Welcome to 2019! Twenty Years Ago We Were Partying Like It Was 1999. Geesh. Phew!

It's year #12 for blogging and year #27 since I've been journaling every day. My first post each year is rather light (and I will admit  that I made it almost...ALMOST...to 11 p.m.). It's not that I don't want to see the ball drop, it's just that by the time I reach this holiday, I'm simply exhausted. The transition of years is more a location of reflection and realigning of where I want to be.

I've always said that my favorite year of teaching was to young people in their junior year, simply because there was an intellectual blooming that occurred, mostly because the students went into a chrysalis of self-reflection and understanding. I thought that might be a perfect theme for 2019, as I'm in need of wrapping myself in a tight space for a while to figure out what it is I want to concentrate on next. 2018 was phenomenal to me, as all the years usually are, but I'm ready to embrace a new set of wings and want to do some writing, introspection, and realigning in the days to come to figure out where it is I want to go and be next.

Happy New Year, Everyone! I hope your 2018 was spectacular and that you have tremendous promise ahead for the next 365 days. I leave you with the montage from the year that once was and begin today collecting photos and memories for 2019.

Love to you, your friends, your family and your hopes. I'm optimistic that it's going to be just fine - that is my one hope for us all.