….Crystal is unable to blog today. She’s fine, no worries, but she’s cleaning up a lovely mess left by the vagaries of weather. So, in honor of her suffering-er I mean situation, I thought I’d post this quiz.

You Are Lightning

Beautiful yet dangerous People will stop and watch you when you appear Even though you’re capable of random violence You are best known for: your power Your dominant state: performing

Main Entry:

res·o·lu·tion

Pronunciation:

\ˌre-zə-ˈlü-shən\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English resolucioun, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French resolucion, from Latin resolution-, resolutio, from resolvere

Date:

14th century

1: the act or process of resolving: as a: the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones b: the act of answering : solving c: the act of determining
I’ve never understood this word.  But if the word means “to determine”, then I’m determined to make it in New York publishing.  But there’s no way to control real life, editor’s likes or agent preferences.  So that’s why it’s easier to say “lose weight” or “write more”.  However, there’s no guarantees in life.  Real life intrudes.  There’s no way to predict what will happen this year.

So, here’s the closest thing I can come to a resolution.  I plan to do my very best to tell good stories that make it worth your time to read.  I plan to do my very best to continue to work at this odd thing called a “writing career.”

And I plan to keep blogging at The Novelty Girls.

So, it’s a plan.  I have a plan.  What’s your plan?

I’m like Nonny. I hate resolutions. Mostly because I too, ususally don’t keep them. I start off strong and then some where along the way…they trickle off to nothing. Mine too also usually center around writing. I have all these lofty goals - I’m going to write this, write that, submit this here, submit that there…well, you get the point. Sometimes, it just doesn’t happen. I have so much going on with family and kid activities, and a husband who works at least three evenings - it’s hard to sit down at the computer and get peace and quiet, especially with a 2-year old underfoot.

You can also include losing weight. Ugh…the dreaded baby fat that has been resting on my thighs and butt since I had baby #3 who is now 2 1/2 years old. Again, one of those where I start off strong, but then the desire for pizza and chocolate sort of overwhelmes me. However, this year I have a little bit more motivation to lose weight since I’m going to be sort of competing with some other people, co-workers, doing a “biggest loser” sort of thing for $$.

So, all that being said….my “goals” for the year are:

#1 - Write every other day. Get 2K on the paper, no matter what it is, every time I sit down to write.

#2 - Submit to an agent.

#3 - Submit to Aphrodesia.

#4 - Write 1 YA

#5 - Write 1 Cozy Mystery

#6 - Compete in the “biggest loser” at work and lose at least 5 pounds a month from January - May.

#7 - Walk 4 times a week.

Crap I think that’s enough. What about you? Share your goals with me. I hope you have a great new year.

I’m not really a resolutions kinda girl. I do better if I set goals. Usually they are pretty vague and therefore easier to fulfill in some way or the other lol! Basically, I write out a to do list for the year. This year’s list is barely begun, but so far I have on it,

finish the sf I’m working on now

write a Christmas/winter novella

promo the stuff already contracted for the year

write a novella I was asked to contribute to an antho

And then, there’s the non-writing stuff. Right now there’s only two things on that list–get into a better/more consistant running schedule and plant a big veggie garden in the spring.  This part of the list will probably end up pretty long by the end of the week.

So how do y’all go about it? Resolutions? Goals? To do lists?

I hate resolutions. Inevitably, I make ones that I can’t possibly keep and then feel guilty when I don’t. It’s not the typical weight loss resolution, either (fibromyalgia + hormonal disorders = near impossible to lose weight). It’s usually writing-related; I expect far too much of myself, and these past two years have taught me that at any time, I can be near crippled by my broken body. With the pain comes the fatigue, and while pain medication helps with one, I don’t have many options for the second due to my high blood pressure.

Anyway! Enough of the depressing stuff!

My goals for this year are pretty simple:

- Finish something. Anything. It’s been way too long.

- Submit it.

- Try to get my career back on track as much as reasonably possible.

Hopefully… that much, I can manage.

This week on The Novelty Girls, we’ll be chatting about New Year’s resolutions.

And, in my effort to avoid any actual work of my own, I’ve brought in an awesome guest to chat about her goals for next year.

Since my nefarious plot has been revealed, I’ll let you get on with our regularly scheduled programming and the fabulous Gena Showalter.

—————-

Every year I make a few New Year resolutions. Hardly ever do I actually see them through, though. I make them and then I forget about them, going about my life as I always do. Maybe that’s because change has always been hard for me. Maybe because I don’t want to put the work in.

This year, I thought I’d do things a little different (and yes, I’m shuddering at the thought of change). I’m going to list my resolutions and post them beside my computer so that I see them everyday. Only time will tell if this makes a difference.

