Happy New Year to all of you that bathe in starlight, surf moonbeams, eat the sun’s rays, paint with clouds, and write with your tears! This world is ours more than you know!

Atreyu: But why is Fantasia dying, then?

G’mork: Because people have begun to lose their hopes and forget their dreams. So the Nothing grows stronger.

I already started my goodbyes to 2016 on November 1st. When you live in a Morbidly Adorable World, nothing is traditional! We have our own ways! I am sorry to see so many telling 2016 to fuck off. If I knew where it lived, I would send it a letter. I believe it no more wanted to take so many loved ones from us than it wanted to leave us with G’mork. Bastian fought The Nothing. We can, too. All of the good and bad, I learned from it all. It comforts me to know that all the amazing people we lost this year are actually being recruited by David Bowie to make a fabulous Starworld somewhere else! One day we’ll all join them!

For now, take everything you can from this year and channel it into creating art, writing, and love! Love Boat Captain, Take the reigns and steer us towards the clear,… here.

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For myself, I’m taking inventory to see where I stand on my goals since November 1st.

Nov. 1 – Nov. 30: Participated in NaNoWriMo – COMPLETED 50040 words!

Read 8 of my 52 book goal. On track!
• Book 1: Lev Grossman’s “Codex”
• Book 2: Alice Hoffman’s “Practical Magic”
• Book 3: Dan Simmons’ “Drood”
• Book 4: Stephen King’s “The Green Mile”
• Book 5: Alice Hoffman’s “The Third Angel”
• Book 6: John Berendt’s “Midnight in the Garden of God and Evil”
• Book 7: Jack Kerouac’s “Dharma Bums”
• Book 8: Ayana Mathis’ “The Twelve Tribes of Hattie”

Completed Oprah & Deepak Chopra’s 21 Day Meditation Challenge “Creating Peace from the Inside Out” (October 31 – November 21)

Paintings:
• “Safety Pin Skelly” 5”x7”
• Five of Cups (#14)
• Ten of Swords (#15)
• Three of Swords (#16)
• Ace of Cups (#17)

Attended first family Thanksgiving in six years. 11/24/2016; Attended Family Christmas 12/24/2016

Finished “Eerie in India” Series – 20 original drawing/paintings. The last will be shipped next week.

REPOST FROM NOVEMBER 1, 2016:
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Goodbye, Old Year. You were loved….

MY YEAR IN REVIEW FROM MID-SEPTEMBER 2015 to OCTOBER 31, 2016
Every year, I consider October 31st my New Year’s Eve and November 1st my New Year’s Day. To me, Halloween and El Dia de Los Muertos are so special and personal that my trail of marigold beacons end and begin here. To act as Witness to this wonderful-and-heartbreaking-and-Bucket-List-achieving year, I took inventory in Jack Canfield-style. (Yes, I know starting in September makes it more than a year, but the events in Sept/Oct of last year set the stage for this year. Since I didn’t document last year, I embrace them in this list.)

While my 2016/2017 year looked full of exciting travel with a dozen writer’s events, seeing a Broadway show, and yes, I took a motherfucking trip-of-a-lifetime to India, I did all of this while nursing a broken heart over the death of loved ones, the death of a relationship, and the difficult decision to put some goals on hold. It was a year of staying busy, contemplating, healing, learning, and building.

As I set my intentions for the upcoming year, I know there will be very little travel or attending events. It has all been carefully crafted this way in an effort to conserve both financial and emotional resources. With that being said it is going to be an amazing year to CREATE!!!!!!!!!!!! All of the energy I absorbed from the Universe, I am now ready to release!
And here it is in no particular order…

LIFE-CHANGING EVENTS
1. Left my manufacturing job to return to art full time (four days ago!)
2. Vowed not to take any more commissions or make sales until Tarot is complete
3. Decided to wait to purchase my dream home
4. Ended 10 year relationship
5. Attended funeral of step-uncle
6. Attended funeral of step-brother
7. Went to India for three weeks

NOT LIFE-CHANGING BUT LOW POINTS
8. Hurt knee before step-brother’s funeral (which left me in pain while I was in India)
9. Sick after returning from India (just exhausted from traveling! Not sick from India!)
10. Had hives for six weeks
11. My car was sideswiped and in the shop for a week
12. Scott Dinsmore of “Live Your Legend” died climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, FRIENDS, FAMILY
13. Met with cousin/coach twice
14. Visited another cousin after several years
15. Visited aunt & uncle after several years
16. Renewed Passport
17. Attended El Dia de Los Muertos Celebration at Cloverdale Cemetery
18. Spent my 40th Birthday at Holi in India
19. Watched a wedding party from balcony in New Delhi (greeted by fireworks on my first night!)
20. Visited the Taj Mahal at Sunset and again at Sunrise *swoon*
21. Visited a Jain Temple in Ranakpur
22. Had a Vegan Birthday Cake in India courtesy of the Muse Juice Tour Group
23. Given a naturally shed antelope horn – Thank you Angi & the Universe
24. Saw a Bollywood Show at the Kingdom of Dreams
25. Took scary Rickshaw tour through tiny streets in Delhi
26. Took boat ride in Udaipur Lake “Venice of the West”
27. Played “Sari, Cow, Rickshaw” in India (like Slugbug but we made an Indian version)
28. Had a cooking lesson with an Indian Family
29. Stayed at Manvar Camp in heart of the Great Indian Thar Desert
30. Cried as I met elephants and camels only renewing my conviction to love, not ride, animals
31. Bought a Sari in India
32. Visited Forts and Palaces of India
33. Watched an Indian Puppet Show
34. Visited Vrindavan where Krishna spent childhood
35. Saw “The Color Purple” on Broadway in NYC
36. Walked through Times Square
37. Ate at Veg Life in NYC
38. Tried BBQ 4 Life Vegan Menu
39. Spent/survived (LOL) week over the summer with my niece, brother, and SIL
40. Moment of Zen with Selene the Sloth
41. Started documenting Family Tree
42. Drove Mini-SUV while my car was in the shop (not something I’d buy, but it sure was luxurious!)
43. Treated myself to see Crimson Tide in the movie theater! (May not seem like a big deal, but I rarely go to theaters!)

