My New Year

I think I may live in an alternate universe most of the time. But it's feeling like a new year has begun for me. Lets just say my psyche follows the liturgical calendar. With the upcoming Christmas season and Advent it just feels like I have started a new year. So I am rolling with it.

I like the concept of living a word for the coming year. Last year, I was "fearless." I tried fish at a restaurant for the first time in maybe ever, I stepped up more at work, I visited the gynecologist for the first time. There's one thing I have yet to do-enroll and go back to school. I will get this accomplished and set up for sometime in the 2012 school year.

I have my word for this year. I am not sharing it-it feels personal and between my hubs and me. That's okay. It's gonna be another year where I step up to the plate and take some big swings.

Another thing that I have done in relation to a new year, is new reading. I have two unfinished challenges and you know what, I am not going to finish them. This year, I have really struggled with material. I have had long periods where nothing really suited me. There have been books that have really sung to me and books I have enjoyed. But it feels like a lot of slogging through stuff this year. I am done reading stuff because I impose and sign up for challenges. It has taken my joy out of reading. I want to read what I want to read and not because I need to finish a challenge.

I recently finished Lady of the Rivers by Phillipa Gregory and I have to say I have loved her trilogy of The Cousins War. It has sparked my interest in British history. Now in high school, I was a complete dork about American history and have very found memories of losing myself in subjects. There was a Civil War period about middle school years. Then WWII just after that (mostly POWs and Nazi not so much on the battle). Then there was a period of soldier (mostly Vietnam era) bios that happen just post high school. I just can't remember losing myself in a subject since then. I have always compiled a reading list and I have driven myself to read of it for so long that I have nearly forgotten the joy of just reading on a subject that interests me.

Well, I have decided to do just that. I have gotten interested in British history thanks to Gregory and wanting to read more about the monarchy and kings/queens of British history. So I turned everything I had out-thankful I was between books! And I went looking at my local library for British history and monarchy. I am about 14% into British History for Dummies and I have to say I am intrigued. Really enjoying this and I haven't even hit the first monarch yet!

I will of course update with blurbs once I get stuff read. But you know what-it feels good to let go and read what I want.

Does the new year start on January 1st for you or another date/season?