It isn’t always easy to condense your answers down to one word. I took this challenge because a dear friend, Andrew Butters from Potato Chip Math, inspired me to do so. (Check out his site here.)  Here are the answers to 50 questions. Feel free to play along in the comments if you dare. Surprisingly, it’s not easy. Many times, I had to backspace and remind myself that I could only use one word. My habit of blathering on and on is a hard one to curtail.

1. Where is your cell phone? Charger

2. Your significant other?  Monster

3. Your hair? Simple

4. Your mother? Sweet

5. Your father? Clever

6. Your favorite? Fire

7. Your dream last night? Nothing

8. Your favorite drink? Tea

9. Your dream/goal? Cabin

10. What room you are in? Rec

11. Your hobby? Gardening

12. Your fear? Clowns

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Farm

14. Where were you last night? Movies

15. Something that you are not? Brave

16. Muffins? Bran

17. Wish list item? Safety

18. Where you grew up? St. Catharines

19. Last thing you did? Write

20. What are you wearing? Casual

21. Your TV? Off

22. Your pets? Cats

23. Friends? Delightful

24. Your life? Cravings

25. Your mood? Anticipation

26. Missing someone? Yes

27. First Car? Tank

28. Something you usually wear but aren’t? Fitbit

29. Your favorite store? Amazon

30. Your favorite color? Grey

33. When is the last time you laughed? Always

34. Last time you cried? November

35. Preferred flavor of gum? Cinnamon

36. One place that you go to over and over? Facebook

37. One person who emails you regularly? Publisher

38. Favorite place to eat (cheap)? Sunrise

39. Favorite place to eat (pricey)? Wineries

40. One goal in life? Success

41. Favorite movie? post-apocalypse

42. What is your worst habit? paranoia

43. Desired superpower? Telekinesis

44. Your favorite food? potatoes

45. Favorite Band/Musician? Vivaldi

46. Favorite veggie/fruit? Spinach

47. Your driving style? Careful

48. What is special in your bedroom? weaponry

49. Own or rent? Own

50. Who will comment on this? Nobody

2015 was a bumpy road for me, my lovelies. Between my surgery, and stumbling blocks post-recovery with food issues, and an osteoarthritis diagnosis (knees, ankles, and knuckles, so far) and trying my best to support my daughter through her ongoing mental health struggles, I made some bad choices. There were forks in the road, and I took the path that seemed most comfortable. When the forks were on the table, you better believe I stuck them in the potatoes. I tried to baby myself. I looked for comfort in food, painkillers, and alcohol. I abused one of those things, and that thing was food.

2016 comes with a renewed desire to return to health. I’ve been a long-time yoga addict, but had let that slide. I want it back. I used to jog (that, thanks to the arthritis, might not come back any time soon, if ever.).  I’ve enjoyed healthy eating in the past, but I said “fuck it” and picked cake over fruit, and then had another piece, and another. But I enjoy vegetables, and it won’t kill me to eat properly, I know that. Food is an acceptable drug most of the time. Very few people will sit you down and say “Honey, I’m worried about you” and take the bag of Cool Ranch Doritos off your lap. In fact, the most well-meaning friends will bring you junk food when you’re blue, even when you say you feel sluggish and pudgy.

The funny thing is, I know how to eat well. The logic says “eat when you’re hungry and make good choices.” I’m so frustrated that I don’t just …do that. “I deserve a treat, don’t I?” becomes my daily lament.

What I deserve more, though, is to feel good in my skin. I’m not just talking about losing weight, though for me, that’s a big part of it. I need to get 20-25 pounds off in order to take the pressure off my knees and ankles. That will help with the pain. If my knees feel better, I may be able to distance-walk/jog again. I’ll certainly be able to do yoga more easily.

So! Yoga. Bellydancing. (Fun!) Weight loss. Maybe back to jogging (if possible, depending on what the docs recommend). And of course, returning to my 4 AM writing habit so that I can feel good about myself; I am only happy when I feel I’m accomplishing something, when I’m making progress, when I can see that word count build and build, and I’m happy with what I read back.

Was 2015 rough for you? I know most people don’t prefer to think of goals for the new year as “resolutions,” but I will call them that today, because I am making myself a promise. I vow to put my health back on the list of things that are important. If not now, when? I’m too young to feel this old, and I’m too old to waste time with shitty habits that only make my body feel worse. 2016, I make my health important again. What are your 2016 goals?

Lots of exciting news!

Firstly, I apologize for being missing for so long. Partly, I was working very hard. Partly, I was struggling with depression. I went on a medication vacation to try and jolt myself into a manic phase but it didn’t work. That doesn’t sound like a very intelligent idea, but at the time, it was an act of desperation. I’m slowly crawling back out of an emotional hole.

Secondly, we’ve got release days planned for the next Marnie Baranuik “Between the Files” short story, called Deadhead, and Wrath & Bones, the fourth full-length novel in the Marnie Baranuik Files. Deadhead will launch December 3, 2015. Wrath & Bones will be released December 17, 2015. There will be plenty of fun, and prizes, and shenanigans, including nudity* and chocolate. (*this is a fib) Cover art is almost done, and there will be cover reveals soon. Editing is coming along smoothly.

That’s all the news I have for now. Cheers!

Dear kitten: I see that you’re auditioning for the part of First Farm Cat, but if you’re going to bring me a mouse, you could at least finish killing it. This is the second one in as many days. No, I truly appreciate the sentiment; you think I’m a big, dumb, hairless cat who doesn’t know how to hunt, so you’re taking care of me. But if you want to take care of me, drag me home a Snickers bar or an Egg McMuffin or a world class chef. Is that so hard a concept? People food, or people to make me people food. I don’t need a broken, twitching mouse trying to belly-crawl under my desk like a wounded solider on the beach in Saving Private Ryan. I didn’t even have socks on. It flapped at my toe.

And now, I must put a rodent out of its clear & obvious misery. That was not on my To Do list. I can’t leave it twitching, but I can’t bear to watch while I finish your job.
Sincerely, the grossed-out lady with the hammer and paper towel at 5:30 am.
Ps. Where the hell are its other two legs? If you buried them in the couch cushions or something, we’re going to have words, mommy to furface.