GOOD-LIFEITUDE

I've been thinking about my blog a lot lately, reminding myself why I started it, asking myself where I want it to go. More specifically, I've been asking myself exactly what it was that I learned from each of those books about people who were "living the good life," and it occurred to me that although I use that term constantly, I may never have explained to you what it means. How does one know if one is on the path to good-lifeitude? So I sat down and made a list (of course - Becky and her lists!) of commonalities I found in the good-lifers I have read about, and realized that I had ended up with a list of topics that I will want to delve into further on this blog. Here are my top 13:

• Mining your authentic self
• Seasonality
  
• Right-livelihood
• Living your passions, making time for them
• Your soul-mate
• Raising your kids to be their own authentic selves, and the traits they absorb from us
• Being good earth stewards, and the legacy we pass along
• A room of one's own, and time for noodling
• Forms of meditation
• What we eat, and where it comes from
• Health and exercise, why it's necessary
• Getting ones hands in the dirt
• Discovering and nurturing the creativity that is in us all

What does "living the good life" mean to you? Are there any important requirements that I have left off of my list, that perhaps we should talk about as well? I would dearly love your input, and if you would be so kind as to leave a comment, you will be rewarded by being included in this month's "Year of Reading Dangerously" book give-away (and this month's book just happens to be about the poster child for #1 on my list, mining one's authentic self)!

LOOKING BACK, AND AHEAD

I got an email recently from someone I hadn't talked to in ages. She asked me how things were going with my book. Book? What book? Then it came to me with a jolt, "Ah yes, the book!"

You see, when I first started writing my "letters from Wimberley," I thought I could just stick them all together and call them a memoir. So what did happen with that? Well, let's say I learned just enough to discover how much I've yet to learn! Now the question is, if I don't have a book to show for it, how can I justify quitting my job in Houston and moving up here full-time to write?

I allowed myself a few hours of wallowing in guilt, then I decided to make a list of those things that I have accomplished this year - things that would have been impossible if I were still working at Buchanan's - and here it is:

• Joined Story Circle Network, attended their biannual conference in Austin, found a wonderful mentor in Susan Albert, and reviewed some great books for their website.
• Met the Muses - inspiring friends who constantly pull me out of my comfort zone, causing me to expand my horizons.
• Honed my writing skills by starting this blog, and learned so much by reading others - not just about writing, but also about living.
• Joined the board of The Bountiful Sprout, and helped give birth to something amazing.
• Took an art class that helped me overcome my fear of drawing, and an on-line writing class that honed my skills even further.
• Wrote some articles I am quite proud of, had a few published, and even got paid for one, at last!
• Finally got around to landscaping the beds around the main entry to our house.
• Grew a bit of my own food, including some awesome Romano beans.
  
• Learned to balance my days, and to live on half of what I did before.

OK, when I look at it like this, I don't feel so bad. Maybe the year wasn't wasted after all! But now what? Well, I think one of the reasons I am having trouble building up my blog readership is that I still haven't zeroed in on my blog identity, and thus, don't know my target audience. It would be so much easier if I was just a foodie blog, or a gardening blog, or a green blog, or a moving-to-another-country blog. If I were, I could join one of the hundreds of blog co-ops that are forming these days, and we could piggyback off of one another's success. But mine is a blog about living the good life, and that involves some of all those things, so how do I define and reach my target audience? I haven't the foggiest idea, but my goal for this year is to figure it out!

FALLING IN LOVE

Someone is going to be veddy, veddy sad when our grandpuppy Guinness leaves to go home tomorrow!

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment (up to one a day) before Sunday evening, if you wish to be included in this month's give-away.

TAA-DAA!!!

Oh yeah - I just realized, I can finally share photos of the Christmas presents I made this year. So here they are, my super dooper going-to-market/beach/diaper/knitting/workout/whatever tote bags!

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment before Sunday evening (up to one a day), if you wish to be included in this month's "Year of Reading Dangerously" Give-Away!

HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY MOJO?

Between having the kids here, everyone getting sick, going out of town, Christmas, and getting totally obsessed with finishing the last two books in the Twilight series, I seem to have misplaced my journalling/blogging/writing MoJo! Not only have I not been writing much on my own blog, I haven't even been visiting any of my favs lately. Don't worry, I'm sure it's temporary. All I need is to get to a point where I am not blowing my nose and coughing up, well, never mind... I just need a couple of more days to recuperate, finish Breaking Dawn, clear a path through my house, and resume my usual routine, and I'm sure my MoJo will find its way home.

In the meantime, it's time for another GIVE-AWAY! Just leave a comment between now and Sunday evening (up to one a day - improve your odds!) to let me know that you wish to be included. May the Force be with you!