New Year, not sure about the goals

Where Fleur has 2025 goals but leaves room for the dreams on the branches.

A few months ago, I was lucky enough to spend a few weeks visiting my oldest daughter in San Diego. It’s no secret how much I love California and my daughter (not in that order), so I had the best time. The beach, the wine, the food… It’s nice over there.

I loved Balboa Park, a conglomerate of museums in a gianormous park in case you’re not familiar—honestly, I’d like to live in Balboa Park if I could. It’s all the best stuff on Fleur’s list: culture, nature, and a chill vibe that makes me slow down a little. And on my last visit, I found the most beautiful fig tree.

I tried to photograph it, but no matter how I tried, I couldn’t get the thing to fit in the frame. Now, I’m not the best photographer in the world. I’m not the worst either, but I definitely rank near the bottom. It’s okay. I’m at peace with that.

Still, this fig tree in Balboa Park gave me a run for my money… I backed up, tried another angle… Then just sat on a bench and admired the tree—which is probably what I should’ve done all along. And this amazing tree made me realize that sometimes the thing you’re trying to capture is just too big to fit neatly in a frame. Which, as a writer, I thought was a beautiful metaphor.

Sometimes, your feelings are too big to fit in a frame. Sometimes, it’s figuring out what you want to accomplish. As I sat down to decide my goals for 2025, I felt the same as I did when I tried to photograph this enormous and beautiful fig tree.

I couldn’t get it all in the frame.

Some of my goals are straightforward, like finishing the MG mystery I’m working on and that non-fiction writing craft book. I know I’d like to write more short stories.

But I also feel like it’s time to stretch my goals and myself. To do the things that seem kind of scary. However, I don’t know what that’s going to look like, right now. Just like that fig tree, what I want doesn’t fit neatly in a frame.

Not to worry—I still made a list of goals. But I’m also leaving room for the dreams that might be on the tree’s branches. I feel like there’s cool stuff there I just can’t see yet.

How about you? What do you want for 2025? Was there a time you stretched outside the frame?

What I’m Writing

I’m finishing a final (?) edit of my MG mystery, which will then have to go to the submission process. Godspeed, sweet book.

I’ve decided to focus on one thing at a time, so that’s it. I’d really like to complete this manuscript in the next few weeks.

What I’m Reading

I just finished reading Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe. Very entertaining and a sweet story in the end. I wasn’t familiar with the author and will have to check out their other books.

I also read The Year of Less by Cait Flanders again. Still good, though I find myself wanting to rebel when there are so many rules. Maybe an adapted version of this idea will work for me in 2025…

What I’m Watching

I’m watching NCIS Hawai’i, initially mostly for the setting. But I’m kinda hooked now and love how the women kick butt in this show. And gods help me, there’s a whole bunch of NCIS shows and spinoffs and seasons, so I’ll see y’all in the spring.

Where I’m Going

For the moment, I’m still just planning 2025. But I’ll be going to New York at the end of January; I’ve never been, so I’m excited. If you hear of a gawky redheaded tourist roaming the city and eating all the food, that’ll be me.

Your Weekly Floof

It’s very cold here in Colorado, so anytime someone has a blanket, Floof is ready to sit on their lap. She’d like everyone to know that this is only so long as it’s cold.