#reverb10

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December 22 – Travel

How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year?
(Author: Tara Hunt)
_~~ANSWER: I traveled for two races in Fort Worth and one big race in St. George, Utah. My favorite trip was to St. George, because of the nature of it (I was doing my first Ironman there) and the beauty of the surrounding area. The red rocks that I knew would get me excited to swim, bike, and run there on May 1, 2010. I also made a few very memorable road trips in 2010—to the beach to surf for the first time and to Big Bend National Park. I love road trips and enjoy the contemplative state that they leave me in. I love going a 2-3 hours away and feeling like you are in another world, because that is how Texas road trips go. I went back to Colorado several times to see my family and each trip was even more fulfilling than the last. It is hard though, because it seems that I use all my travel time going back and forth between Texas and Colorado, and it doesn’t allow me to go anywhere else. This next year I’d like to change that. Next year, I’d like to do some traveling beyond the continent. Overseas at least once and to an island of some sort for a writing retreat/yoga escape. These trips must be planned in advance.
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December 23 – New Name

Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why?

(Author: Becca Wilcott)
_~~ANSWER: I used pseudonyms when I was younger, to escape the fear of owning up to my writing. A lot of my names were variations of my real name, like Lizzie Bolden. I think I’ll stick with that one, Lizzie Bolden. I like the last name because it calls out to the word BOLD and Lizzie just sounds good. It’s short, unlike my true name. Lizzie is my alter ego, she does all the bad stuff even though she knows it is bad, she takes really intense risks and is aware of the consequences but doesn’t mind the consequences. She plays rugby and doesn’t worry about getting hurt.
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December 24 Prompt – Everything’s OK

What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?

(Author: Kate Inglis)
_~~ANSWER: I knew everything was going to be okay when my sister kissed my dad on the cheek this past Tuesday night after dinner and a family photo shoot. To some, a kiss on the cheek shouldn’t mean much and doesn’t seem out of the ordinary. But to me, it was a huge sign of the progress we have made in our family and the good work that I helped do to make that moment happen. Kissing your father on the cheek is a sign of not only love but respect. These two qualities of a family are something that I’m going to focus on for the year when I think of my family. They communicated to me that these are the things that they want and need out of our beautiful bond and I plan to cultivate and grow those as much as I can this year.
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December 25 – Photo – a present to yourself

Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

(Author: Tracey Clark)
_~~ANSWER: Photos are hard, because they are so personal. I feel like every photo of me shows a part of my deep innards and it is hard for me to let those out for the world to see. Add social networks into the mix and its just a zoo of showing those deep parts. I wish I could be less scared, but I am. I will try to attach a photo that embodies me and my highest self to this post, see it at the top.

Note about the photo: This was taken at one of my favorite restaurants after my first time surfing. I was starving, but happy. Spent and sore, but joyous and thrilled to be so wound down. I had that buzzing feeling that comes after working out. I had that humming feeling of achievement, of going out there and doing something that I had wanted to do for months. It was wonderful. That’s how I want every day of my life to be—that’s how I want my face to feel, as it looks in this photo. Tired but happy.
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December 26 – Soul Food

What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul?

(Author: Elise Marie Collins)
_~~ANSWER: Three words: BROILED GULF SHRIMP.
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December 27 – Ordinary Joy

Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?

(Author: Brené Brown)
_~~ANSWER: Within every single day of 2010 I believe I was able to find a joyful moment or string of moments. I think I’ll go back to one of the most simple moments of 2010. I had just finished a super long (60 or 70 miles plus) ride the day before. I slept in with my darling, and we cuddled on the couch with our mini schnauzer and relaxed. The joy was apparent and vivid. Even the colors around me were vivid. My partner’s white bath robe, my dog’s beautiful, lively brown eyes. The warmth of the embrace between us three. Pure joy.

MORE MOMENTS…
Gliding on the water on my first try on the surf board. Also pure joy.