HEALTH, PERSONAL GROWTH, CLASSES
44. Read 16 Books during breaks and lunches at work. Not a large number, but it’s a start!
45. Attended all five workshops through the Idaho Writer’s Guild for the 2016 Series
46. #1: Michael Brent Collings -“Finding Laughter in Horror, Horror in Laughter, and Thrills a plenty”
47. #2: Eilis Flynn – “Stirring the Plot: Make your Story Work, No Matter the Genre”
48. #3: Elaine Ambrose “Write Funny Now” & AK Turner “Sharpening Pencils and Wit”
49. #4: Amy Allgeyer & Kate Kae Myers “Children’s Literature: Writing, Revising, and Submitting for the Middle-Grade and Young-Adult Markets”
50. #5: All Day Workshop with Robert Dugoni – “Advanced Fiction Writing – How to Write a Bestseller”
51. Attended Cabin Workshop with Elisabeth Sharp McKetta for “Submitting for Publication”
52. Attended Idaho Writer’s Guild Workshop with Elisabeth Sharp McKetta for “Setting as Character”
53. Attended Start-Up Grind Event with Illustrator Steve Moore
54. Flew to Napa Valley for Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Writing, Truth, and Community” Seminar
55. Drove to Bend, OR for the Deschutes Public Library Author! Author! Series with Elizabeth Gilbert
56. Met Elizabeth Gilbert as she listened in on my experience with my Praying Mantis Prophet
57. Took six week “Memoir Workshop” with Stacie Rice
58. Attended all day event – “TedxBoise Talks: Reframing Radical” at Egyptian Theater
59. Attended five “Live Your Legend” meetings
60. Invested in therapy after break-up of 10 year relationship
61. Participated in five week “Awakening Prosperity” Seminar with Jack Canfield and Dawa Tarchin Phillips
62. Completed two rounds of Oprah & Deepak Chopra’s “21 Day Meditation Challenge”
63. Tried Matcha Tea
64. Had my first full body massage in Napa Valley
65. Worked through “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield
66. Did online “10 Day Transformation” by Jack Canfield
67. First year I attempted National November Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) – I wrote approx. 15,000 words while working 50+ hours a week, grieving a break-up, traveling to two Writer’s Workshops, and having family in town over Thanksgiving. Respectable first attempt!
68. Posted about India Trip in Morbidly Adorable Travelers Group on Facebook
69. Made Lifetime Goal List
70. Got a library card! This is so exciting!!!!!!!!! Unlimited resources!
71. Took advantage of free Wellness Visits through health insurance
72. Quit my full-time manufacturing job (a few days ago!)

ART, WRITING, BUSINESS
73. Finished Tarot Painting – 9 of Wands
74. Initiated Registration of Morbidly Adorable Trademark
75. Registered alternative website domains for MorbidlyAdorable.com

76. Started New Website with Divi
77. Inaugural post of “Girl with the Octopus Heart” Blog
78. Wrote “Child-Size Chopsticks”
79. Wrote “Here’s Not Here”
80. Submitted story to Creative Nonfiction – “Child-Size Chopsticks” (magazine decided not to publish the book, but I’m glad I submitted anyway)
81. Submitted to online publication Kaleidoscope – “Child-Size Chopsticks” (Accepted my publication then declined it. This was an exercise in WTF?!)
82. Submitted to Chicken Soup for the Soul – “Tiny Prophet” (still awaiting response)
83. Created three fashion worlds for Triune
84. Created Vegan Travel List
85. Spoke with Starshine Arts after four years
86. Created New Business Cards through Oubly

FINANCES
87. Maintained 50+ hours at work each week to pay off the following responsibilities:
88. Paid off Car
89. Paid off Debt
90. Paid off Trip to India
91. Exceeded 800+ Credit Score (I know it’s tacky to talk finances, but this is badass!)
92. Approved for a home loan (thrilling even though I decided to push back buying a house)
93. Saved enough for a Ramen Budget and a Library Card while I go back to painting full-time
94. Donated to ASPCA for 6 months (would love to and will do more in the future!)

MY GOALS FOR NOVEMBER 1, 2016 TO OCTOBER 31, 2017
Achieve 50,000 words for NaNoRiMo (starts tomorrow!)
Paint 52 Tarot Paintings
Read 52 Books
Meditative Ritual every day
Complete the Benson Family Tree