2008 was a great year for me in many ways. I lived the dream of quitting my day job (and then lived everyone’s nightmare of watching retirement and college savings drop 40 percent in value). I signed contracts for FIVE books (four are in a series). I wrote one whole book from scratch, plus enough bits and pieces of other books to add up to two more. I made some new online friends. Readership of this blog grew jumped.

Some of my other goals were to:
- Stand up straight.
A perennial favorite, for good reason. In high school, I was tall, skinny, and had a deep voice. I have been a slumper forever.
- Walk 10,000 steps every day.
I was pretty good at this. I now walk to the gym, the library, the post office, and the bookstore.
- Be a good parent to Teen and Teen’s BFF (who has a variety of parents).
So far, so good.
- Pray more.
Nothing like taking a leap of faith to help with that.
- Spend more time with my mom.
I went home for three long visits. The first time, I was sure she would be dead before the year was out. Now she seems much more healthy. (If you are on statins, or your parents are, and you have horrible muscle pain – go to the doctor!)

This year I want to write even more and write even better books. And I want to do more reading for pleasure - to even put that, as selfish as it is, on my to-do list.