Sliding down the slope in Wyoming with my brother behind me. I was going too fast but I wasn’t as scared as I thought I’d be. I felt like I was flying. Also pure joy.
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December 28 – Achieve

What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.

(Author: Tara Sophia Mohr)
_~~ANSWER: That word itself, ACHIEVE is the feeling I want to feel. I did a lot of visualization this year before my last marathon, imagining the happiness and joy that would overcome me when I qualified for Boston. I saw myself at a restaurant having a pre-race meal in Boston with my partner, my mom, my best friend, and my dad. My brother might have been there, too. We were eating and I was leaning back on my chair into my partner’s arm and laughing. There was a cool, relaxed vibe about the scene that I visualized. My body was rested and ready, my legs strong and twitching, ready to run Boston. I started crying after that visualization session. I was ready for that one, then. I think the way for me to feel that ACHIEVE feeling again is to continue to excel in my athletic pursuits. I know for a fact that my growth there makes me happy. 10 things I can do today to make myself feel the great way that I will feel when I go pro: 1.) Hug and relax with my dog 2.) Feel the cold wind on my face when I ride my bike with friends this afternoon 3.) Hire a coach 4.) Sign up for masters swimming 5.) Research coaches 6.) Eat well 7.) Drink lots of tea 8.) Look at pictures from the Ironman, the 1/2 Ironman, and my 4 marathons 9.) Call my dad 10.) Meditate and watch myself crossing the finish line of my next Ironman in 10 hours.
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December 29 – Defining Moment

Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.

(Author: Kathryn Fitzmaurice)
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ANSWER: At the finish line of the 1/2 Ironman, I realized that I wasn’t so different from all the men and women that were coming in the top 20. I looked like them, I smelled like them, I saw myself in their eyes. I knew I had to get it.
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December 30 – Gift

Prompt: Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

(Author: Holly Root)
_~~ANSWER: The gift of my entire family showing up. Simply SHOWING UP was big for them. And it was big for me. And I knew it was, and I was happy when they did.
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December 31 – Core Story

What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? (Bonus: Consider your reflections from this month. Look through them to discover a thread you may not have noticed until today.)

(Author: Molly O’Neill)
_~~ANSWER: To some degree I have hesitations with sharing my core to the world. I hinted at this in my answer to the photo prompt. I keep stuff short for fear of boring people. I cut myself off sometimes. But I know I need to share myself, I know I am powerful beyond measure and that my words are my gift to the world. And so this year I will try to share myself more through my words. Fearlessly, openly, and courageously. That is how I live.
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December 15 Prompt

Author: Patti Digh
Creative is a Verb: If You’re Alive, You’re Creative
@pattidigh

Prompt: 5 minutes. Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010.

ANSWER: Bonding with Joe and Jennifer on bike rides in Pflugerville and East Austin. The pleasant sound of the wind pushing my new Felt TT forward and backward through the never-ending farm landscape. Coming home and changing into comfy clothes after 100 mile rides and cuddling with my two favorites. Watching my dear friend Janet run up to me during the Ironman and kiss me on the cheek. The peace and giving wonderment I felt when that random man hugged me at mile 17 of the Ironman, on a hill, in the middle of barren dessert. Hearing Mike Reilly say my name “Mercedes Orten of Austin, TX, a first timer, Mercedes YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!” and the feeling all over my body of complete and utter elation, joy, and accomplishment. My realization of the immense power that comes from overcoming pain. The power that doing the Ironman gave me. It made me realize that I can do anything and that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Truly and utterly. With enough enthusiasm and positive thinking, anything is possible. The beauty of the view from the South Rim of the Chisos mountains in Big Bend. The warmth of the hot springs near the Rio Grande. The feeling of her holding me up for the first time ever after the marathon, the joy of seeing the time that I wanted on the finish line clock as I crossed the finish line of my 5th marathon. The vibrant green of the Cats La Grave Stadium and my mom screaming for me like the crazy cheerer she truly is. The sound of my dad agreeing with me when I said “I’m awesome, I did it” he said “yes, you did” The happy tears in my eyes when I realized “I’m going to Boston!”

