…nothing but blue skies do I see.
Which is factually correct at the moment–we’re getting a clear day in between rainy periods–but also metaphorically correct, for this blog, for the rest of the year (consider this a pre-New-Year’s-resolution, one that will cease to be effective come January 2, 2011).
What’s the resolution?
No downbeat posts for the rest of the year.
December’s tricky enough at the best of times, thanks to weather, lack of sunlight, expectations that we’ll all be cheery happy buying drinking festive choraling…
I have ten potential post topics on my tiny notepad (some of them pretty old), and another three on my weekly schedule. And it just struck me that most all of them could be viewed as downbeat, or at least partly so.
So…not gonna do any of those posts, this week or next. And maybe, just to celebrate January 1 (hey, it’s our 33rd anniversary, so I have specific reason to celebrate in addition to the artificial calendar one), I’ll rip out the notebook pages and start fresh.
All things considered…
…this has been a pretty good year. Oh sure, I lost my part-time gig and any significant source of earned income. Oh sure, one thing I’ve been waiting for since ALA Annual is still…something I’ve been waiting for. Oh sure, we’ve had little problems.
On the other hand:
- I’ve got my health (and Medicare signup once again demonstrated just how well the government actually does get the internet, which is, frequently very well indeed)–and a pre-Medicare checkup confirmed that things are good.
- The Wednesday hikes keep me in touch with nature, in good walking condition, and in contact with a varying group of interesting folks. I would say “none of whom are library-related” but that’s not quite true: at least one is very active in the local Friends.
- I continue to love Livermore, as does my wife.
- I’ll have a “real publisher” book coming out soon, from ALA Editions; the first time I’ll have a traditionally-published book in eight years
- We may not be wealthy, but we’re not going to starve either, not by a long shot.
- Modify that previous bullet: By the standards of most of the world, we are of course wealthy.
- Friendfeed keeps me engaged in the library field and interacting with a bunch of thoughtful, intelligent, concerned folks, most of them much younger. This is all good.
- …and so on.
Thanks to uncertainties about bookmarking services, I had an enforced two-day writing vacation this week after finishing the first 2011 Cites & Insights. I should probably take two days off after each issue (and after updating the index) every time, but without regular work, it’s easy to want to get back to it right away. Easy and, I think, sometimes wrong.
Now, I’m at the point where I might start on a major essay for February, or might also spend a day or two just reading, watching TV, walking, doing laundry…and, of course, engage in a minor seasonal celebration. I think the essay(s) will be a little more upbeat.
Hoping all is as well as possible with you…
…and yours. We’re past the winter solstice; days are starting to get longer. While the flip of a calendar page from 12/31/10 to 1/1/11 doesn’t automatically mean new opportunities, it does provide a point at which to consider new possibilities and see which old frustrations can be put out of mind.
I’m going to try that. I recommend it to you. And I’ll try to keep the snark and grumpiness at a minimum, even on Friendfeed, for at least nine more days.
