I’m officially a year older today. There’s nothing like having your birthday on New Year’s Eve to make a person reflective. Sort of a double whammy.

So, for 2004, I must say–to mutilate Dickens–it was the best and worst of times. I visited San Francisco and sold my second novel and hosted a novelist workshop and went “home” to Kansas City thrice and lost my dad and spoke in Indianapolis and started two blogs, and, well, there’s more, but enough about me. Three of my best friends had babies and two of them got married. My husband finished his second novel, which will come out next year. The house has more furniture. I found my share of heroes and faced a few dragons–some slain and others befriended. The new president is the old president, and half a world a way, it must feel like the apocalypse. God is (particularly) in vogue, reality TV is (thankfully) fading, and it never fails to amaze me, the generosity and perseverance of the human spirit.

For 2005, my resolution is to show more kindness.

P.S. Author Uma Krishnaswami listed a number of books to look for in 2005. Very classy.

P.S. Watched “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” on DVD, which was pretty much what I’d expected. It sort of does and doesn’t work in the same way that “Legally Blond 2: Red, White, and Blonde” does and doesn’t work. Also finally saw the last half of the last season of “Sex And The City,” which I found especially enchanting in light of the fact that Carrie and Alex’s hotel room was at the George V. Can’t believe even Alex didn’t make time for the restaurant. One of the many reasons Big was the better choice!