Last year I made five resolutions on this blog. I said, “I’m going to make a public record, thereby opening myself to ridicule and pity if I don’t follow through.” So . . .

1. In 2006, I will finish at least one novel and one novella. No, really.
   The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes (with Eileen Dreyer and Anne Stuart, started out as a novella anthology and became a collaborative novel, in stores July 2007)
   Agnes & The Hitman (with Bob Mayer, in stores August 2007).
2. In 2006, I will lose twenty pounds. I’ll still be overweight, but twenty pounds is doable. And I’ll be healthier.
   I can’t remember how much I weighed when I made this resolution. But I’m nineteen pounds down from my highest weight, so maybe?
3. In 2006, I will get my office cleaned.
   I’ll discuss this one in January. No, really, I’ll do a whole blog on offices. Let’s call this one a draw for the time being. Yes, I cleaned the office. In fact, I moved the office. And now that office is kind of . . . I’ll show you pictures in January.
4. In 2006, I will be a kinder, gentler person, even while on the road.
   If you’ve read the He Wrote She Wrote Blog, you know I failed miserably at this one. I won’t even try to say, “Well, part of the time . . . “ Just cross this one right off.
5. In 2006, I will stop trying to do everything at once. Patience, grasshopper.
   Yeah, this one went down in flames, too.

So, I got maybe two and a half? Sigh.

Let’s try this again. New Year’s Resolutions, 2007.

1. In 2007, I will write a solo novel. All by myself. Just me.
2. In 2007, I will get the revisions done on at least one of my last two old categories so that if the publisher finally decides to reissue them, they’ll be ready to go.
3. In 2007, I will lose twenty pounds which will put me at the weight of a plus size model which will mean I’ll be healthy.
4. In 2007, I will clean my office, making sure there’s a place for everything in it, and keep it cleaned. No, really.
5. In 2007, I will post to Argh Ink at least twice a month. Because it’s good for me to think about things here.

That last one is really important. This used to be the place I came to think, and then my life went completely out of control and I started running so fast the landscape became a blur and I forgot to stop and smell the vultures. Worse than that, I became incapable of stopping to smell the vultures. I forgot to how to laugh there for awhile. That was very bad. I don’t regret anything I posted here (Miss Snark had it coming, although looking back on it now, that post needed cut by about a third), but I regret things I didn’t post, like the bizarre time I had painting my bedroom (I may return to that one yet), or my meditation on hotel bathroom shampoo (not nearly as deep as I’d hoped so you’ll never see that sucker), or my post on “Plastic Alligators: Why?” I started them all and then life came and grabbed me by the sense of humor and I got lost again. But the one I regret not posting the most . . .

I have this daughter. Incredible woman. Everything she does is magic. She’s designed all my websites, all my blogs, the CherryForums—have you see the CherryForums? most amazingly warm and welcoming forum on the internet—she’s my partner in Argh Ink and runs the business like a Swiss watch, but what astounds me is that she has managed, in spite of having me for a role model, to create a beautiful and fulfilling personal life for herself. She’s found a great guy and kept a terrific relationship going with him for eight years, a solid, steady relationship built on trust and love and friendship that has grown deeper over time. And when they were ready to get married, they found rings they loved, and she bought a beautiful white dress and a brown cardigan like her grandmother had worn, and he got a killer blue pinstripe suit, and she put on her favorite shoes, and their two good friends came in from out of town to be witnesses, and they took the subway in from Brooklyn and got married at City Hall in Manhattan and then bought ice cream before they took the subway home. And it was a perfect day.

I can’t write love stories that good. Nobody would believe them.

Congratulations, Mollie and Josh. The best thing that happened in 2006 was your wedding, and the best thing that happened to me ever was you.

Happy 2007 to everyone. Nothing but good times ahead.