It's Good!

I don't know about you, but that phrase brings to mind a black and white clothed referee with arms raised like a goal post. And as the Packers just clinched a playoff spot, defeating the Bears no less, I thought this was appropriate.

No, this post is not about football. Not really. Though, I will say that I really hope my boys can bring the Lombardi back home where it belongs. I was gifted an Ice Bowl commemorative bottle of wine that I have been saving, waiting to open until their next Superbowl win. I'm still waiting. A girl can have goals, right?

Speaking of goals, I don't really do resolutions. We're a week into the New Year, and as every year for the last thirty-some years, I have neglected to set any sort of resolution. I have set goals, however.

Among the first has to do with my horse, Rowan. I'll share more about him later. I will say that we are making progress with him and I am hopeful.

Another goal I've set, and one I've added recently is to get better. To heal. Just after Christmas, I came down with something. Head and chest congestion, but no fever. Thank God. Literally. Having pneumonia a couple years back, chest congestion makes my chest feel tight, reminiscent of when I had pneumonia. It sucked and I do not want it again. So yeah, new goal is to get better.

Weight loss, you ask? What are you trying to say exactly? Lol, I get you. And yes, weight loss ultimately IS a goal. But the actual goal is to simply be more healthy. More active. Eating better. Or at least being more mindful of how, when, and what I'm eating. I finally found shoes that fit and are comfortable, and hope to get into walking again. I've already, despite my injured shoulder begun lifting weights again. I'm benching, free-weight about eighty pounds. Not too bad for this ol' girl. I've been eating according to the Trim Healthy Mama way for the last several years and have remained about 80% on plan.

Getting old is no joke and it's not for the faint of heart, let me tell you. Menopause is real. And she's a mean old thing. Between that, the various injuries (first one shoulder and surgery, and now the other), my knee, recovery from covid/pneumonia, finding out I was insulin resistant, well lately it's felt like my body has been actively fighting against me. My goal for this year, weight-wise, is that I simply get healthier. I want to move, and do, and live. And I don't want my body to fight me the entire time. Is that too much to ask?

Another goal is to become less cluttered. I want to THOROUGHLY deep clean and get rid of stuff. Partly because we don't need it all and it stresses me out. Partly because I'm hoping to move in the next couple of years and having less will mean less to pack. Yay.

And my final goal for the year? Well it's a two-part goal. The first is to get an agent. One who believes me in and my writing. Who will be my champion and encourager. One I can build a lasting relationship with. I've begun the querying process for Out of the Blue and am hopeful to have good news for you all soon in that regard.

The second part to that goal is to finish a first draft on Written in the Deep, the sequel for OotB. I'm about 60% complete with it now and work on it as often as I can.

So, as I said, I don't do resolutions, just goals. And I'm okay with that. I have peace with that and peace with the goals I've set for myself. And I think that is a good, good thing. How about you? Are you a goal setter? Are you one who makes a resolution? Don't be bashful, leave a comment and tell me about it.

Until next time,

Your Lady of Literature

PS: I'd had a reading goal around the end of November to finish, Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone before the end of the year. I was down to the last few pages, maybe half a dozen left. Between the movie we watched, the fireworks, the countdown, and though I did finish it before I fell asleep, I did not, in fact, get it finished before the start of 2024. But I was close.

So I finished that one, then immediately read A Curse for True Love, and am now nearly finished with Blood of Ancients. What are you reading?