Bye, 2016.

When I finished NaBloPoMo in 2015, I intended to take a week off and then resume blogging. Instead, I took that week, then more than 50 other weeks, and here I am. Plenty of times I thought about blogging, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

I don’t even know what stopped me. Was my blogging moment in the sun over? Was I ever really in the sun to begin with? Was I just too uninspired? Busy? Lazy? The answer to all of these, except for whether I was ever really in the sun, is pretty much yes.

In case you’re wondering, here’s a rundown of what’s happened since I last wrote:

December: Holidays. Work.

January: Work. Snow.

February: Work. Snow. Sad.

March: Work. Probably didn’t snow. Still sad. I fear I will never see sunlight or be warm again.

April: Spring break in LA. Not sad! Warmer!

May: 40th birthday! I wore the fancy party dress. I did a ropes course. I felt strong. I went to Nashville with dear friends. I took over as editor in chief at yeah write.

June: Work. Yeah write.

July: Work. Yeah write. I got book edits back from beta readers and an editor. Yikes. Sinus infection.

August: Work. Yeah write. Book edits. Humidity.

September: Work. Yeah write. Book edits. Long Beach Comic Con (yay, LA!!). So much inspiration and zero time.

October: Work. Two new big freelance jobs. Work. Work. The sun is leaving. Work. Sad. Yeah write. So much stuff.

November: Thanksgiving in LA! Sun! Work. Work. Work. Work. Work. Cold. Yeah write. Work. Sad. Cold. Election.

December: Work. Yeah write. Sad. Work. Christmas. Work. Sad. Sinus infection. Work. Freezing to death. Blob-like.

As you can see, there wasn’t much time for storytelling and I wasn’t really in the mood for stories either. I’ve been so busy. At times, I was busier than any person should be. January looks like it could be moderately busy. I’m fine with that. I have big plans and they all take work.

What I think is most funny is that I think what inspired me to finally break my blog silence was that every year, around this time, I feel like I want to start cooking again (I pretty much haven’t cooked all year) and organizing my house, my life, my everything. Usually things start to get away from me in the fall but the fact is that last year I never got stuff back together so all of 2016 felt off. This is the first time I feel like I can get 2017 on track. I can set real goals rather than arbitrary ones with no target dates (I can’t explain that, you’ll have to accept my vagueness with the understanding that it will make sense later).

In some ways, while everyone else was having the worst 2016, I was having the best. So many things became clear. And in other ways it was the worst because clarity is an absolutely frightening thing sometimes when you don’t know what to do with what you now know to be true.

So, here I am. On the edge of a new year. I have some resolutions and goals, like any good overachiever would. You’ll hear about them in time since I’m not ready for the big reveal. And that’s how I know that this path I’m on is the truth: I need to guard it and protect it. I need to cultivate it. I can’t get bogged down talking about it. I have to push through until I’m there and then I can tell you what I did. I won’t feel like I owe you an update or I made you a promise that maybe I didn’t keep. I’m not making myself promises, other than to get up every day and do the work that needs to get done that day so that I can be where I need to be.

I do hope to blog more. I miss it. I don’t know that I have the time for it in any real way, but I’ll try. For now, I’m going to end the year with some work, the grocery store, getting my hair done, and a party with friends. It’s the right way to end it. I’m ready for something new.

 

 

 

4 thoughts on “Bye, 2016.

  1. Marcy

    Love your month by month update and am curious about your big reveal. My blogging slowed way down this year, but I liked how it’s always there for me when I feel like I have something to say. Happy new year!

  2. Shailaja V

    Loved this so much and I loved that you were so open about all the work and the sadness. I hope it’s behind you and you’ll write more. I, for one, would love to read more from you, for sure. Wishing you a happy 2017, Michelle!

  3. Samantha Brinn Merel

    This was totally and completely me. 2016 basically passed me by in a blur of new parenting and I forgot how to blog. I miss it too. I’m trying. I’ve missed your words, and am so glad to read them again.

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