December End of Year Recap and Gratitude

This is going to be a crappy recap of 2021 because I only blogged 9 times this year. I could complain about how we are still in a pandemic 21 months later, but I won't because there are a lot of things to be grateful for. #1 Science and how quickly they came up with a vaccine and booster vaccine.

Unfortunately I didn't know I had Covid when I got the first vaccine and I am extremely grateful that I didn't get really sick and die. I had many cousins and friends who didn't survive, so I know it could have happened to me. #2 I'm grateful for my health.

#3 I'm grateful for my beautiful children that continue to bring me joy. I'm so proud of the adults they are becoming and I can't wait to see what they do in life. However nothing gives me as much joy as seeing them become real friends.

#4 I am extremely grateful to have joined the Central Nebraska Writing Group late last year and starting to write my novel in April. I'm almost finished and I'm submitting it for consideration to a publisher in the next week.

#5 My career and that I have been working continuously for the past 21 months, despite leaving the Chronicle, going to work for Houston Public Media, and then coming back to the Houston Chronicle. I am very fortunate that they accepted me back. 

When I read my blog entry on March 21st, "The Universe is Shouting at Me," it makes me sad because I didn't do anything March-December to improve my health. I didn't exercise or eat better like I planned and the year passed me by. 

In April I talked about feeling like I'm on the cusp of something amazing and I truly believe it's going to be related to my novel. That was the month I seriously started writing it.

Later in the year I did my first 5k, the Rodeo Run and I got my first tattoo, a typewriter key with the number 9 to remind me of my writing and the 9 weeks I had a picc line in my arm. Even the tattoo didn't make me keep exercising! 

Despite all that, I am grateful that I was able to do another virtual 5K run on December 7 for the Houston Humane Society, even though I was so inactive lately. It's time to take my March post seriously and to get back in the saddle of my Peloton and on the streets running. That is my promise on this New Year's Eve. 

This evening I will meditate on what my word or words will be for 2022 and I'm going to work on setting up my day planner for a successful 2022, with exercise and eating right in my daily schedule. 

Happy New Year everyone and concentrate on the beautiful parts of your life. Concentrate on the good things and flip the script on the bad ones!