Read Brother's window, King St., Charleston, SC
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity
and
its first chapter is New Year’s Day.
Happy New Year, kids! The year may be an empty book but I've always enjoyed scribbling.
What shall we do this year?
* Learn to play one song well on the harmonica?
* Learn to dance? (Shut up)
* Make coconut macaroons that don't get soggy the next morning so I don't have to eat the whole batch immediately out of the oven.
* Con some educational institution into giving me an honorary degree. (I have a Canadian Diploma of Nursing and I collect certifications in topics of interest but no actual degree. Probably shouldn't write this here. My boss may not remember. Ssshh..)
* Most importantly: Try my hardest to behave and hold on to my job. Jobs feel like precious jewels right now.
2008 has been a whirlwind.
* I won a national award for my student mentoring programs in health care.
* Was invited to present on student mentoring at a regional conference with my friend Kelly and we got a standing ovation from hospital recruiters.
* Walked across England from coast to coast.
* Decided I should sell my house and downsize. Got in a panic about what all I would have to do if it actually did sell (don't see that happening) and started trading off my stuff for work done. Yep. I gave the painter the guest bed and the roofer my chest of drawers and antique trunk. You heard me. I bartered away my chest of drawers (Shut up).
* On a couple of occasions I have had photos in print in almost every publication in town at the same time. No one would ever know they were all from me though. Sneaky.
* Raised $58,000 for the American Heart Association primary by making very proper gentlemen dress up in Red Dresses.
* Won multiple awards for my volunteers by nominating them for the Governor's Award, Health Care Heroes. Jefferson Award. I do have a magic touch with a nomination.
* Adding up my numbers yesterday it looks like my volunteers will have served close to 80,000 hours this year.
* Added this one: I paid off my roof loan. Yipee!
* Made wonderful new friends and stayed close to important older ones.
* Ended the year losing 4 years of blog entries and close to half a million hits, on my former site Walk this Way. The site is unrecoverable. This doesn't just effect me but thousands of bloggers. I very much appreciate the welcome I've received at the Daily Photo site and encourage everyone to update their link. I am humbled by the emails I have been getting from folks who have followed me through the years - people I didn't even know have contacted me. Thank you to all of you for your support and friendship. I need it. Happy New Year!
You have had a very busy year indeed! Hope 2009 is as productive and enjoyable for you!
ReplyDeleteHi Joan
ReplyDeleteOnwards and upwards into the coming year.
Where did you walk coast to coast in England?
Best wishes for the New Year
Saretta: Thank you! Happy new Year to you!
ReplyDeletePaul: I did the Hadrian's Wall hike in Septembert. It was incredible.
As My Friend a beautiful photograph by this. Congratulate.
ReplyDeleteI would hate too lose contact with you. I so love your photo's and the things you do. You give me hope that in this world there really is kind and good people.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Years.
Roz
I agree with Roz. Happy New Year Joan! *hugs*
ReplyDeleteYou walked across England! Gulp ...
ReplyDeleteI like window shots. I have been known to take a few myself :-) That's a vintage head model.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Joan!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! So glad to find you again, it was dreadful to read the news about journalspace disappearing. If it helps at all, I think Google Reader has the text for your blog for at least a year. I just checked and I pulled up your posts as far back as November 2007 before I stopped.
ReplyDeleteIf you can't find them, let me know and I can pull up the posts for you and email them, no problem at all!
ReplyDeleteUh, Joan? Did you walk Hadrian's Wall in September too? Wow! How did you get so much time off? Heh heh...
ReplyDelete2009 is going to be a great year! Let's have some fun.
Yeah, what Roz said!
ReplyDeleteYou had a very busy 2008 and accomplished so much.
Happy New Year!
Your accomplishments would be impressive for five people.
ReplyDeleteFin
The highlight of '08 for me was talking my way out of a speeding ticket in October.
ReplyDeleteYou're going to have a tough time topping '08's accomplishments, Joan. Still, I'm betting you'll do it. :)
S
I just know you'll have a fantastic 2009!
ReplyDeleteSunshine Coast Daily - Australia
bitingmidge: Thank you! Same to you!
ReplyDeletelowandslow: You've had a very busy year. Let's hope some houses get selling, eh.
Fin: Sounds like you've had a pretty busy year as well. Happy New Year to you and Bethany.
Pat: The year is a blur. I can't remember what I did when!
Pixel Peeper, Roz, Kate: Thank you. We've been able to connect with nice people from all over the world here haven't we?
Julie: Thanks for the google reader back files! Cool!
Happy New Year everyone!
(don't forget to redirect the walkthisway.org domain to [the/any/your] new host)
ReplyDeletethanks for your comments and glad to meet you! What a year you had - good and bad, eh? Do I gather from your reply to Julie that you got your files back. I do hope so!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Arthur: Thanks. I need to do that. My son had set that domain name up as a gift to me. I will take care of it.
ReplyDeleteJilly: Nice to meet you! Julie sent me a text file with much of them in it. For some reason I am not able to find anything in the usual cache searches. Luckily I store my photos on smugmug.
Hey Joan , good to see your back at it !! You do amazing work . Lots of Love Roger
ReplyDelete