Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Starting the New Year

Well, by the time this post goes live, the new year will be well-started.I will have celebrated, wrapped, baked, dined, sipped, shared, decorated, undecorated (no, probably not), and smiled a whole lot.


So, what does the new year bring for me (besides a few months of very cold weather!)?


In 2015 I will continue the freelance work I've started with WKAR (my former employer) working on activities related to an upcoming PBS mini-series called "Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies." We'll be hosting a screening and panel for this important and fascinating program and I'm looking forward to (and enjoying) all the contacts I will be making and have already made. Then comes another project called "Talking Money." Or "Thinking Money." I'd better figure that one out before I dig in too deeply!

I've finished the first two books of 2015 and hope to top last year's reading list with more titles (although I will have to say -- 2014 had a lot of pages!) Both of these books -- "Lost Cat" and "Parisian Cats" had wonderful illustrations and such charm, it was hard to turn the last page!


Yes, I will be back on the spinning bike at the gym. I find I really enjoy bikes that are anchored to the floor! I am still dealing with some painful tendonitis in my arms -- a reaction to the medication I took when I was sick in December, so we'll take the gym gently. The doc warned me about the potential for tendon rupture. That and the eliptical are my gym friends till it's warm enough again to be outside!


I am signed up for art workshops and more workshops at Southern Exposure in the spring! Yay! So, there will be plenty more posts on that wonderful spot.

 

I'm looking forward to getting a little bit "colorful" and play in paint and glue again!


I'm am eager to try lots of new recipes from my cookbook and recipe collection. (This photo is my friend Jane's collection -- huge and vintage!)


And, look for more posts on the Cork Poppers with our wine tasting recommendations!


I'm planning on clocking in some movie time (especially with the pre-Oscar nominations!) and have already seen and fallen in love with "Into the Woods." But then, it's Sondheim -- not everyone's cup of tea, but more than certainly, mine. Look for a post on that very soon!

This year the basement (or at least the stuff going to charity) will be done. I'm so tired of hating to go down there!

There are art projects to finish and new ones to start, poetry to write, photos to edit, more photos to take. There are places to go and friends to play with, flowers to smell, treats to bake!


I've tried hard to focus on a guiding word for the year. Last year I chose "Now." And, for the most part, I held pretty well to it (except for the dreaded dungeon). This year I have been back and forth between several. Quiet. Balance. Gentle. They've all been in the running.


Or maybe it should be "Time." Finding the time to do it all...


No matter what, Lizzie and I will be around to see what the new year brings. (Right now, she's hoping it will bring her dinner. Soon.)

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those sound like great resolutions. You are on the right track.

Joanne Huffman said...

When I was watching Into the Woods, I knew you would see it and love it like I did. For 2014, I chose the word accept - and I ended up with a lot of things I had to work at accepting. I'm seriously thinking about using the word cavort for 2015.

Jeanie said...

I kind of like balance as a guiding word....but it sounds like you already have that covered with all the plans you have in place for the new year.

Don Scott said...

RE: basement. We're doing the same here in Ohio. Too much stuff that we don't and won't ever need.

RE: word for the year. Try "mindfulness." Awareness of the present without worrying about the past or the future.

Stay warm in MI.

Marilyn Miller said...

Loved catching up with you today. Your Cork Poppers events always seem so special. Your Christmas a delight with family and cookies. Then here reading of your plans for 2015. Look forward to hearing more about the WKAR events. How fun to still have your fingers in a few things there.

Deb said...

You're going to be a busy one, Jeannie. Enjoy the new year and no matter what your 'word' to guide you through is, I'm sure you will enjoy the ride. Give that Lizzie a big hug for me. Deb

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

I think I was on that antibiotic you are referencing w/ the risk of tendon ruptures - not fun. I was so paranoid that I was going to snap my achilles when I was on it! I hope the tendon pain goes away fast.

The freelance work you are going to do sounds very interesting. It is great that you can still work on projects as it seemed like you really enjoyed the actual work you did for WKAR - you just didn't enjoy some of the BS and politics and such that went along with the job!

