As part of my annual new year inventory, I've decided (after months of being a terrible blogging slacker) that I need to incorporate themes into my posting days.

Participating in Patty Wysong's meme a2z4u&me last year not only brought me into contact with an entirely different community of wonderful writers, it made me realize that SOTP (seat of the pants) blogging is not the best way to go about having a blog. Perhaps, at some point, this will carry over into my fiction writing, where SOTP continues to win, hands down, over plotting, but for now, I'll work on the planned blogging.

At this point, going with the things that are most often "on my heart" (whatever that means) to write about, I think Mondays will be devoted to Mental Health at Mid-Life, because that covers a huge variety of topics... empty-nest syndrome, perimenopause, enduring the teen years, marriage at mid-life, body image at mid-life, becoming a grandma, etc. Good things, challenging things, and s*** we simply have to put up with, like it or not.

I work Wednesdays at the newspaper office. It's our production day, which makes responding to comments difficult. Therefore, Wednesdays need to be set aside for posts that don't require much response. I suppose that's why so many bloggers do "wordless Wednesdays," but since I'm a word-person, I think Wednesdays may become the day I set aside for promoting OTHER people's words, whether Bible verses or famous quotes or books or blogs worthy of sharing.

Fridays... Because I don't work a full-time day job, and because my kids are mostly grown, Fridays have lately become an experience fraught with boredom, loneliness, and a bad case of "I wish I was doing something." Therefore, I hereby declare Fridays to be FREE FRIDAY. In other words, Friday could be a craft project (yes, those are on my list of things to do in the new year) or a freakishly fun activity (like 'how to go to a movie alone and still have a good time) or a quasi-political rant or some opinion I just can't keep to myself...

There you have it, dear readers, the plan for 2012. At least right now. It could change. I hope you'll join me, and invite others along for the ride.

Thank you for reading, for following, for commenting, for reminding me that I am not just talking to a volleyball named Wilson whenever I post something. You are appreciated, and I pray that the words you find here will encourage, inspire, enlighten and bring you joy and peace!