On a personal note, this year I’ve made a long list of resolutions to make 2011 the best year ever:
1) Not overextend myself! I’m planning to write three books this year, and that’s it. No more. No matter how much I want to. I have a couple little side projects planned, but they are deadline free, and I plan to make sure they stay that way.
2) Secure a new YA contract. (Mine will be up in March, so I’m hoping they’ll like what I’ve turned in enough to want more from me… really hoping!)
3) Do more promo. With a two year gap between print releases, I’ve let promo totally fall to the wayside. So much so that even I feel like I’ve fallen off the face of the earth. I definitely want to hit this big time next year with a new website, new newsletter, and some fun giveaways.
4) Have fun with my social networking. So far, it’s felt like a chore (probably because I didn’t follow #1 this year). I want it to be fun and engaging for me as well as my readers. There’s a rumor that Twitter is actually cool. Go figure.
5) Stay healthy. My health has been very up and down every since Baby Boy was born. It’s doing much better now, but I’m really trying to make changes in my life to keep it on an upward trend this year.
6) Spend more time with my family. (Which goes along with #1.) This year is going to be about balance. No more feeling guilty that I should be writing when I’m with the kids and feeling guilty that I should be with the kids when I’m writing! We have resolved to get a nanny for Baby Boy a few days a week, so this should help free up some actual family time.
7) Cook real food. I noticed one week last month that my Big Boy had fast food for dinner every night. Gah! I’m making an effort to cook at least 5 days a week now, buying healthy, organic stuff and actually figuring out what to do with it. I’m not naturally the domesticated type, so this is a bit of a struggle for me. And for my family as they have to eat my experiements. Hmmm… maybe investing in a cookbook would be a good idea…
8) Put some money in savings. I feel like this year we’ve been living paycheck to paycheck (and credit card to credit card when that hasn’t worked), which is not good. Way too stressful. I’m hoping to budget realistically this year and be able to put some money aside for a rainy day, so that next time we have a year like 2010, we’ll have something to fall back on.
How about you guys? What’s topping your resolution list this year? Any great plans for the new year? Or, for the non-planners, any great parties you’re off to tonight?
~Trigger Happy Halliday
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5 comments:
Whenever I make New Years resolutions, the opposite usually ends up happening. Which is why I still haven't lost those 20 lbs and am still single.
So, this New Year I've decided to make my resolution to GAIN weight, and STAY single. Lets see if reverse psychology works this time.
Happy New Year Gemma!
I may try the same exact reverse psychology as Refhater! :)
I advise against the reverse resolutions because I did that one year and it was the first time I met my resolutions. Just saying!
And Gemma, I could be wrong but I want to say you're a vegetarian, right? If that's the case, I can recommend two wonderful cookbooks. Alicia Silverstone's "The Kind Diet" and "Veganomicon The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero. I particularly like "Veganomicon" because it tells you if the recipe is gluten/fat/soy free, if it's normal grocery store friendly (ie can you get the ingredients at any grocery store) and how long the recipe takes to make. Plus the recipes are what I consider "comfort food". So, if you're seriously looking for a cookbook, I can highly recommend it.
Good luck with the resolutions. :)
And Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Wow Gemma~ We have exactly the same resolutions, how weird is that? Okay, maybe not exactly since you're going for a YA contract and I'd prefer a contemporary romance contract but we're close.
Staying healthy, eating better, saving money--which for us means staying out of restaurants because my family is not the fast food type and feeding a family of 5 with expensive tastes (I can't imagine where they get it!) and kids who are way beyond sharing a kids meal is out of our tight budget now.
I also want to keep Sundays strictly for family since that's the only day any of us get to spend time with Twinkle Toes. No work on Sunday...or at least until she and DH leave to drive her back to her other home.
Our New Years Eve was a family movie, homemade carmel corn, a game of Farkle, and 5 bottles of sparkling cider. It was filled with laughter, love, togetherness and lots of New Years kisses. Perfect!
AS USUAL, PLAN TO LOSE 25 POUNDS! LOL
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