December 16 Prompt

Author: Martha Mihalick
Editor at Harper Collins
@curiousmartha

Prompt: Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?
ANSWER: The R friends in my life change me, challenge me, and question me constantly. My coffee dates with one R friend, our “Focus coffees” were instrumental in my growth and realizations about my future path. My yoga dates with my other R friend, coupled with a few special trips to the lake and to the Botanical Gardens allowed me to grow my introspective, watchful side of my personality.

December 17 Prompt

Tara Weaver
The Butcher and the Vegetarian
@tea_austen

Prompt: Lesson learned. What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward?

ANSWER: I answered this with the memory post. I learned that I can make anything happen. I can dedicate and I can really drive it home. All by myself, for myself, and with myself. I also learned though – that it is always better with someone else. With help. Though I don’t really need it to make stuff happen. I make stuff happen. I watch myself making it happen and I smile, knowing that the faith I have in myself is growing, building and observing all of the wonder that I create in my life. Happily, peacefully, and with an acute awareness of others.

December 18 Prompt

Author: Kaileen Elise
kaileenelise.com
@kaileenelise

Prompt: Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it?

ANSWER: I want to see what it’s like having a coach to guide and help me on my “anything is possible” train. Come on, let’s hop on the “Anything is Possible Train” – it’s moving fast, so we better get on before it heads into the mountains. The view is going to be spectacular.

December 19 Prompt

Author: Leoni Allan
2011 Creating Your Goddess Year
@GoddessLeoni

Prompt: Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011?

ANSWER: This most recent trip to the middle of nowhere in Dripping Springs healed me. It made me realize my relationship is central to my happiness and still very helpful in my growth. Ebbs and flows will happen but it is important that we recognize, enjoy, and create as many upswings and flows as we can in our daily lives. For that is what truly living really is.

December 20 Prompt

Author: Jake Nickell
The Threadless Book
@skaw
Prompt: Beyond avoidance. What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?)

ANSWER: Travel. Stop being scared and just go. Make the time. Take the time. It fuels you in a way that nothing else can.

December 21 Prompt

Author: Jenny Blake
Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want
@jenny_blake
Prompt: Future self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?)
reverb10.com

ANSWER: Live in the moment. Enjoy it to the fullest extent, so that your joy is ripping you at the seams. Don’t hesitate. Don’t wait. Make it happen. Make those moments happen. Remember, you made them happen and you will continue to do so. Be your best self, your highest self. Be you.

December 10 Prompt

Author: Susannah Conway
Unravelling
@photobird

Prompt: Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

The wisest decision I made this year was to ask for help. Since getting help, I’m happier and going in the right direction with my life. That is, I’m going in the direction that I want to go, daily.

December 11 Prompt

Author: Sam Davidson
50 Things Your Life Doesn’t Need
@samdavidson

Prompt: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

1.) those old running shoes – been there, ran in those
2.) the sadness of my sister’s estrangement from the family – work on it, tell her how you feel, and then let it go.
3.) my road bike – let a budding triathlete borrow it.
4.) that pair of Montana cowboy boots that doesn’t fit – give them away or sell them!
5.) the stress of coaching myself – hire one that inspires you. Doing so will take you to the finish lines of you wildest dreams!
6.) the pain and torment of regret – Live in the now.
7.) disorganization – work daily on de-cluttering
8.) drama from breakups – if it’s not your problem, don’t own it like it is.
9.) excessive facebook “friends” – pare down to the essential, most important people. Cut people daily.
10.) worry – if I give up on this, I will free myself of everything that is binding me.
11.) old cell phones and other unused gadgets – recycle!

December 12 Prompt

Author: Patrick Reynolds
The Knowledge Workers Survival Guide
@patrickcantype

Prompt: Body integration. This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?

