>it’s pre-6:00 a.m. on december 14th, and that means that all those years ago, i had just come into the world. 5:33 a.m., to be exact, i believe. wow. and i’m still here. last night, on birthday eve, i was writing the first draft of some goals for the next full year of my little life, and i found that they came with much greater ease than in years past. i was fairly diligent for several years about actually writing down goals at the end of the year, but for the past few years, since i returned to texas, i have not really paid attention to that practice. it just occurred to me last night, and i decided to begin it again.

i recently applied to a three-year-long program called Community Authors Mentorship Program (CAMP), which is a boot-camp for writers which involves graduate level writing instruction and workshops. just getting the application done was a feat for me. i almost missed the deadline (Nov 15), and on that day, they posted an extended deadline to Dec 12. i almost missed that one too (do i have a fear of rejection?), and then i was told that if my application package was postmarked by Dec 12, it would still be valid. then, i had no excuse. so i went to the post office — one of my least favorite things in the world to do, besides putting gas in my car and making cold calls. so, it’s out there, along with 12 pages of writing samples and my heart. we shall see.

anyway, sharing my writing more is one of my goals for 2006, to try and publish something, however simple or small-time. and i want to take guitar lessons again. and sing in public for someone’s enjoyment. i have decided to place a lot of pressure on my right brain. can you tell?

today is also the birthday of one of my students — the most hard-headed and rebellious one. coincidence? i think not. anyway, his mom had asked permission to cook up tons of Mexican food and bring us all lunch today, but she told me on Monday that she could not do that because he had been punished for throwing away a gold necklace and medallion that his uncle had sent him from California. great. he’s costing me a fabulous lunch! he’s cost me more than that so far this semester, let me tell you.

well, i will go now — i hope you have a fabulous day. i plan to. however humble and low-key it may be.

as Frosty the Snowman would say, “Happy Birthday!”. i mean “Merry Christmas!”.