First my success rate at predicting the Oscars:
I got a whopping 42% correct. If I factor out the winners awarded to movies I did not see, my success rate climbs to 53%. (I only missed two movies that got awards, FROZEN and HER. Those two raked in three awards.) Not bad for someone who knows nothing about movie-making.
Oh, and guess what? The “Achievement in Documentary Short Film” went to a story that makes the heart and soul smile: THE LADY IN NUMBER 6: MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE. Check out the trailer here:
The Lady in Number 6 (YouTube)
My Game plan for 2014:

- Get my novel published: I will get editors, a cover designer, and a publisher. I will.
Progress: Rod asked for the whole manuscript! Yeah! He passed it on to another editor and e-mailed me that he should get back to me in two more weeks. I’m trying not to get my hopes up, and at the same time, I feel like getting this far is encouraging. I finished reading Guy K’s artisan publishing guide APE. I am ready to forge ahead with my next step toward artisal publishing. - Knit or crochet yarn stash into hats for charity: I have a lot of yarn stash.
Progress: I took a break in hat knitting to finish Loved-One’s sweater. Front, back and half of both sleeves completed. (A tip from Mom, knit both sleeves at the same time guarantees the sleeves will be the same length.)- Make enough money writing to pay property taxes: Maybe I wasn’t clear enough in 2013.
Progress: 4 newspaper articles for a local paper.An interview lined up to teach a technical writing seminar.
- Expand my platform: a key to successful selling of a published book, I’m told.
Progress: BlogHer, SheWrites, Instagram, Twitter, FB page; Google+; Growing, still growing.- Experience Night at the Museum with Two More Grandkids: Last year, I waited too long, and every single session sold out before summer even got here. I love camping out with the bones of dinosaurs and exploring mummies by flashlight. So does Loved-One. So do the kids.
Progress: Overnight scheduled with the grandkids. Yay!- Travel Route 66 with Loved-One: I plan to get some sponsors and write about out trip.
Progress: None- Volunteer: Last year I tried a women’s shelter. Maybe this year, the food pantry.
Progress: None- Read two book a month: This goal doubles my 2013 rate. I I posted interview with Rachel Thompson, author of Broken Pieces
by Hilary Grossman. I scheduled an interview with her. Stay tuned for a blog post about another fascinating author. Gee, this is fun! I also read an amazing biography of President Garfield, by Candice Milllard, Destiny of the Republic/strong><span style="color: #003366;" Oh my! What an amazing book. The sub-title "A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of the President," only begins to explain how intriguing this book is.
I finished three books this month: APE by Guy Kawasaki, as I mentioned earlier. Dangeled Caret- Get new carpeting for the lower level: Ugh! I don’t even want to go down there, it looks so bad.
Progress: None- Send St. Patrick’s Day photo cards to friends and family: A friend sends out Valentine’s Day photo-cars. I love getting her card after all the hustle-bustle of the Christmas season has subsided. Yes, I’m piggy-backing on her idea.
Progress: I better get cracking. Plus, I must sent my baby brother one birthday card a week. He turns 50 tomorrow. I remember when my sibs did this for me. Holy Smokes, what a good feelling to get so many kinds wishes and thoughts coming my way.
- Make enough money writing to pay property taxes: Maybe I wasn’t clear enough in 2013.
Not all that much progress during February. I did spend a week with Mom while she recovers from knee replacement surgery, and I did take a one week vacation to a warmer part of the country. (More on that later this week.) Plus, a wonderful new friend gave me my first birthday present, FOREVER LILY, a new book to read. And I started DIVERGENT. I’ll be taking Miss E. to the movie, lunch and shopping. She’ll be 14 later this month.
This week I watching 5 grandchildren, and working from my i-Pad with a WordPress app. It’s a bit funky working with code showing. I hope things don’t look to goofed.
But before I go, please tell me:
- Did you make plans this year?
- What are you accomplishing this year?
- Should I drop the St. Patrick’s Day photo card?
- Got any good books recommend?
If you have some time, check out great blogs by clicking the “i don’t like mondays” icon below.