Yes, it's time for the annual display of my mad Photoshop skills
It's hard to believe that 2020 is already upon us. In the past, I've always dealt with a case of the blues at the new year, usually stemming from all of the things I didn't accomplish the previous year. Much to my surprise, that hasn't happened this year and I'm okay with that. I'm looking forward to a new year full of possibilities.
I love calendars and usually start the year with more than I can possibly use. I did better this year and only bought one wall calendar and one planner. (Yay me!) I began my planner journey last year but didn't fully utilize my new tool - I only used it to track bill due dates. I've decided that this year, in addition to the bills, I'm also going to keep track of the books I read and my word count. I also love inspirational quotes and will use my planner to jot down the ones that speak to my heart. And stickers! A planner is the perfect excuse to play with stickers as an adult.
I struggle with the marketing aspect of writing. I'm both shy and an introvert so the whole "look at me" thing is a struggle for me. But, I have decided that 2020 is the year I'm going to try to start trying to get a handle on this gig. Wish me luck!
Big changes lie ahead for me this year. I have officially submitted my retirement paperwork; my last day at my day job will be April 30th. I face this change with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Trepidation because, well, let's face it - retiring is a big deal. I've been working since I was 16 years old. Excitement because I'm looking forward to a lot of things, not the least of which will be no longer getting up before the sun. (I'm not a morning person.)
I am a very detail-oriented person and an excellent time manager. Both of these traits have played an important role in my ability to perform the functions of my day job. However, with retirement only a few short months away, I'm already trying to figure out how to change my processes so they will continue to work for me in the future.
I love calendars. (Almost as much as I love Christmas wrapping paper, but that's another story.) I have one wall calendar at home that I use to keep track of birthdays and anniversaries. Everything else, such as doctor's appointments, I keep track of on one of my many calendars at work. Obviously, that option will end on April 30th. My husband and I have agreed to a monthly dry-erase board on the refrigerator as the best option for tracking appointments and I have already implemented that change.
But what about everything else? I also use my work calendar and a variety of multi-colored sticky notes to serve as reminders of bill due dates and various and sundry other things that come up. I have never been the type to use a personal planner; I had no need to due to the variety of calendars surrounding me at the two locales where I spend most of my time. But, I began to notice advertisements for a plethora of planners on various social media channels. As I researched them, I determined this would be the best route to take, but which one to choose? The sheer number of options was overwhelming. And expensive. I couldn't bring myself to spend $50+ on something that might or might not work for me. So, I made a trip to Target and purchased a $10 planner and a variety of pens, then went to Amazon and ordered stickers.
Let the planning begin!
My new planner has pages for monthly and weekly planning which I think will work well for me. I have had a blast getting it set up over the last few days. This planner will fill many of my needs, not just for managing appointments but it will also allow me to use my multi-colored pens to doodle and personalize pages while the stickers will take the place of the sticky notes I use at work. I know it's going to take a while for me to get used to a new process for tracking things but, if I start now, it should be second nature by the time retirement gets here.
What changes are you looking forward to this year?
2019 is just around the corner — eight days, in
fact. While I don't have traditions attached to seeing the old year out and the new year in, a good many people around the world will sing a rousing rendition of Robert Burns' Auld Lang Syne in the midnight hour as an optimistic welcome to the New Year and as a sentimental tribute to the Old Year.
But did you know that Robert Burns didn't write the poem for which he is well-known? He wrote down the lyrics to an old Scottish folk song and added to it, which is not unlike Francis Scott Key's repurposing the tune of an English tavern ballad then adding the lyrics for the Star Spangled Banner.
According to the website, "Poems for the New Year", Burns wrote this in a letter to a friend:
“There is an old song and tune which has often thrilled through my soul. You know I am an enthusiast in old Scotch songs. I shall give you the verses on the other sheet... Light be the turf on the breast of the heaven-inspired poet who composed this glorious fragment! There is more of the fire of native genius in it than in half a dozen of modern English Bacchanalians.”*
Another tidbit from this website explains, "Though the history of the authorship of the poem is labyrinthine and disputed, Burns is generally credited with penning at least two original stanzas to the version that is most familiar to revelers of the New Year. Here are the first two stanzas as Burns recorded them:
Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne."
So from me, in southeastern Colorado, to you, wherever you may be on New Years Eve, here is a bagpipe presentation of Auld Lang Syne performed by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
Until next year,
Kaye Spencer
Writing through history one romance upon a time
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References: *Poems for the New Year - https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/poems-new-year *Robert Burns - http://www.robertburns.org/