If I had to pick a work for 2015, I'd pick peace. I just want more quiet days and I need to be more intentional about making those quiet days happen - and not feeling guilty about scheduling quiet alone time!

Happy New Year, friend! I hope it's a great one!!

21 Wits said...

Sounds like a lot of interesting and exciting adventures and creative stuff going on in your world, enjoy!

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Sounds like a great combination of satisfying work for the station, productive projects at home, making art, sipping wine, reading, and so much more. Energy is becoming a key word for me, and it looks like you have that covered with your trips to the gym! Happy 2015.

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

NOW! That sounds like a great mantra for 2015!
I'm so fascinated to hear about your freelance work promoting two shows that are of such great interest and potential help! And good for you for getting back to the gym! I went back for the first time in several months today. I was totally pathetic, but I was there! And had some good company and conversations...so it was good. I hope this will be a very special year for you, Jeanie, with all measure of good health and great adventures!

Anonymous said...

What is this "guiding word" of which you speak? :) The fact that I don't ever choose one might be the reason that I'm always all over the place. Hmmmm. I think, if anything, my word should be "patience." I seem to have very little of it sometimes. I would love to have the patience to teach my grandkids to sew, but I'm afraid there would be a lot of tears involved, mine and theirs.

I'm hoping that I can find enough interesting subjects to write about so I can justify keeping my blog going. I do have a book review planned as soon as I get the book back from my MIL so that I can refresh my memory. Of course, book reviews are a dime a dozen in blog world, but this is one that I had never heard of until I picked it up at Goodwill. Hopefully, I will do it justice.

Looking forward to reading about your adventures, Jeanie!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jeanie, Just found your blog - its great fun and I look forward to reading more. Am new to blogging myself - with help from No.1 Son I have begun my own blog. Very exciting!
The idea of a word for the year is fabulous - something to keep you focused and your projects "relevant". I think mine for 2015 should be "new", for 'new start', 'new projects', 'new adventures' - you get the picture!
Well done - meet you in the blogosphere again soon.

I hope you have a happy & fulfilling 2015

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

I just want my health...and I wish YOU and everyone the best of health to happily follow the dreams of the heart! OH HOW I LOVE THIS CAT! teeeheheee

shoreacres said...

It's amazing how much like Dixie Rose your Lizzie looks in this photo. It's the eyes, of course.

Just reading your post left me exhausted. Too much activity, too many projects for me! But I have my own little clutch of hopes and projects for the new year -- as do we all, I suspect.

I'm not one who choses a word for the year, but I think if I were to do so for this year, I'd choose "Failure." As my favorite computer programmer, Alan Kay, says, "If you're not failing 90% of the time, you're not aiming high enough."

Tracy said...

Hi, Jeanie! Fun to hear about the start of your New Year! And your freelance work sounds so interesting! Kudos to you for returning to the gym. I've been gently reviving my yoga practice after a month (yes, that long...*sigh*). And TJ & I are taking more walks together, Aiming for 3x per week. So far so good! Adding more movement in winter does help the winter doldrums! Will look forward to your creative projects this year. After some serious quilting/sewing time put in last year, more painting will come into the mix. ;o) We've been curious about Into the Woods, but not seen, as it's not here yet. We're going to see Mr. Turner this weekend--can't wait! So happy to see Miss Lizzie--and look forward to seeing more of her too in 2015! ((HUGS))

angie said...

loooove your cat!!! happy new year!!! angie from germany

Sally Wessely said...

I loved this post. I feel vibrant just reading it. You are brimming over with plans and projects. I love that. I have been forming plans in my mind. I need to commit them to paper, not sure I'm bold enough to put them on a blog post, so that I start getting to it. This first week has been a rather unproductive week when it comes to my plans for the year, but I've been busy in others ways, so I'll get out and at 'em soon.

Love that you are doing some part-time work. I think that is a good thing. I won't be going back to the job I had for the last eight weeks of the year. That also is a good thing. I feel freed up.

Looking forward to reading about your 2015!

~*~Patty S said...

You do so much Jeanie!
Thank you for sharing your hopes and dreams...you tell stories so beautifully both in words AND photos.
May all of your wishes and dreams come true.
oxo

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