Happy 2010!
2009 has been a big year for me, professionally and personally. We bought a house. I got an agent! I did revisions with him and now my book is out with editors. Steve graduated with his MFA, went to Sundance, started teaching, and won a couple of awards. Oh, and I was a bridesmaid and became a pescetarian (who sometimes eats pepperoni pizza).
Last December 31 I chose a word for the coming year: patience. And 2009 certainly tested my patience: waiting to close on our house, waiting for query responses, waiting for my agent’s feedback, waiting for myself to become a less anxious person when things are totally out of my control like that. This year I’m choosing a new word: release. We’ll see how it goes.
Now let’s be honest: what I want most for 2010 is a book deal. But that’s not in my control.
Instead of resolutions for 2010, I’m working on crossing off things on my 30×30 list. Inspired by my friend Rob (who did significantly more adventurous things like skydiving, surfing, and going on 20 dates), I made a list last spring of 30 things to do before my 30th birthday (swiftly approaching on May 3). It was fun to think of things that are challenging but feasible, including some things I’ve been meaning to do for ages. So far I’ve crossed off a few biggies, but there are still lots more to go:
1. Query agents
2. Write another book (at 15K so far)
3. Start a third book (wrote 1 chapter so far)
4. Buy a condo/ house
5. Lose 20 pounds (6 so far)
6. Plan awesome Caribbean vacation with Jenn for July
7. Plan another wine-tasting trip
8. Read 100 books in 2009
9. Re-read Gatsby, Catcher, and To Kill a Mockingbird
10. Make ravioli from scratch
11. Learn to make pretty swirly cupcake frosting (I now possess a mixer and a pastry bag with different tips, but have yet to put them to use)
12. Go to NYC to visit Rob and Meg
13. See a ballet
14. Attend at least 3 concerts (4 so far: Rhett Miller, Snow Patrol/Plain White T’s, Regina Spektor, Amanda Palmer)
15. See all of the Best Picture Oscar nominees
16. Host four-course dinner party
17. Go on embassy house tour
18. Go to Portrait Gallery
19. Go to a new-to-me museum (we toured the Capitol, but I want to hit an Official Museum)
20. Spend a day exploring in Georgetown
21. Host a holiday meal in our house (Alas, I don’t think this will work out—we were supposed to host Steve’s parents’ for Christmas before his dad’s heart attack. Hopefully next year?)
22. Buy grown-up, non-IKEA furniture I really love for new house
23. Eliminate all credit card debt
24. Bake a successful pie
25. Join ALA & register for summer 2010 conference
26. Take a yoga studio class (doing this on Saturday!)
27. Make Valentines
28. Try 10 new restaurants or bars in DC. (We’re total creatures of habit, but so far: H Street Country Club, Sova, Taylor Gourmet)
29. Successfully grow roses. (I planted them in October—we’ll see if they’re still alive come spring)
30. Get a passport.
