Babette James

Goodbye 2009. Hello 2010.

2009 had its up and downs.

We lost my dog Harry a week before Christmas, almost exactly twelve years since I got him. It’s been two weeks now, I still wake up thinking I need to let him out and it feels weird not feeding him before I have my coffee in the morning and not having him at my heels every moment or greet Jimmy and me at the door all bright-eyed and happy to see us. Harry was sweet, goofy, and sometimes not very bright, but he was a happy dog who loved everyone. He loved snow, hated getting his feet wet in the rain, and always knew when it was time for his meals and treats. I really miss my pal.

Harry 1997-2009

My laptop died in August, really bad timing, and I’ve been operating off a cute little netbook until two weeks ago. I love the netbook’s portability, but my eyes are ever so happy now to have a lovely 17 inch screen.

I pitched Missing Magic and Deeper Than Bone and got some  great requests. I’ve made my first partial submission for one of those requests. Fingers crossed. And I received a receipt of my submission, so I am applying for Pro. We’ll see how things progress in 2010. Meanwhile, I’m typing my brains out.

I’ve been learning to use Office 2007 and Windows 7. That’s been interesting.

I entered the Golden Heart. Fingers crossed.

I have a clean desk and office to kick off the new year. Pookie the cat has taken over Harry’s writing supervision post.

A clean desk for 2010

Goals for 2010? I’ve revamped some of my 2009 To Do List:

• Finish the damn series synopsis and get my full of Missing Magic fixed, polished and submitted asap.
• Finish Deeper Than Bone and submit the full.
• Make my minimum daily wordcount goal, every day. Hey, if I can do Nanowrimo, I can make my measly daily minimum. You hear that, snarky internal editor?
• Banish internal editor to the corner for bad behavior.
• Catch up on my non-fiction to be read pile.
• Spend more time with my husband and my friends.
• Stop dithering, revise and submit Mojave in July short somewhere.
• Banish To Do list anxiety over to the corner with internal editor.
• Drink more water.
• Walk to work on nice days.
• Paint.
• Figure out Facebook and Twitter
• Revamp my MySpace page.
• Work in the garden.
• Keep my clean office and desk clean and organized.
• If I don’t use it, get rid of it.
• Scan photos.
• Finish the damn book(s).

Best wishes to all for a

blessed, happy and successful

New Year!

2010 image: Billy Alexander

First, a smile to start off 2009—

more animals

I thought of making a list of resolutions for 2009, but calling them resolutions made me anxious, so here’s my 2009 To Do List, in no particular order:

• Finish this blog site, sooner rather than later.
• Finish my MySpace page, sooner rather than later.
• Finish the damn synopsis and get my partial of Missing Magic submitted asap.
• Clean out the garage. And the attic. And the office closet.
• Clean my desk.
• Make a decision on some regular blog ideas.
• Stop criticizing regular blog ideas.
• Make my minimum daily wordcount goal, every day. Hey, if I can do Nanowrimo, I can make my measly daily minimum. You hear that, snarky internal editor?
• Banish internal editor to the corner for bad behavior.
• Catch up on my non-fiction to be read pile.
• Catch up on my read-later bookmarks.
• Find a critique group.
• Spend more time with my husband and my friends.
• Stop dithering and submit Mojave in July short somewhere.
• Banish To Do list anxiety over  to the corner with internal editor.
• Drink more water.
• Walk to work on nice days.
• Paint.
• Work in the garden.
• Keep my desk clean.
• If I don’t use it, get rid of it.
• Scan photos.
• Finish the damn book(s).
• Do the other things I need to do. Yes, Mom. I know. I will.

See, I told you I’d get a round tuit.