Month: January 2012

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Joys of Childhood

Maul and Yoda hug it out.

I took my oldest son to Target the other day where he bought his first Star Wars action figures. Yoda, Darth Vader, and Darth Maul. He’s got good taste, this kid.

I thought I remembered how wonderful childhood was. I was wrong. I realized how much I’d forgotten when I witnessed the joy on his face and in everything he’s done since we picked them up. From gazing longingly at the boxes all the way home in the car, to tearing them open at home and playing with all the accessories.

He went to bed terribly late that night because he had to play with them. And I thought he would sleep in because of it, but no, he was up before everyone else in the house, asking me if I’d get up and play Star Wars with him before his sisters woke up.

Of course, I did.

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2012

Four simple resolutions for the new year.

1 – Finish writing three drafts. That includes the current work-in-progress, A PETAL OF CHRYSANTHEMUM, and two more, one an MG boy Asian-themed fantasyesque idea I’ve been kicking around for years. Oh, and have PETAL out on query by April.

2 – Cook something new every month. I don’t have a plan here much beyond closing my eyes, spinning a glove, and slapping a finger down on a random country. And then, via the glories of the internets, I shall find a traditional meal and cook it up. I love to cook, and it’s time I learned how to do it better.

3 – Read two books a month. One or both may be short depending on how hectic my month ends up, but either way, two is the goal. I’m already building a nice backlog for the year.

4 – Finish up some of the cross-cultural tales for the blog that are languishing in draft status. I’m nowhere near exhausting that material, I’ve just been sidetracked by all the novel writing. I’ve written 100k words since August of 2011 across two drafts. That includes 20k into the semi-final draft of the WIP. Time to focus some of that logorrhea back into the blog.

And that’s it. Nothing grand, nothing out of my control, no vague hopes and wishes. Mr. Chuck Wendig, whom I stalk on the twitters (@ChuckWendig) has a great post up today where he speaks eloquently to the point of only focusing on what you can control. Read it. Now.

Okay, 2012. Let’s do this. Before the Mayans kill us all, or something.

What are your plans for yourself this year?