Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

No, I'm not eloping with the flying monkeys just yet. I heard the song on the radio and it made me think of all the things that happened in 2011.  Nope, it's not that kind of post either.  I'm not going to get all squishy and sentimental, heck, I had a GREAT year.  But I'm almost afraid to say that; don't wanna bring down the wrath of Fate.  Oh well, live dangerously, right?  And if you're reading this and that last sentence has been deleted, you'll know I chickened out...

Here's a rundown of 2011 highlights:

1. Got my first book published -- I know, I know, that's all I talk about, I'll stop now.

2. Set up a blog and website.  Pulled out most of my hair in the process, but got'er done.  Side note: I went in to add something as a link, and was reminded of Jon in the Garfield comic strip:
                    Jon: "Woo hoo! Got that knot out of my shoelace."
                    Garfield: "That was a day well spent."
Yep, that's me and technology.  I go to add a simple link and it takes all morning, three cups of coffee, and a lexicon of new swear words.  Day well spent? I reckon, if it's too late to sit and watch paint dry.

3. Won several awards in the Abilene Writer's Guild contest last March (AWG-- they are the folks who give me the inspiration to continue sending things out into the cold, cruel world of fiction).  Also won two awards for short-stories at other sites (WOW and Binnacle).  Sold three more short stories to Cool Well Press.

4. Got my first book published.  What? I already said that?  Oh,  yeah, heh heh heh...it was the Cool Well mention that reminded me *wink wink*

5. Cleaned out my sock drawer...wait, no, that one is still on my to-do list.

6. Signed the contract for the sequel to The Phantom Pilot...should be out by Halloween if I haven't already angered the Muse or Fate or any other random source of energy out there just looking for some place to land with claws outstretched and grasping...

7. Had fun traveling.  Yep.  Went all the way to  Colorado -- don't laugh!  Did you know there is an extinct volcano in New Mexico?  It's the Capulin volcano; Google it, I'm not lying.  As some crazy man used to say: "If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'."  I don't know who said that, someone on HeeHaw perhaps.  Which reminds me of another place we traveled: Austin! To see Marty Stuart at One World Theater; love that place it's just sooo, Austin.  Kinda weird and funky.  Oh, and another fave destination is Oklahoma to see the kids and grandkids (but I'll need two more blogs to tell you all about that--suffice it to say they were too young for the Haunted House at Six Flags--thank you Dude).  I will tell you just one little anecdote about my NoNo (yes, yes, that's his nickname, go figure).  The first week of preschool, he found a nice stick on the playground.  He told his teacher he was adopting it.  He named it Felix.

Okay, that's it for now.  No, that isn't all of the great stuff that happened in 2011...but I've got to stop somewhere.  And Felix is always a good place to stop.  Till next time, keep it between the navigational beacons as Jimmy Buffet says...

Afterthought: Next time I'll tell you what happened when NoNo's entire class forgot the words to the song that were supposed to sing for their MLK program.  You wanna hear it now?  Okay, I'll tell you...he drew himself up to his full five-year old height, stepped out in front of God and everyone, and belted out that song as if he had just won an audition for JLo, Randy, and Steven Tyler.  Knew every word!  And if some brave soul behind him decided they would join in now that he'd taken that bold step forward, he would just turn around, look at them, and they would immediately forget the words again.  Don't know if he got a standing O or not, but he sure got a lot of hoots and hollers...they were in Oklahoma, you know.