For the past several days, I have been talking about how some of the ancient civilizations celebrated the New Year on November 1:

November 1 – The Beginning of a New Year – Blessing of the Water

I have decided to start my new year today, too. As of today, November 1, I have officially left the skeletons of my old self behind me, and I have resolved to jet into a fresh, new  year.

Jacki Kellum Illustration –
The Cow Jumped Over the Moon

The past two years have been especially tumultuous for me. Soon after I turned 73, I was thrust into the craziness of moving to a new state–all by myself. I hired a mover to transfer my furniture, but I did all the packing and unpacking alone, and I have essentially been alone since I moved. I’m still not settled.

I began packing soon after the publication of my debut picture book: The Donkey’s Song. and the book tours and events that were part of helping that book get a good start were another crazy time for me.

I literally drove thousands of miles during my book tour, and as soon as I got back to my former home hundreds of miles away in the Ozarks, I began packing and preparing to move.

Because a Garden Retreat is Essential for My Psyche, I began creating a garden on my new home as soon as I moved.

I worked all day for over a year wor–to get my garden growing.

My garden has become a nice sanctuary for me now. but my work outside left little time to further devlop my writing and my art.

Two years later, I am ready to rise from all of that confusion and to get back to work.

I’ve read that if you do a thing for 30 days straight, you will have begun a new habit, and I know from past experience that habits are hard to break. [I am in constant warfare with against my bad habits.]

Accountability plays a huge part in the 12-Steps programs, Weight Watchers, etc. Although I am in no program, I have launched a campaign to start some new and better habits.

I challenge you to join me.

Some of you may be getting older–like me–and you may have elected to just finish your life by letting things slide. I remind you about the trees: When Trees Quit Growing, They Die.

Making My Lists & Checking Them Twice – Setting Goals for the New Year

My Goals for the Coming Year are as Follows:

• Finish some of my picture book projects and seek to get them published.
• Learn Procreate
• Become More Physically Active
• Get More Work Done Inside My House
• Get Organized.
• Continue Memoir Mondays

Learn Procreate

I was definitely a child before technology, and learning how to illustrate with procreate does not come naturally for me.

Again, I’ve read that if you do a thing for 30 days straight, you will have begun a new habit.

For the Next 30 Days, I Pledge to Post Something Each Day that I have learned about Procreate that Day.

New Event #Lets Procreate

This is not my first event.

I will continue with #MemoirMondays once each week.

But I’ve been writing and posting about Memoir Writing for Years.

Learning Procreate Requires a More Intense Effort from Me.

Happy New Year.