Happy New Year!

My year ended with quite a bang, to say the least. Me & QB got hitched at Thanksgiving! Then we headed straight into the Christmas holidays, traveling to Hernando to spend time with my family and on to Dallas where we enjoyed our white first Christmas with his family. We ended up having a quiet New Years at our house, dancing in our sock feet and toasting with champagne.

What's funny is there are quite a few blogs and people saying how they are glad 2009 is over. It was a bad year for some but it was a fantastic year in my house. Not everyone had a bad year (but I've been there all too recently where it was nice to have a yucky one out of the way)

• Coordinated 3 months of songwriters' showcases and got a great group of musicians to collaborate with - gigs and all - out of the process. An incredibly talented and supportive group of friends.
  
• I began a new career path as a writer and artist.
• Portico Mag hired me as their monthly Edibles writer.
• met a French woman in Indianola who is writing a Blues cookbook and I'm helping her with editing and a little bit of research.
• Life coaching is still going strong and helping tremendously.
• started Guitar lessons!
• I got engaged and married - DUH!
  

The new year always brings the prospect of change and I am continuing some previous intentions and jump-starting new ones.

I don't do a resolution list but a word to focus on for the new year. Life coach and singer-songwriter, Christine Kane created a worksheet if you need a nudge figuring out what a good word for your year can be.

This year, I chose the word "SOAR."

That's the picture I made and put on my wall above my desk. Each letter, as you can see, sets a specific intention: opening myself to $$ opportunities and letting go of old stigmas and fears; the owl, my special birdie, which Native American lore says accompanies a newly freed soul; radiance - "hide it under a bushel, no, I'm gonna let it shine;" and musical ambitions with my purple Taylor!

Soar is the perfect word for me because I want to continue to build on what I established last year with food and travel writing, building up my performing career with continued guitar lessons, new gigs and songwriting and letting go of old, stagnant fears.

I plan to soar over and above limitations, obstacles and resistance. Soaring is not complacently gliding - it is embracing oneself, one's talents and abilities. I want to inspire and encourage others in their creative projects; shine in my own right; stay authentic, grounded and present; keep my mind open to opportunities and ways to grow.

This year is going to have its share of fun and challenges. I can't wait!

• I went on my first assignment for DeSoto Magazine and I interviewed Curator Marina Pacini and Assistant Curator Stanton Thomas of the Brooks Museum of Art for their upcoming exhibit Venice in the Age of Canaletto. It's going to be an incredible exhibit, featuring a piece from the museum's permanent collection by the 17th century Italian artist named "Canaletto," complete with video footage of the experience of riding a gondola up and down the Grand Canal, a pale blue and gold damask covered room and other examples of paintings and decorative arts of the era.
  

Me, QB and my Mom are going to the Art for Lunch series at the Brushmark Restaurant in the Brooks - Mississippi restaurateur Wally Joe (KC's in Cleveland) is the chef there - where they provide lunch, a talk and a tour of the exhibit. We're looking forward to that!

Here are some pictures of my old stomping grounds that I took after the interview.

The front of the museum on Poplar Avenue in Audobon Park.

The iron gate sculpture that is near the entrance - isn't it cool?

A side view of the museumTurn around from the previous view to see the alligator guiding
the way to the Memphis Zoo.At the back of the museum is the refurbished Overton Park Shell. So many people have played here! This is where Elvis played an early performance. I sang there for an Earth Day festival several years ago. It's now called the Levitt Shell and lost a little of its ambiance because they painted over the rainbow that used to decorate the back wall. The renovations make the area look so much better, but I still miss the rainbow!The old version of the Shell.

• In December, I finally found out about the status of my grant application from the DeSoto Arts Council. (*DeSoto is the county in which I grew up.) I received a small grant to help finish my short film, memphis, mississippi!! I have an editor lined up and lots of work ahead of me!!
  

• I am celebrating the loss of approximately 25 pounds! Yay! I haven't been watching things like a hawk, but making some minor changes, in diet especially over the past few months - one big thing that helps is not eating out as much and eating more fresh, simple foods. QB and I try to walk around the neighborhood as often as possible...and I swear that I will be a regular participant of my water aerobics classes at Foxy Lady pronto or will cancel the damn gym membership. Hmmph!

• January 6, I played a singer-songwriters night at Hal & Mal's that went really well. I will be getting some recording sessions set up this month so I can get demos recorded and ramp up the self-promotion/getting more gigs process. The picture didn't turn out very well. Believe it or not, that's me! (More on the way from my friend Natalie, who coordinates the songwriters' nights. QB also got some video footage I'll post at some point, too.)

So, that's it from me for the moment.

What is your intention word for 2010?