Word of 2015...STRETCH!!

I love New Years!  It's a time to look at who you are and decide who you want to be.  Every year I try to move a little closer to my ideal self.  And rather than New Year's resolutions, I've using a word of the year as a touchstone.  I've been using a word of the year for...well, years now!  It's nice to see that the trend is catching on!  Yep, that's me...a trendsetter!  LOL

I've had words like last years, Step as well as Optimism, Change, Awareness, Moment...

I pick a word, post it prominently on my desk and try to use it as a focus for the year.

I've been mulling 2015's word for a while now and hit upon it last night as I was drifting off to sleep.

Drumroll please.

The word is...STRETCH.  Like last year's Step, the word has both physical and mental applications.

Physically, I'm hoping to try to add a bit of yoga to my daily 10,000 step routine.  I'd like to become more limber and flexible.

I'd like to become more limber and flexible in my inner life as well!  I want to step out of my comfort range and try new things.  I want to expand my way of thinking and try to look at things from a new perspective.

Yes, I like the word Stretch!  It makes a great word to center my year around!

I think I'll need that limberness as I look at my year's schedule!  I've got three releases (Carry Her Heart in April, Her Second Chance Family in August, and The Way We Used to Be in November).  I've started scheduling speaking gigs...there's Ohio and NY so far.  I've got a lot of books to write for 2016.  And I have some family trips planned...a cruise and in the fall, my husband and I are meeting my best friend and her husband in Florida!  Yep, I think that a bit of limberness is in order!

How about you?  Do you have a word of the year??

Holly

I've arrived!!

I know I have a few more days before the end of my year, but as of today I've walked, 4,812,870 steps which equals 2,105.89 miles!  I've met my goal of 10,000 or more steps a day every day this year.

If I'd started walking west from my home in Erie, PA I'd have made Twin Falls, Idaho in time for Christmas! Now, I've never really been to Twin Falls, but I did a virtual tour...it looks lovely!

I've talked before about how much I enjoy walking—in the mornings I think about whatever book I'm working on, in the evenings I walk with my family and we visit.  Yes, I like walking.  But I've never walked as much as I have this year.  I've got a couple more days of 10,000 steps a day and then my goal has been met.  And yet...

And yet, I think I'll keep going.  Oh, maybe I'll miss a day or two, but 10,000 steps is doable most days.  I'll confess I feel better for it.  Plus, I've got a bunch of books to write, so I need that quiet time to work through those.  Yes, I'm going to be walking again this year!

I hope you all have a wonderful new year!

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And we're walking…Holly Jacobs' 2,000 Mile Walk! Chicago and Kearney!

Here we are on part three of my 2014 2,000 mile walk.  In case you missed the first segments of my walk, here's the 1st post and the Ohio post.   (Let me assure you I'm not really walking across the country, but according to my FitBit, I am on track for walking more than 2,000 miles, which would take me to Twin Falls, Idaho.)

So, on this portion of my walk, I'm walking through some of the beautiful small towns west of Ohio.  The first big city I reach is Chicago.

My friend Mary used to live in Erie, but moved there years back.  I miss her and I was thrilled to have a chance to stop and visit with her on my 'walk.'  

Hey, Mary!  It's so good to see you!  Any suggestions on things to see on my way through Chicago?  

"You should head for downtown and Michigan Avenue/State Street. Millennium Park has a beautiful sculpture named Cloudgate but the locals call it "The Bean". Don't miss Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park - stay after dark and see the light show. If you have time, rest your weary feet and take an Architecture Cruise. The city is full in interesting buildings that reflect it's history and a boat on the Chicago River is a great way to see it. The river is an engineering marvel as the civil engineers reversed its flow. Navy Pier gets lots of hype but it is our tourist trap. Lake cruses leave from there and can be fun but with limited time there are so many other more interesting things to see. And when you pass through let's make time for more than just a cup of coffee. let me take you out to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. No matter what time of year there is always something new to be discovered in this beautiful, peaceful place."

Sounds like my cyber visit will be busy…I'm so hoping to visit one day soon in real life.  I've been to the airport so far.  (And it is a very nice airport, btw!)  Thanks for the suggestions!   

                                                                                                                                               

"And I forgot one critical stop on your walk - the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza. Kids slide on it during the summer and the plaza always has something going on. I don't recommend walking through Chicago in winter, but the Christkindlmarket just opened there - a little taste of Germany for the holidays."

It was so nice to see Mary.  Now I'm heading to see another old friend…well old in the length of time I've known them, not in her age! LOL

Here I am in Kearney…it was a fun part of my trip because my friend and fellow writer, Pam Hanson, lives here.  And she's brought me a coffee! Thanks, Pam!  I know you moved here from West Virginia.  Can you tell me a bit about what you enjoy about Kearney?

Hall, You're most welcome. So glad you could stop to visit on your trip! Miss being closer to you when we lived in West Virginia. My family and I enjoy so many wonderful things about this small city located in the middle of Nebraska. One major highlight is The World Theatre, a revival house movie theatre locacted 'on the bricks’ in downtown Kearney. Here’s the Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/WorldTheatre.  There are local theatre companies, and many activities at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. My husband teaches there, my older son is a graduate and younger one enrolled now. Add in great parks with miles of walking and biking trails, excellent medical care (I am getting old!), top notch schools, and an awesome YMCA and you can see why I enjoy living here so much! And the people are

great!

Pam, It was great getting to see you in almost-person!  Pam writes with her mother, Barbara Andrews.  We all wrote for Duets and were part of the 100th volume of that line.  We set it in that very fictional town I spoke about in the Ohio post…Hiho, Ohio.  You'll be Mine in '99 and The 100 Year Itch.

Just a few more posts to go until I reach my 2,000 mile destination…Twin Falls, ID.  Thanks for taking this walk with me!


Holly

PS.  I plan to be doing a number of drawings for my newsletter subscribers in the coming months.  Just my way of saying thank you for the support.  Since I'm a fan of coffee…I thought I'd give away some coffee mugs so you can share a coffee with me!

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