Ring out, ring in.

The end of the year is coming to a close. Last year, as I reflected on the past, I was so glad that I hadn't known how hard it was going to be. I feel the same way this year. I'm trying to be hopeful for the coming year, but the truth is, you just don't know what the future holds.

This year, what I'm hoping for is literary success. I am entering a "First Chapter" contest during the LDS Story Makers conference. I have two stories that I will take and let me just say, I WANT TO WIN SO BAD! Who knows? It's possible.

There will be a grand prize, then first, second and third place prizes. Of course, I want that grand prize, but I would love to make any of those places. I have learned so much this year. Just the fact that I found a new love in writing is huge, but I have written a book, (over and over! lol) Started another, got accepted to a writing course, won the Peach Day's writing contest, and have made lasting friendships with other writers that I cherish. My cup runneth over in this area of my life.

I won't even go into the "Losing weight" area.

I will say that I hope to be healthier and happier in this next year, so that I can meat each and every "growing experience" with stamina and perseverance.

I thought about making the goal to quit swearing but I need at least one sin. I don't want to be translated after all.

So my prayer is that all of us, whoever you are out there, make this year the best you can, rising to the occasion and continually picking yourselves up by the bootstraps. That's what I intend to do. Good luck and Happy New Year!

Insomnia

Insomnia. Sounds like a great title for a book. He he. But it can be a cruel taskmaster too. All my life I was a good sleeper. As a kid, I never woke up for anything. A rock band could be performing in the next room and I wouldn't know it.

As I have aged, I've become like my mother who was a very light sleeper. It used to be so frustrating as a kid, because on Saturday mornings I loved to watch cartoons, and guess where the family room with the TV was. Yep, above mom's room. She could hear a pin drop from miles away. She had radar that the Russian subs would covet.

Now, here I am, in the same boat. In the last three months it has become terrible. I can fall asleep easily, but not stay there unless I take something. I know insomnia goes hand in hand with depression, which we have already decided is a temporary resident in my head. I have started taking Wellbutrin, and am still trying to decide if I like it, but it is helping. I still have insomnia though.

I have taken Melatonin which works to a degree but leaves me feeling twitchy and groggy in the morning. Especially now that I am taking Wellbutrin. I took AdvilPM for a while and I really liked that. I tried AmbienCR but my insurance wont pay for it so once the samples were gone, too bad. The doc did prescribe regular Ambien, but it doesn't work. The doc also gave me another drug which isn't even FOR sleeping. It's some heavy duty antidepressant I've never heard of, and it made me feel terrible and I didn't sleep. Oh, and get this, Wellbutrin causes insomnia! I just can't quit laughing about that! (At least I can still have a sex life!)

I skip taking something every so often to try and clear my system, but I just can't go without sleep day after day. I have made an appointment with a hypnotherapist and am hoping that it will work since nothing else has. You start to get desperate, you know?

I'll let you know what happens, if anything does! Like sleep. The things we do to sleep. Poor Heath. I feel so sad about that. He just wanted to sleep. I SO know that feeling!

Merry Christmas Eve!!

Just a quick note to wish you all a Merry Christmas! We here are wrapping gifts, and getting excited to visit family. We are loving the snow. There is nothing better than a white Christma,s and as far as I know, a HUGE snow storm will hit us on Christmas Day! Yay!

If that does happen, I think we'll stay home. I don't want to drive in that! I think I will like a day of actually staying home with just my little family. In 14 years of marriage, we never have, so I kind of hope the weather is terrible! lol

I love my Neil!

This is it! Tonight is the big night! I get to see Neil Diamond in person for the first time! Ya, it may be cheesy but I have loved Neil since I was a kid.

The only problem is that there is a huge snow storm hitting the Wasatch Front today, but don't worry, that doesn't stop me. I know how to drive in the snow. It's the other crazies I worry about. But I'm careful. I drive slow and leave huge spaces between me and other cars. I wish I had a more rugged "snow" kind of car.

I'll tell you all about it when I get back. Luckily, I have family down there. There's no way I'd drive home!

Line upon line

It continues to surprise me how much I still learn on a day to day basis. Things about my kids, my husband, about being a mother and all the other little things we learn as we go through our day. But lately, in my writing.

The lessons I love are the big ones. It seems we resist certain things, thinking we know best. I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me. I'm a wonderful resister, but when I do that, I think of the saying, "What you resist, persists." So true, so true.

I have been writing my book, "The Guitar" on a daily basis. I am writing it in first person but wanted to add perspective from another character in third person. Most published writers and agents would tell you to pick a perspective as stay there. I resisted. I thought I needed that third person perspective to make my book better. How will people know what is going on otherwise?

So, now I humbly admit, through trial and error, practice and learning, I have deleted those chapters. (I actually moved them to a file where I save deleted sections of books I write) I have found that I can write this book and have it be even better if I do it like a professional. Funny huh? Anyway, I am really excited with the changes I've made and I think it will be even better now.

So, the moral of the story is.....be pliable. Be able to bend, adapt, and try something you are uncomfortable with. Try something new, teach yourself a new trick. It is possible for us old dogs to learn, you know.