be realistic. Money. Time.

Let's do a quick and dirty for this coming year -

- I expect changes in the adoption process. We will either be able to see our placement from China, or will be leaving that program for one that will end in a placement. It still may not be next year, though.

- We're going to do whatever we must with the house. Remodel or tear down and start over.

- I want to see my friends in their natural habitats. Is this the year a filk convention might make sense?

- I want to get those 50 books read.

- I have to leave Mom on the "might leave the building" list for 2008. It does feel less precarious right now than this time last year, though. May just be battle-hardened, though. Hard to tell.

- I want to make something by knitting that can be put in good service. A sweater, a baby afghan. Something.

- I want to go back to Hawaii.

- I want more spoons and less forks.

*claps hands* So be it.

Mmmm. Black-eyed peas, ham hocks and cornbread. With molasses. But I started out the day with homemade miso soup - and added hummus, baba ganoush and flatbread. It's been delightful. The three hour nap I got by accident this afternoon wasn't half bad either.

Made it to Marukai - got my lucky bags and calendar - pictures forthcoming. The non-food bag this year was particularly fine. It included a set of wine glasses, a kick-ass annoying toy to torment the cats with, one of those desktop fountains - I'll post soon. Promise.

However, it's that time again. Yup - time for the annual wrap up and predictions for next year.

You can find last year's post here.

So, how did I do?

-Better fiscal responsibility. Us first - and while it's nice to do nice things? Uh, us first.

I'd have to give this about a 50/50 - better, but still needs work. Haven't slowed down a bit on the nice things aspect, though. Have to accept some of this makes my life easier to live - just watching people struggle when I've got more than my share of good luck just doesn't let me sleep nights very well.

-Have to do something about the back house. Clear it out and take it down or something. It's not aging well.

I've gotten as-built plans drawn up on the house and have begun talks with the contractor about this - to put it lightly, this is going to be as big an investment of funds as having kids. All at once. Yeesh.

-I know where the dance classes are. Find the money and the time and get there. If there was anything I learned this year, was that my eating habits are fine. It's the amount of exercise I'm NOT getting that's keeping me between 160 and 170 (labile as fuck, BTW). Want to get lower? Been there. Wasn't fun. No big hurry to return. 150 was really nice. 140 might look strange. But I've come down from 183 to 165/170 just not sitting in traffic 6 hours a day. Add a bit more activity and things could really get interesting.

This morning, the scale said 138.6. It does look strange - but the payoffs have been more than enough to offset the weird. Exercise also did NOT play any part in it - getting exercise actually slowed the process down (hence, the lack of it that I put into the daily routine). The goal is 135 - which I suspect I'll hit someplace between here and February. Then I might consider the dance classes.

-Need to consider what would happen if my job ended suddenly. It'll be 6 years in March, and while that's nice? My job description is one of the most offshored around. Unless I want to move to India, I'm at risk.

I've had the come-to-Jesus talk with my bosses just this month on this very issue. Suffice it to say, they love me, and I'm mental to think anything else.

-I've got prepaid legal and that provides us wills. Need to get them drawn up and assign an executor. It's all about the stuff, after all. It would be nice to think somebody would want any of this stuff to remember us by, but let's get real. Most of it's only important to me because I remember somebody by it. And when I'm gone? It's junk.

Not much moved on this issue - except that I'm coming to terms with my whole "things" issue. It's an issue with me because, well? My mother has made things an issue since I can remember, after her mother passed and the nightmare that was settling her estate happened. Things are things, after all. Trying to figure out where each and every grain of sand needs to go before I leave this mortal coil - crazy making. HAVE to let go of this.

-I've had the pony. And the cookie. Neither one fixed what was broken. Quit buying or eating and get down to the root of the problem.

Beware of smoke from other fires, folks. And as much as I'd like to say everything is settled and fine? The higher the risk is on the list - the less trust I carry. Even with people who love me dearly - and I've gotten bitchsmacked over it more than once this year. I really like cookies, though. *laughs* But I also like it better when everyone else has cookies.

-Put some time aside to be creative - and have something to show for it.

Missed clean. And that HAS to change. I think this one and the one that follows this one come to together nicely - I am going to put time aside this year and work on the fan fictions I've been working on. I love doing it - frankly, a lot of the resistance I've had to actually doing it comes from the little voice in the back of my head that reminds me that Real People Don't Do This Sort Of Thing.

Fuckitall. Life continues to remind me that I'm not going to be like other people, for a list of reasons. Why keep trying to fit it all back in where it won't go?

That means the Ranma 1/2 stuff. If I get lucky, maybe I'll actually learn how to edit on the computer this year.

-Make sure I'm not selling myself short trying to please other people.

Want to adopt, this is a given. It's telling on my spirit, and see above. Enough already.

---

Okay, so how about this year?

- Better financials to show for by this time next year. I'll be able to change banks - I should also make better plans.

- I insist on visiting people this year. A bunch of them in Texas. No, I don't plan on doing conventions. Unless you have planned to do one with your friends, seeing friends at a convention is a sure thing for a very disjointed experience.

- I suspect the whole becoming a family issue will be made this year. I hope to have a placement - or be very close to it, by this time next year.

- I also expect I'll lose my mother this year. I'd love to be wrong, but so far - I haven't been. Her status just gets too precarious too quickly. I've had two other elders in my circle go into the hospital for permanent placement into care since I last posted - both expected, both for exceptionally good reasons...and I called it both times. (I really shouldn't know this...but I do and it sucks.)

- I'd like a title change at work.

- I want to add at least one more work-related skill.

- I'm going to get the fan fiction site updated, and get new stuff out there. I've paid for a DNS for three years and the webspace to go with it and only use it for images and mp3 downloads. Feh.

