Last year I did a post about my 2005 reflections and when I reviewed it recently I was surprised by how many things have changed in just one year. I think I'll continue doing a post like this to sum up each year. Hopefully you can relate to both my struggles and growth.
--My second and third books were published. In September, Barbour Publishing released The Experience of Christmas. This was a project that I didn't even have a contract for until 2006 started, so it was a fast turn around. Sales were decent and I've heard from many who used it to enrich their Christmas season. My third book was released in late October. It was done as a work-for-hire, so my name isn't on the cover.
--My first book remained in print. You never know when a book is going to go out of print, so I'm pleased to see that Revell has kept Single Servings: 90 Devotions to Feed Your Soul in print. I haven't been as active as I'd like on my Single Servings blog, but I do have several recent posts over there if you are interested in reading more about the single life from a Christian perspective.
--I failed again in my attempt at NaNoWriMo. Given that I spend most of the day writing or editing, I have very little energy left to write a novel at night time--especially in one month. This is the second year in a row in which I've failed at NaNoWriMo. Doesn't mean I won't try it again in the future though.
--Had 73 articles published. I just barely beat out 2005 (when I had 70 articles published).
--Kept this blog up to date. In the past, I've had a hard time keeping my primary blog up to date. I missed very few days this past year (I usually post five days a week) and I'm hoping for more of the same in 2007. I was thrilled when this blog was chosen as a finalist in one of the categories for the 2006 Weblog Awards.
--Read 22 books. My goal was 24, so I wasn't too far short. I read about 5,500 pages, which is similar to what I read in 2004 and 2005. I'd really like to read a lot more than I do, but deadlines often prevent me from doing so.
--Delved into the arts a little deeper. I read a number of poems, a play, and a couple of classic literature books that I wouldn't normally read. And for the first time ever, I spent some time at Borders last week in their poetry section reading poems by Walt Whitman's and T.S. Eliot.
--Spent some time journaling. I've been using a moleskine to jot down my thoughts--especially when I'm struggling with something. I had plenty of those moments in 2006. And I'm finding my journal to be beneficial for several reasons. Something about writing my struggles down helps me to admit that they are real. Journaling also seems to quiet my brain. Once everything is down on paper, my brain says, "Okay, you can relax now."
--Spent some time thinking about the future. I anticipate big changes in my life in the next year or two and while I'm not over-anxious about the possibilities, it's impossible not to think about them.
