2013 to 2014: yay, Ritual & Nerdery!

see ya, blue 2013. hello, 2014 green!Welcome, welcome, 2014!

FINALLY I have some time to indulge in my favorite tasks of the new year -- a pox upon mid-week holidays! a blight upon no-time-off! 

Finally, it's time for New Year's Ritual & Nerdery!

First Up: 2013 Books

This afternoon I'll be shelving all of my books read in 2013, at least those that I didn't read on my Kindle or loan out. I like to do this process slowly, slowly, making piles by genre -- Fiction, Memoir, Science. I've got a subset of Historical Fiction this year, which makes me a smidge uneasy.  I'm cautious about creating book-ghettos, as much as I would like to sit and look at all the Sci-Fi titles in one place. Wouldn't that be great... Nerdery for another time!

Second: the changing of the notebook

I've got a nice set of annual notebooks on the shelf above my desk, one a year back to 2008.  I've written elsewhere about my *need* for a notebook -- it's really and truly the only reason I carry a purse at all, just to ensure that I have my notebook (and, ok, my pencil case, too).

After giving the ecosystem notebook a try last year, I'm delighted to be back to Moleskine, back to the familiar weight and golden hue of the paper, the reliable elastic, and this year's gorgeous green cover.

But first, before I can tuck the 2013 notebook in its new home, I'm still going through its pages, thinking about the year that was, what I learned, what I gained, and getting ready for what's next.

Oh yeah, and exporting, sorting and pasting in the list of books read last year, too, just to keep everything together in one handy-dandy reference. I do go back to these books periodically, to review notes from lectures attended or ideas for stories I've written down. They're my favorite encyclopedia. ;>

Best for last: the annual planning and theme-setting

For the second year in a row, I'm using Leonie Dawson's 2014 Create Your Amazing Year workbook, both the Life and the Biz editions. I've always done resolution-setting or goal-making or whatever you want to call it, and I like the playfulness of what Leonie offers.

And although I've already set my reading goal on goodreads (oh, how I love that site), I'm still considering my theme or word for 2014. I have a strong feeling about it, but want to see whether it survives the rigors of the planning process.

That's my favorite part, actually -- the theme. Last year's was Prosperity. This was the thing I wanted most, after two years of scraping by and suffering daily anxiety over our financial circumstances. It's the thing I craved in every aspect of my life, and don't you know that by December 31, I feel like we really got there. Of course, not everything's perfect, but it just feels like there's more of everything, not least of which money in the bank which is a HUGE load off my shoulders.

So the choice of the word, the theme, matters a lot to me. Stay tuned, friends. Once the Ritual & Nerdery is done, I'll know it for sure and share.

What are your practices around the New Year? Ritual & Nerdery of your own invention? Do share!

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