Happy New Year!

I've not done much reflecting on 2011 and what it held for me.  Does that make me shallow? Maybe. I don't care.  I've been too busy to be reflective.  2011 has been a life changing year for me. For the first time in my life I got off the couch and became active in politics.  Began in February and on to the last day of the year, I was out in the cold and wind, sun and heat, taking signatures on the various recall petitions.

It was soooo cold and the wind was soooo strong yesterday that I wondered if it was worth it. Well, yes it was.  Many people gave me a thumbs up as they drove by and some gave me a middle finger salute--but not as many as the thumbs up people. :-) Three people shouted to me that I should get a job--I have one.  Once in the morning and once in the afternoon, strangers brought me a cup hot chocolate!  So welcome!  And one person rolled down her window and said, "Thank you for what you are doing for us all."  Yeah, it was worth it when the last person to sign, I realized, was a young ex-Marine, likely an Iraq war vet, who thanked me for being there.

What I've learned this year is that we need to be active in our democracy if we want to continue to have a democracy.  For some that may be signing an on-line petition, writing letters, helping register voters, or transporting voters to the polls.  For others it means running for office, knocking on doors to talk with folks, and standing on the corner in the cold/rain/snow/wind/heat to give people the opportunity to sign a petition.  Whatever your preference, you need to do it and to be active in our country.  Doesn't matter what your political leanings--we all need to express ourselves. So, 2011 has been a year of activism for me.

Some of the blogs I read today list quilting and sewing accomplishments of the year.  I don't keep track of what I do and I don't take pics of every project, so I can't list what I've done. As usual, I've done less than what I hoped I'd do and for 2012, I resolve to do more that I think I can do.  We'll see about that. ;-0

I found this quote on Bonnie K Hunter's blog and I like it very much so I'll pass it on to you.

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something.


So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art or love or work or family or life.
Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it. Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”-- Neil Gaiman

May your 2012 be happy, fruitful, healthy, and full of mistakes!