Final week of rest

On the 22nd, school resumes. That means I have one more week of sloth.

I woke up this morning to find Tina curled into the crook of my knees. We've shared many hours of bed rest over the past month. So many hours, in fact, that my brother Vinnie suggested I might have a future working for Lebeda — the mattress company.

Something to keep in mind if journalism doesn't pan out.

The celebration continues

While the holidays are over, the break is not. I'm still in Iowa, and my family still has reason to celebrate. My brother Vinnie turned 20 this week. We found that cause to travel to Iowa City for a late lunch with Catarina and J.J.

The following day, and his actual birthday, we celebrated with Claire and other friends in Cedar Falls.

All the Stigliani children have passed through their teenaged years and I'm excited to see what comes next.

Past and future

With less than 48 hours left in 2012, I'm thinking back on all that has happened this year.

I committed myself to blogging regularly. This will be my 45th post.

I wanted to do more creative writing. I started a writing group in the spring and we continued to meet throughout the fall semester.

I hoped to work more with my hands. I knit six pairs of socks and participated in a weaving class where I made a table runner.

I wanted to publish some of my writing from fall semester. The St. Louis Beacon picked up an investigative story I wrote and asked for a followup.

Of course there have been less successful moments, but I am content.

In the coming year, I want to become a typewriter aficionado. (My mother gave me a vintage Smith Corona for Christmas.) And I hope to find a place that will be home for a while.

Best wishes for 2013 to all those who follow my blog as well as those who don't.

Christmas on crutches

I've finished a six-day editing stint at the newspaper, driven home to Iowa in slippery post-snowstorm conditions, undergone foot surgery and celebrated Christmas—all in the past week. 

The fact that I'm on crutches has forced me to slow down, and I'm learning to embrace it. 

I've left family photographer duties to Marisa.
She captured me in my new state of stasis.

On editing

I've finished day two of a six-day editing stint at the newspaper. I don't feel much like writing, or doing anything other than lying in bed and watching a movie. It's been a strange two days with lots of sad news—the Connecticut school shooting, car accidents and assaults—coming across my desk.

I am longing for simpler times and songs from my childhood.

Call me Martha

I finished my final final exam and was ready to celebrate the holidays. I spent the day antique shopping with Claire and two of our friends and baking cookies for my reporters and one of Claire's classes.

Double-chocolate-pecan crinkles and cranberry-orange macaroons

The sun shines on me

There's a week of classes left in the semester and I just wrapped up some final edits on a story I've been writing for the past four months. It's December 2. The sun is shining and it's 66 degrees. Life couldn't feel better.