2013

Good morning, gentle readers, and happy belated new year!

So far, 2013 has been pretty good for yours truly. I spent a week in lovely Jekyll Island, wandering along the beaches and enjoying the grounds of the Jekyll Island Hotel. I’ve had a birthday, won some cash and am 16,000 words into my next book. Last week, I was in Georgia helping shoot a horror film on a shoe string budget, where I got the opportunity to visit with old friends and make a few new ones. Finally, I started a part-time job on the weekends that I really enjoy.

Altogether, 2013 has gotten off to a grand start for me.

Whether or not this momentum will carry through for the rest of the year? Who can say? I refuse to speculate on the matter.

I’ve got enough gray hairs already without giving myself more, worrying about what could happen down the road.

Personally, ladies and gentlemen, I think the world would be a better place if people quit worrying so much about tomorrow or fretting about yesterday and just tried to live in the moment.

And no, I do not mean that you should stop paying for life insurance if you’ve got kids. Nor do I mean that you should forget the formative horrors of middle school gym.

I am just saying that you should take five or ten minutes to sit somewhere, shut your eyes, and appreciate what you’ve got. A roof over your head. Friends. Family. A job. Food. Hot water. Indoor plumbing. Strawberry Jell-O with fruit inside it. Mango sorbet. Good health.

Normally, I never make New Year’s resolutions. I consider them a tremendous waste of time. However, this year I think I’m going to make an exception. This year I’m making a resolution to be more grateful for the things I have, those things that smooth life’s sharp edges, that lift me up and make me want to be a better person.

So, welcome 2013!

What’s next?