Bonjour! Finally got around to the French MeetUp group this month. AND a bunch of other stuff — like reading (see some of my favs in 2014 here). Feeling good about my #40before41 list and ready for 2015. But before that ... here's the song that I've been playing the most in my house this month. Love, love, love.

Wishing each of you a happy and healthy holiday season.

• 40 Before 41 •

Done!

• Develop a new website for my blog — Do you like? • Have a tarot reading done — A friend read the cards for me on my birthday. They indicated a lot of challenge over the next year, but lots of potential success too. She offered to read my cards again for my half birthday, and then she had to take her daughter to urgent care to have a bead removed from her nose. The things you never consider when you don't have kids! We're setting a date to do a new year reading. • Find more opportunities to dance — Still trying to tap dance regularly at Ormao (the evening changed so it's gotten a little harder, but now they've added a second class so we'll see if that helps) - made some new friends through it, which I wasn't expecting. Also still line dancing every Sunday. • Visit a hot springs in Colorado — I visited Mount Princeton Hot Springs in Buena Vista, Colorado, with my dear friend Jessica. It rained as we sat in the pools and it was a lovely, sensory experience. • See my byline in a national magazine — Woot! This happened! I've got a story in the Sept./Oct. 2014 issue of Spirituality & Health magazine. Find it here. I'm also working with ZOZI.com on some travel pieces which is super exciting. • Climb Pikes Peak — My #CouchTo14er is complete. This was the biggie on my list. • Take a trip with a girlfriend — Not only did Amber climb Pikes Peak with me, but she and I travelled to Breckenridge for a training hike weekend, which was loads of fun. I am still hoping to take at least one more trip with a girlfriend who I don't see regularly. • Skinny dip — Ahem. Done. And I have photos to prove it. Whether or not anyone else will get to them remains to be seen. Lol. • Learn to make ginger beer — Haven't tried it on my own yet. I figure it's a good middle of winter thing to attempt. • Plant and grow something edible outside — One tomato plant, chard, basil, baby lettuce and mint made it into the pots. I feel like the herbs succeeded, the rest, not so much. • Intentionally play music in the house every day — This has been awesome actually. Somehow it makes the house feel more like a home. • Continue to reduce my wardrobe, a la Project 333 — This was my biggie for October. I joined in on the #33in33 challenge, and you can read more about my journey here, here and here. • Take French language lessons — Attended the French MeetUp group this month with a friend! Left after an hour because we were both exhausted. Otherwise it was good and we hope to keep going and/or start a small group of our own.

In Progress

• Yoga and meditation, daily — I've made it to the mat almost every day for a few weeks now. Settling into that. • Blog at least twice a week — This has been a main focus for me and I'm getting on there two to three times a week. I'm starting to look at blogging as a practice in itself. • Read at least 52 books — Still ahead of schedule. Thirty-eight books down, six in progress. I'm still trying to focus on finishing books I've started and set aside lately. I'm also listening to audio books more. It's a great way to "read" and clean or drive or do laundry. • Send a snail mail letter/card/postcard/gift once a month — On track. • Journal at least weekly — This is so not happening. I think I like the idea of journalling more than the act itself. • Invest in a week’s worth of matching bras and panties (foundations matter!) — Six new sets purchased. Lots of lace. • Participate in a stage show (play, musical, etc.) as cast or crew — I'm in conversation now about possibly assistant-stage-managing a play. More to come in January! • Play paintball — Eight friends recruited! Tickets purchased. Setting a January date. • Facilitate and participate in at least one improv writing session a month — This has trailed off... Hoping to get back on track soon. • Build a terrarium — Haven't built a full terrarium, but I do now have a mini hanging terrarium with rocks and an air plant. • Learn to bake French macarons — Looking for classes, have one potential option. • Plan my next trip to France — I've been chit-chatting and plotting and planning with my British friend Tamsin, owner of the Little French Retreat, about this ... • Make new connections with at least three bloggers I respect — In progress! • Figure out my signature style — This is happening as part of #Project333 and thanks to Pinterest. • Take classes on how to use all the buttons on my DSLR — I've worked out a trade agreement with a photographer friend. I'm going to do some editing work for him and he's going to train me in my camera. Looking to make this a bigger part of my life in 2015. • Have at least one item of clothing tailored to fit — I've decided on jeans. And I'm currently saving to buy a premium pair. • Get will and living will in order — I've found a lawyer. Now, to make the call. • Visit Ojo Caliente — The hubs and I have been talking about doing this for our anniversary. Yip! • Find the perfect red lipstick (and wear it) AND Get make-up tips from a pro — I found a friend who wants to do this with me. On tap for early 2015. • Take performance driving lessons — Super duper excited because I might be able to pitch this as a story and make it happen in early 2015. • Give generously what I want to receive — I'm learning that this means to others and to myself. I have to treat myself well for optimum functioning, physically and mentally. It's a life-long WIP, really. • Show up (my 2014 “one-word” soul mantra) — I kinda think all of this is about showing up. Right?

Ahead of Me Still

• Add a piece of original art to my collection • Stay up once all night until sunrise • Perform at a poetry slam/open mic

And ... the Not Gonna Happen This Year List

• Attend the Santa Fe Opera — Unfortunately, I didn't jump on this, and it looks like I won't be able to attend until next summer, after my birthday. Kinda sad about that, but perhaps if I ask for tickets FOR my birthday that will count?

What have you been up to lately? Let me know in the comments!

As I trimmed my Christmas tree last night, I was contemplating the rituals we keep, in particular the ones we keep around the winter holidays.

Whether it's lighting candles on a menorah — Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate! — sitting down at mom and dad's dining room table to a traditional meal of turkey or tofurkey or lasagne, or hanging stockings over a fireplace, all of these activities are, at their heart, rituals.

A few years back, I didn't put up a tree. I didn't put a wreath on my front door. I didn't glow out the house with sparkling white lights. I was stuck in a depression and wanting little more than to curl up in bed between the comforter and the plaid flannel sheets and read. What I realized, after the fact, was that I truly missed the annual process (which only made me more depressed — fancy that).

I missed the physical action of going through my ornaments and selecting the ones I would tuck carefully among the branches.

I missed the flood of memories of my grandparents, and my cats, and my childhood that comes along with the ornament hanging.

I missed sitting on the couch and spending time just gazing at the tree, while our orange tabby Tai would try to drink the bowl water, play with the shiny red balls and lounge on my grandmother's hand-sewn tree skirt.

I even missed the excuses I'd make for not having yet taken the tree down come mid-to-late January.

It would be another year before I'd get to revisit my tree, my lights, my stockings. And that next year I was determined that I wasn't going to miss out.

We each construct rituals in our own way, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not, and they don't look the same for anyone. (Thanksgiving dinner without canned cranberry sauce? Horrors!) Rituals form over time and with a certain amount of intention. But they don't have to just happen at the holidays.

I think what I want to challenge myself to do this coming year is bring the spirit of ritual more into my every day life.

Strike a match. Light a candle. Sit quietly for a moment.

Hug my dog. Look her in the eyes. Tell her I love her.

Use the same bowl for every meal. Eat that meal at a table, instead of in front of the television. Relish the flavors.

It's easy to relegate ritual to the holidays. And it's just as easy to discount it when something goes not quite right. It's less easy to bring a sense of attention and commitment to our daily lives.

It's a living practice. Practice with me?