Ground

Hello and welcome to the first Saturday of the second month of 2022 here at the Wannaskan Almanac. Today is February 5th.

It's February, folks! How are those New Year's resolutions holding up?

I love New Year's resolutions. New beginnings, new possibilities, and, of course, new adventures. It's like the universe hands over a big red reset button. One simple click and you're on your way to renewal and rejuvenation.

Last year, I wrote a blog post about centering my intentions on the word "sky."  Keeping my head up and looking around, I visualized being open to the world’s possibilities.

While I hesitate to say it too loudly (out of respect for those who may have had a horrible year), 2021, for me, had some pretty good outcomes. After eighteen years of riding two ponies like an acrobat in a circus act - the stay-at-home mom horse and the working house – with the youngest off to Kindergarten, I was finally in a position to settle into the saddle of one horse during the day (while kids were at school) and one horse at night (the family front with all its needs.) In doing so, three things happened: I worked to become a certified book coach, I organized my first-ever premium writing retreat in Warroad, and my Red Shoes writing business grew.

I used to fear I was lazy, but after my Year of Sky, I know I am not. Even without the Year of Sky successes, if I can show up every week and bang out a blog post (since 2018!) for the Wannaskan Almanac, I know that I have what it takes to dig deeper, grab hold of even bigger goals, and go for it.

After spending a year looking up and out, this year's word is “ground” as in – get grounded, eyes on the ground, focusing on the small steps it takes to scale the mountains of my undertakings.

I have big plans for 2022. I'm one practicum away from finishing the book coaching certification course. I want to host not one but two writing retreats this year. I’ll do more creative writing for myself, and help even more writers do the same with the Red Shoes. 

So, one month into 2022, how are my resolutions going?

I'm still working on that practicum and kicked off 2022 with an awesome book coaching client and project. Registration opens next week for a writing retreat in partnership with the Fosston Community Library & Arts Association (FCLAA) in Fosston, Minnesota for April 21-23, 2022. The second retreat is in the planning stages for Fall 2022 in Warroad. I've picked up my pen and have been writing faithfully Monday through Friday in my journal, followed by a writing prompt/practice. I hired a book coach to help me save my novel in progress. It's been lost at sea for a few years, and together, we managed to right the ship and set it for a new course. 

Sounds pretty good, right?

Let's flip that coin and look at the other side.

That practicum? I really should have had it done by the end of January. Alas, I packed too much into last month, so, here I am, in February, with this thing hanging on like an annoying hangnail.

That novel? I'm sort of kicking myself for starting it in January. If I had tempered my enthusiasm and "get 'er done" spirit, I would have finished that pesky practicum. Also, after an intensive month of setting the navigational course for that mother ship, I haven't worked on it for two weeks - and two weeks from today, I have to turn in 4 new chapters!

Those retreats are going pretty well, but that writing practice stuff? Yesterday, I skipped a day. I told myself to jump right into a pile of to-do's that had been sitting on my desk that had to get done. "I'll write later in the day," I told myself. Did that happen? No. I baked cookies and moved from last place to first place in the Obsidian league on Duolingo. Now that I've done it - skipped a day - who's not to say I won't do it again? Just like exercising. Missing a day here and there and, before I know it, a 5-day-a-week commitment turns into three days turns into two, then one, then none. (Which is exactly how my 2022 exercise resolution went.) 

I'm going to stop now, take a deep breath, and go back to my word: Ground.

Ah, yes. Keep my eyes on my feet. Keep moving. Slow is better than nothing. Starting and stopping is better than not moving at all. Pick myself up, brush off the dirt, slap a bandaid on my skinned knee, tie my shoelaces, stand up - and keep going.

I've still got 11 months. It's a long time. Plenty of time. And if I don't make it to my destination by the end of 2022? Then I'll toot that New Year's horn, hug my loved ones, and begin again.

On This Day

Historic Highlights (credits)

1924 - The Greenwich Time Signal is broadcast for the first time

The “BBC pips” are 5 short and 1 long tone that are broadcast by many BBC radio stations to mark the precise start of the hour.

1919 - United Artists is founded

Charlie Chaplin was one of the film studio's founders.

1909 - The world's first synthetic plastic is developed

Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland announced his invention of Bakelite at a meeting of the American Chemical Society that day.

1869 - The biggest gold nugget in history is found

The “Welcome Stranger” was found at Moliagul in Australia and had a calculated refined weight of 71.081 kg.

1852 - The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg opens to the public

It is one of the world's largest and oldest museums and was originally founded in 1764.

Happy Birthday to You!🎶 

1985 - Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese footballer

1969 - Michael Sheen, Welsh actor

1900 - Adlai Stevenson, American politician, 31st Governor of Illinois

1878 - André Citroën, French engineer, businessman, founded Citroën

1840 - John Boyd Dunlop, Scottish businessman, co-founded Dunlop Rubber

Remembering You

2010 - Harry Schwarz, German/South African lawyer, politician, diplomat, 13th South African Ambassador to the United States

2008 - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Indian guru

1993 - Joseph L. Mankiewicz, American director, screenwriter, producer

1938 - Hans Litten, German jurist

1881 - Thomas Carlyle, Scottish historian

Hang on to your resolutions (they make a better you!) and make it a great Saturday. 

Kim