No Rest for the Wicked

You know the cliche, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions?" It describes my experience with keeping this blog updated: No matter how many times I add "update blog" to my to-do list, other things crop up and I never get around to it.

The New Year is off to a great start. I'm working on some interesting assignments, I've gotten work with new magazines and new editors and I'm in the midst of several time-consuming (but rewarding) volunteer projects.

I'll be in NY in April for the 2008 ASJA conference. It'll be my fifth year at the conference and I've always gotten a lot out of it, personally and professionally. This year, I decided to take a more active role - and before I knew it, my involvement was, er, quite involved.

I started with one small project - coordinating editor goodie bags - and grew from there. All of a sudden, I'd committed to moderating a panel (Environmental Journalism: Writing Green) and overseeing editor/agent sign up for Personal Pitch sessions - a task that involves securing participation from editors of national magazines and huge publishing houses to meet with ASJA members for mini pitch sessions (it's the writer's equivalent of speed dating). I'm working with a co-chair and together we have to fill a whopping 2,256 nine-minute slots! Needless to say, I have my hands full.

I submitted a book proposal earlier this week. While I'm waiting (with fingers crossed) to hear back, I'm working on articles for Parenting, Shape, Arthritis Today, Backpacker, Natural Solutions, Rotarian and Charlotte Magazine. Keep your eyes peeled for my byline in upcoming issues.

One of the biggest challenges I'm taking on for 2008 is Hike for Discovery. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society runs the program which brings hiking enthusiasts together raise money - and awareness - to help people dealing with blood cancers. There are weekly training hikes (starting next month) culminating with a hike at the Grand Canyon in May.

The dogs are racing around the house which can only mean one thing: it's time to start the weekend - and in our house that means bundling up and going for a long walk before settling in with a movie...