So here they are, my resolutions:

Stop worrying about things I can’t control. (I’m one of those who can make herself sick with worry. I stop eating, throw up, stop sleeping)

Plan a date or two with my significant other, Love Bunny. (aka Romance the hell out of him)

Treadmill (for heart health) at least 5 times a week (I’m already close to this one, so it shouldn’t be too difficult)

Finally make a decision on what design I want and get another tattoo (I can’t help myself. I love them)

Write faster (okay, okay, that’s a joke)

Read new to me authors. I used to read a lot. Lately, I have only been reading authors I love and adore, not trying new things. I still plan to read authors I love and adore, but I also plan to branch out.

So there you have it, my list. What are your New Year resolutions?

The Novelty Girls are a mix of everything, so I could wish you a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Blessed Yule, or just Happy New Year.

Anyway, from all of us at TNG to all of you, Happy Pick-Your-Winter-Holiday!

Relax and enjoy this time while we’re all away partying with family and friends…or test your stress level and decide if you need to ask a friend for an intervention this year!

Your Holiday Stress Level is Moderate

The holidays sometimes stress you out, but mostly because they wear you down. Take it easy! You can have a fun holiday without running yourself ragged.

Tradition!

From my childhood, my favorite tradition was when my mom would pull out the Creche scene.  (I didn’t even know you called it a Nativity Scene until I was in my twenties).  She has a Hummel set, rare, from Germany.  It’s beautiful, precious, and I loved it.

Every Christmas, she and I would unwrap the precious figurines–Mary, kneeling with a halo around her long blonde hair.  Joseph, tall and gentle looking.  The three wisemen, one of them a tall black nobleman with Middle Eastern style clothes.  The shepard with a lamb around his shoulders and a small sheperd boy with a pipe playing.  And of course, the baby Jesus in the manger.  Arranging the pieces was my favorite job every year.

Now, I have my own traditions.  The Christmas village with houses, carriages, a covered bridge and a mirrored pond all grace my mantle.  My children show the same excitement when I unwrap all the pieces to my Creche scene and place them on my entertainment center.  But the best tradition I have now is Christmas Cookie Weekend.

One weekend in December, the house is turned over to drifting flour, bubbling pots and a hot oven as I make holiday treats for everyone.  It was certainly more fun with my best friend, but I would do it no matter what.  My kids love Christmas Cookie Weekend and I can’t imagine not doing it.

I love Traditions.

I don’t exactly “remember” a lot of  holiday traditions when I lived with my parents other than food. My mom always cooks. Always and it is “yummy.”

However, now that I’m older, married, and have my own family, we have established some holiday traditions mostly because my husband had them and wanted to do the same with his kids.

Christmas morning we get up at the butt-crack-ass-of-dawn (can you tell I don’t like mornings - - n-t-way) wake up the kids and open gifts, put gifts together, play with said gifts if applicable, etc. I cook breakfast. Then, around noonish, we head over to his parents house for another round of present opening and then eat dinner. We usually hang out at the hubby’s parents a while before we head over to my parents. Which, ensues another round of gift exchange/opening and more food. Then - no, I’m not finished - we head over to my best friends house and I’m sure you can guess, another round of gift exchange/opening and yes, we probably eat again.

We usually get back home around 8/9ish depending on what day of the week it is and if the hubby has to get up and go to work the next day.

The hubby and I also have a little tradition of our own that’s just between us. After we get the kids in the bed, a little after midnight we get out all the gifts that we’ve hidden around the house and go ahead and put them under the tree so we don’t have to do it in the morning. Then, he and I exchange one gift with each other and open it before we go to bed.

I absolutely LOVE this time of year!

My folks didn’t have a whole lot in the way of family traditions, at least not the way they’re commonly presented. Most of my extended family lived scattered across the country, mostly on the opposite side. Getting everyone together just wasn’t happening, particularly as Mom often had to work Christmas night.

I think the biggest traditions we had weren’t actually on the holiday itself, but surrounding.

For instance, the Olympia, WA, area has lots of events going on around Christmas. There’s the Victorian Country Christmas on the Puyallup Fairgrounds (I’m sad we’re flying in too late for it this year), the Lights at Enchanted Village amusement park, the ZooLights at Point Defiance Zoo, and various other things. Those three are the ones we always did, along with driving around the more affluent areas of town gawking at the pretty light displays.

Oh, and the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad Christmas train is awesome. Though I haven’t done that since I was a little kid. >_>

I’m writing this prior to moving out there, but by the time this is published — I’ll be back in WA State and ready to do a whole bunch of this with my folks. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to this.