The Ironman. I was at mile 20 of the Ironman marathon after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 miles. There was a reckoning that I had inside of my body. I found myself wallowing, letting my mind sit in the pain that was residing in my gluts, quads, and knees. My mind couldn’t stop sitting there and looking at the pain inside of those muscles. I felt so distant from them. It almost felt like my legs were not part of me anymore. I began to climb another hill, and I felt tears coming to the sides of my eyes. I was suddenly full blown crying, I was crying and climbing this bluff in the middle of St. George, Utah. A random man/spectator/volunteer on the side of the road was handing out water, power gel, and pretzels. I didn’t want any of that. He saw me coming up, tears in my eyes and said his phrase again “water, power gel, pretzels, and HUGS” and I stopped right there in front of him and said “I need a hug.” I paused there in the wind on that bluff and hugged this random strange man. Then I started crying harder. As I ran off, I began to sit closer to the pain in my body. I began to feel there wasn’t any hope in my finishing. I was focusing on the intense pain in my quads and gluts. I was crying and wondering how I got to this point. I looked up the bluff for hope, for something. It was then that I saw my mom at the top. She was waving her arms wildly and screaming “woohoo Mercedes!” and her enthusiasm after a long day of cheering was amazing to me. I came up to her, still running, and she asked how I was doing. I was unable to speak, and so I cried out in response. I may have sad something like “I have never felt worse in my life” and my mom stopped cheering and started speed walking along the side of the road with me. She held my hand and she said that she didn’t know what to say. Another random man/spectator/volunteer on the side of the road told my mom she was doing it exactly right; just keep doing what she was doing. I thought, well, that advice could also be applied to me. My mom walked along silently next to me as I did a loop around this park at the top of the bluff. A few minutes later, literally 2 minutes was all it took me to get around that small park, I was on the other side of the loop, seeing the rest of my friends and family. By the time I got them, I had started to pull it together. I saw my friend Corrie and I told her there was no stopping me. The more I said it, the more I believed it. I stopped sitting with the pain, and came back to the positive and back to believing in myself. I began visualizing myself crossing that finish line. I heard Mike Reilly’s words, I heard him call out my name, even though I wasn’t there yet. I still had 10K to go. I magically pulled it together, for Mike, for my family, for me, for all the countless hours of work I put into this race, this giant goal of mine. I decided I was a lot tougher than that. I wasn’t going to let a little pain in my body stop me from finishing. I focused on the fact that I only had 10K to go. I began to open up my stride as I finished the “out” portion of the out and back. Immediately, I felt back in my body. Except this time my body, mind, and soul were all integrated in the way Patrick describes. They were positively integrated, despite the pain. All of those parts of me aligned for the better, they found a way to work besides the pain and fatigue. They were all on a mission together, riding the positive train all the way to my first Ironman finish line.

December 13 Prompt

Author: Scott Belsky
Making Ideas Happen
@scottbelsky

Prompt: Action. When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step?

My next step is forward. That is where it always is. Even if forward is a small step. Size is relative to the goal at hand.

December 14 Prompt

Author: Victoria Klein
27 Things to Know About Yoga
@victoriaklein

Prompt: Appreciate. What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it?

I appreciate my body. Fully and completely, especially after all that it has done for me this year. This has been one of the most successful years of endurance racing I’ve ever had. And I credit my body (and of course, my mind) to that. I liken my body to an amazing machine. It does what I will it to. And I reward it accordingly. It is a beautiful cycle. I can’t wait to start it again as I toe the line for another round of Ironman training.

I express gratitude to my body by giving it rest and recovery time. When my body delivers whatever crazy task that I want, I respond accordingly and give it the rest it deserves. I get massage on a regular basis. I do yoga to help myself recover. I often stop in the middle of a race and marvel at what I am getting my body to do. This is a regular practice for me. It is so wonderful.

December 4 Prompt
Author: Jeff Davis
The Journey from the Center to the Page
@JeffreyDavis108

Prompt: Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year?