- I've heard from everyone in Switzerland - they want me to come visit. This has to be given some priority.

- I also need to go back and get started learning German, and the Japanese too. I like it - and I'm reasonably good at learning it.

That should keep me busy enough.

It has been a lovely holiday, overall. Hope the rest of the year is as peaceful.

Mmmm. Black-eyed peas, ham hocks and cornbread. With molasses. But I started out the day with homemade miso soup - and added hummus, baba ganoush and flatbread. It's been delightful. The three hour nap I got by accident this afternoon wasn't half bad either.

Made it to Marukai - got my lucky bags and calendar - pictures forthcoming. The non-food bag this year was particularly fine. It included a set of wine glasses, a kick-ass annoying toy to torment the cats with, one of those desktop fountains - I'll post soon. Promise.

However, it's that time again. Yup - time for the annual wrap up and predictions for next year.

You can find last year's post here.

So, how did I do?

-Better fiscal responsibility. Us first - and while it's nice to do nice things? Uh, us first.

I'd have to give this about a 50/50 - better, but still needs work. Haven't slowed down a bit on the nice things aspect, though. Have to accept some of this makes my life easier to live - just watching people struggle when I've got more than my share of good luck just doesn't let me sleep nights very well.

-Have to do something about the back house. Clear it out and take it down or something. It's not aging well.

I've gotten as-built plans drawn up on the house and have begun talks with the contractor about this - to put it lightly, this is going to be as big an investment of funds as having kids. All at once. Yeesh.

-I know where the dance classes are. Find the money and the time and get there. If there was anything I learned this year, was that my eating habits are fine. It's the amount of exercise I'm NOT getting that's keeping me between 160 and 170 (labile as fuck, BTW). Want to get lower? Been there. Wasn't fun. No big hurry to return. 150 was really nice. 140 might look strange. But I've come down from 183 to 165/170 just not sitting in traffic 6 hours a day. Add a bit more activity and things could really get interesting.

This morning, the scale said 138.6. It does look strange - but the payoffs have been more than enough to offset the weird. Exercise also did NOT play any part in it - getting exercise actually slowed the process down (hence, the lack of it that I put into the daily routine). The goal is 135 - which I suspect I'll hit someplace between here and February. Then I might consider the dance classes.

-Need to consider what would happen if my job ended suddenly. It'll be 6 years in March, and while that's nice? My job description is one of the most offshored around. Unless I want to move to India, I'm at risk.

I've had the come-to-Jesus talk with my bosses just this month on this very issue. Suffice it to say, they love me, and I'm mental to think anything else.

-I've got prepaid legal and that provides us wills. Need to get them drawn up and assign an executor. It's all about the stuff, after all. It would be nice to think somebody would want any of this stuff to remember us by, but let's get real. Most of it's only important to me because I remember somebody by it. And when I'm gone? It's junk.

Not much moved on this issue - except that I'm coming to terms with my whole "things" issue. It's an issue with me because, well? My mother has made things an issue since I can remember, after her mother passed and the nightmare that was settling her estate happened. Things are things, after all. Trying to figure out where each and every grain of sand needs to go before I leave this mortal coil - crazy making. HAVE to let go of this.

-I've had the pony. And the cookie. Neither one fixed what was broken. Quit buying or eating and get down to the root of the problem.

Beware of smoke from other fires, folks. And as much as I'd like to say everything is settled and fine? The higher the risk is on the list - the less trust I carry. Even with people who love me dearly - and I've gotten bitchsmacked over it more than once this year. I really like cookies, though. *laughs* But I also like it better when everyone else has cookies.

-Put some time aside to be creative - and have something to show for it.

Missed clean. And that HAS to change. I think this one and the one that follows this one come to together nicely - I am going to put time aside this year and work on the fan fictions I've been working on. I love doing it - frankly, a lot of the resistance I've had to actually doing it comes from the little voice in the back of my head that reminds me that Real People Don't Do This Sort Of Thing.

Fuckitall. Life continues to remind me that I'm not going to be like other people, for a list of reasons. Why keep trying to fit it all back in where it won't go?

That means the Ranma 1/2 stuff. If I get lucky, maybe I'll actually learn how to edit on the computer this year.

-Make sure I'm not selling myself short trying to please other people.

Want to adopt, this is a given. It's telling on my spirit, and see above. Enough already.

---

Okay, so how about this year?

- Better financials to show for by this time next year. I'll be able to change banks - I should also make better plans.

- I insist on visiting people this year. A bunch of them in Texas. No, I don't plan on doing conventions. Unless you have planned to do one with your friends, seeing friends at a convention is a sure thing for a very disjointed experience.

- I suspect the whole becoming a family issue will be made this year. I hope to have a placement - or be very close to it, by this time next year.

- I also expect I'll lose my mother this year. I'd love to be wrong, but so far - I haven't been. Her status just gets too precarious too quickly. I've had two other elders in my circle go into the hospital for permanent placement into care since I last posted - both expected, both for exceptionally good reasons...and I called it both times. (I really shouldn't know this...but I do and it sucks.)

- I'd like a title change at work.

- I want to add at least one more work-related skill.

- I'm going to get the fan fiction site updated, and get new stuff out there. I've paid for a DNS for three years and the webspace to go with it and only use it for images and mp3 downloads. Feh.

- I've heard from everyone in Switzerland - they want me to come visit. This has to be given some priority.

- I also need to go back and get started learning German, and the Japanese too. I like it - and I'm reasonably good at learning it.

That should keep me busy enough.

It has been a lovely holiday, overall. Hope the rest of the year is as peaceful.