Signs of the Season: Day 18/ Word For the Year Is...
December 18, 2011
One of my last essays for Cloth, Paper, Scissors was about "leaping" to new levels in creativity. I wrote about taking myself in hand and finally acknowledging my new self both creatively and physically.
The artwork that was published with it is not the one above. This was my first concept but I didn't like it as much and did another. I found it in a portfolio and hung it in my cleaned up studio. It's grown on me as I keep looking at that word.
2012 is my time to leap. I wrote one of the last chapters of the novel today. Oh wait, before you get too excited - I "leaped" ahead to the end, as I had a vision as how I wanted it to be. So I leaped ahead and wrote it this morning at Starbucks.
What is your word for next year? Have you thought about it yet?
Quinn McDonald writes about choosing a word for the year instead of a resolution and I think that's a marvelous idea!
In other news,
We had "little Christmas" today.
That is my newly made up concept for the weekend before Christmas get together with my family. We are taking the daring leap to spend Christmas itself with just our immediate family, at The Cottage in Cape Cod.
Gulp.
Leaving my mom - 86 - albeit with 3 of her other daughters to be with her and dine with her along with her other 5 grandkids. Leaving Sister #2, who I think I've nver spent a Christmas without except one or two when we lived in California and Memphis. And leaving my other sisters and their lovely children, who make the holidays for us.
But leaping into a new tradition for my own little family. How many times can we all be under the same roof in the future and how lucky are we that my kids want to be "just us" and not want to be jetting off somewhere to be with their friends?
So we are going, but before we went, we hosted everyone here. No lobster this year, but ham, chicken cutlets, lasagna, antipasto, shrimp cocktail. Old School Christmas. And more importantly, we celebrated Micalangela's 20th birthday. I made a promise to her little bitty newborn self that although she was born 5 days before Christmas, she would have every birthday celebrated and so far, we've managed it for twenty years!! I'll show some pics soons as I get the energy to upload.
This week I don't have to go anywhere or do anything other than:
- Unpack all the gifts bought online
- Wrap all the gifts
- Pack all the gifts to take to the Cape
- Write all the cards I owe y'all
- Oh, and work
But really, after the past few weeks, it'll be a breeze!
Meanwhile, the house is as decorated as it is going to get, the tree is done, and we are ready to walk on the beach Christmas morning, try out Mr. Pom's new car to go off roading on the dunes, and relax.
The big day is almost here and we all have lots to do. But we can make it and Jingle All the Way!