As a poet, an artist, and a very sprightly person inside, I feel that every day I cultivate and marvel at the wonders around me. I am very detail oriented and observant, and I find wonder in the details of daily life. Sometimes those around me find it funny, but I let that roll off of me like water on a duck’s back. I find wonder in the small, black fuzzy caterpillar that was walking across the sidewalk this morning as I walked my dog. I found wonder when I was running my last marathon next to a mom of 3 and her child yelled out “Go Mommy Go!” I constantly find wonder and curiosity among the people around me. About their lives, their passions, what drives them and makes them tick. I think that every day, every second is wonderful.

December 5 Prompt
Author: Alice Bradley
Let’s Panic About Babies
@finslippy

Prompt: Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?

I let go of the need to be perfect. I can make mistakes and still be amazing. Embracing mistakes and moving up and forward from them is what truly matters. Understanding that no one else is perfect is very hard to embrace for me as well. It is not about perfection, it is about being. So this year I let go of the need to hold onto perfection. Let poems go because they are never going to be “perfect” they are what they are, they will just BE. Let people go because they are never going to be perfect, either. Or hold on to them because they are never going to be perfect and in that imperfection they are beautiful, unique, and infinitely fascinating.

December 6 Prompt
Author: Gretchen Rubin
The Happiness Project
@gretchenrubin

Prompt: Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

I made whole wheat pasta from scratch last night. Before that, I made a small birthday card for my partner. The whole wheat pasta was a joy to make. I used the cruisenart for the two eggs and several cups of wheat flour, and then moved the dough to a glass cutting board to knead it. I then used my Italian Imperia pasta roller and rolled out the dough, piece by piece into flat, long, brownness. It only took me an hour and the noodles turned out beautifully. My partner made a red sauce with basil, chicken and a white wine reduction. It was a delightful meal and it really cheered me up. Making things always cheers me up, no matter what. Baking, especially. Tonight I may make cupcakes for my special love’s birthday celebration. I need to clear some time this evening to make them and frost them, and then I will load them into a special cupcake box that I have on hand. I’m excited to make these!

December 7 Prompt

Author: Cali Harris
caligater.com
@caligater

Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

The community that I currently am completely smitten with is the 43things community. I love the people here and I feel so supported by them. Without judgment they cheer me on as I move through my daily life and work at my daily, yearly, and monthly goals. It is a beautiful relationship. The community I would like to join and more deeply connect with is the artist community of Austin as well as the MCC community. I think both will help me grow and feel supported in these other avenues of my life.

December 8 Prompt

Author: Karen Walrond
The Beauty of Different
@chookooloonks

Prompt: Beautifully different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

The most poignant and obvious different thing about me is my appearance. At birth, I only had one nostril and the other one had to be constructed with surgery. My entire life I feel like my nose has been the elephant crowding the room whenever I’m meeting people for the first time. I’ve adapted to this by either simply ignoring it (which other people tend to do, too) or by acknowledging it forthright. With children, I find the need to recognize it forthright is very apparent. With adults, it is different. Adults like to ignore differences, strangeness. I think some people are scared when they see me, though my nose is far from scary. It just looks a little bit different. I like it; I’ve grown to love it. I hated it ever since I was little, but as this beautiful prompt states, I know that the way that I look has colored my perspective on the world and my experiences in it in a very power way, and it is that perspective and my incredible experiences that make me the incredibly beautiful person I am today. Cheers to that!

December 9 Prompt

Author: Shauna Reid
The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl
@shauna

Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

I have to say my birthday party which my partner planned for me was the gathering of the year. We did a beer tasting from around the world. I had just finished my first Ironman, so it was also a kind of post-Ironman celebration as well. Almost every single one of my closest friends was able to make it. My partner planning this was the biggest gift she could have given me. She purchased all of the beer from Spec’s and I found a few new favorites from the tasting. I liked the fact that the goal of the party wasn’t to get smashed, it was to enjoy beers from around the world and pretend you were in that sector of the world when you drank you little bit. Studying and experiencing the taste in a wine-tasting like way. I think this will be an annual party for me, even if it’s not my birthday. I loved the atmosphere. My friends all brought food and the spread was incredible. I love my people. I wore 2 different dresses because my first dress got beer spilled on it by my good buddy J. We were sitting on the couch probably too close to one another and he got up suddenly to get something and his beer knocked my elbow and wam, I had beer all over me. He and his wife brought a delicious strawberry crème cake from Central Market. It was decadent. JP made delicious deep chocolate cookies. K made prosciutto-wrapped apples to complement certain beers. My dear R made my favorite hummus and I believe she brought bread. JO brought her mom and that was super fun as well! The entire night was just heaven for me, as I was still riding the wave from the Ironman accomplishment and all of my friends were suddenly around me, supporting me, celebrating me, and loving me in this very real way. Loving me by spending time with me. It was really special to me that JP came even after her 70 mile ride that afternoon. She came sweaty and I love her for it. It was the fact that she was there and made it a point to come that stuck with me. My friend Cola brought delicious cheesy potatoes that were loved by all. She flitted between guests and though she doesn’t like beer, she tried a few with me and joked about my love of the foamy stuff. The sun shone beautifully through our front porch as people sat outside and inside. The weather was delightfully warm but not too hot and people stayed late into the evening though it was an afternoon party. I loved that the front door was always open, and Murphy (my dog) was running back and forth having a ball getting all the loving from happy people. K’s dog caused some trouble by knocking over guests, but it was all in the boisterousness of the party and so it was acceptable. There was no separation between outside and inside. It was precisely my kind of party.

December 3 Prompt

Author: Ali Edwards
Memory Keeping Idea Books
@aliedwards

Prompt: Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

I felt most alive after I crossed the finish line of my most recent marathon in Fort Worth. My partner was standing there, she took a photo of me as I crossed and had the camera up in the way so that I we couldn’t hug immediately but soon put it down so we could hug. I walked ahead toward my parents and hugged them, my vision was blurry I was so tired, I kept looking at my watch. Then the countdown timer I had put on my watch went off and I laughed with satisfaction, I had beat the countdown to my goal by 5 minutes. I drank water, ate donuts, walked around. The grass of the finish line where the finish party was staged was so green. It was bright green. The sun felt warm and pleasant over my goosebump covered body. I sat in the grass waiting for a massage, drinking chalky muscle milk. I looked up at the sky, the blue of it was so vivid and overwhelming. Tears came to my eyes, I was so thrilled with my accomplishment.

December 2 Prompt

Author: Leo Babauta
focusmanifesto.com
@zen_habits

Prompt: Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing—and can you eliminate it?

Reverb10.com

ANSWER: This is hard to think about, because I often do things that don’t contribute to my writing. I watch movies, I go to work, I read books. I suppose the movies and the books could contribute to my writing, but the work that I do when it comes down to it really doesn’t inspire my writing or promote it in any way. I do SOME writing, but it is MARKETING writing, which is different than the kind of writing I want to do. Can I eliminate work? No, I’m not at that place in my life right now. I’ll revert to the five year plan here and say that perhaps in five years I may be able to do that.

December 1 One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?
(Author: Gwen Bell)

One word for 2010: find

One word for 2011: realize

You can start signing up on November 23. Check it out: http://www.reverb10.com/participate/

WRITTEN BY GWEN BELL:

“Welcome to #Reverb10

Reverb 10 is an annual event and online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. The end of the year is an opportunity to reflect on what’s happened, and to send out reverberations for the year ahead. With Reverb 10, we’ll do both.

This December we invite you to share your story and join us in reflection.

http://www.reverb10.com/participate/

How to participate

Prompt Starting December 1, check in here for daily creative prompts (some of which will be from published authors). You can also subscribe for complimentary inbox delivery, and watch for updates on Twitter.

Create Respond to the prompt. In a post on your blog, through a tweet, with photography, or however else you desire.

Share Participate and share your reverberations using the #reverb10 hashtag (on Twitter, Delicious or Flickr). Learn from the reverberations of fellow participants.”