Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Cupcake Years

Those of you who know me know that I am many things- a devoted daughter, a raucous story-teller, and among other things a lazy procrastanator who lacks follow-through. This year, instead of making the same old New Year's resolutions, I was inspired by Kari over at the Cupake Show to make a list of 106 small things I could maybe actually do to change my life this year. Of course, I haven't finished the list yet. Haven't started it really, but I started it in my head. Thus, instead of "lose weight" I have items like "think before you eat", "take a dance class", and "take a yoga class" on my agenda this year.

Another perennial resolution is "get serious about writing". So this year I am setting smaller goals like "take a writing course", "submit a personal essay for publication", "finish a children's book manuscript", etc... So I was browsing for courses on the Media Bistro website and I found a great class called "Basic Training: Intro to Writing for NYC Magazines and Newspapers" that runs for just five weeks. I decided to apply thinking this was a good first step. I knew the class would be small and they couldn't take everyone who applied. In fact, the last time I applied for anything over at Media Bistro, I was rejected, so this felt pretty safe, as in, okay, I'll apply but there's a good chance I won't actually have to pay this money and then actually be disciplined about my writing. Of course, after I decided to apply, I still had to actually apply, which took another week and a half. A smart move on my part was telling G4 about this. He said he would set a deadline for me to apply, remind me, and be very strict with me. Basically, if you want something done in life, appoint a German taskmaster to get on your back.

With G4's prompting, I applied for the class. That made me feel good. Okay, onto the next project to not follow through with .... But today, I got an email that I had been accepted to the class, and I needed to officially register (and pay) and get ready for the class. I was ... surprised and am thinking, hmm, maybe no one else applied? I mean, I didn't really have a current work sample to submit (optional for this beginner level of class) but I did reference this blog. MediaBistro, did you actually read this blog? Surely no one who reads this could think there was any hope for me. But, what the hell, I'll take your pity vote MB. The instructor is a widely published author with two successful memoirs out who comes recomended, so I'm excited. And terrified. Oh God. I'll actually have to sit down and write now. And then put my work up for critique. And then following through with submitting my work for publication opening up all sorts of avenues for potential rejection. Well, it's been a while since I faced the potential for many and varried "rejection" thwacks upon the forehead (ever since I kinda cooled it with dating) so I guess it's time to re-enter the public square and lay myself bare for the pigeons to crap on. But be warned, I'm taking you all with me.