Happy New Year!.. I know I'm late!

It has been a busy start to the new year. Christmas came and went, New Year's was a blip on the radar and then came my birthday (with a pretty AWESOME birthday weekend full of fun -- post to follow).

I had to go to work and I started going to the gym....and my beautifully handsome nephew was born!.......so, do you see where I'm going with this??

I'm giving you a laundry list of excuses as to why I have not posted anything since 2009.

I really thought that I would catch up on my reading this holiday season. I mean what else is there to do then to catch up on made-for-tv movies with your family and snuggle up with a good book by the Christmas tree....or Menorah, I don't discriminate ;)

Well I was WRONG! One day it was Dec 1st, I blinked and it was the 24th and I was scrambling looking for presents for my whole family (umm that's like 12 people right there). Either way, it was great spending quality time with my crazy family, playing board games, watching movies and eating way too much. But it did not leave a lot of time for some "relaxing reading" time.

However, now that I'm settled into my NEW apt in Astoria (oh yea! and I moved!), I have had some time to get used to my new (30 minute!!!!) commute and have been able to pick up my biblio-addiction again.

Therefore, I still hold my New Year's resolution to be true, I will try my hardest to write a post at least every other day and at least once a month of them will be about my wonderfully unique family.....I'm just starting my new year a little late.....due to.....the Mayan calendar??

And just so you aren't left wanting, I will tell you that I did manage to squeeze in a few reads, one I won't bore you with (Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler) and a few that I will --posts to follow-- which include:

My Life In France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme

The Secret of Everything by Barbara O'Neal

Hungry by Crystal Renn

"Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts." Author Unknown

I've only read two David Sedaris books: Me Talk Pretty One Day recommended by my sister and, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim recommended by a girl at my new job, who invited me to join her monthly book club. ( Yes, you read it right! I was invited to join a book club!) Both times I was quickly sucked in by Sedaris' self-deprecating wit and both times he re-kindled my interest on my own family stories.

When I read Sedaris, my immediate train of thought was: "Couldn't I also exploit my family's crazy quirks and hilariously unique anecdotes and get paid $$$$$$$$$$ to do so?"


So many times, after hanging out with any one of my many family members, I've opened up that blank word document, fingers poised on my ergonomic keyboard anxiously waiting for the words to flow. I sit there as the glowing screen taunts me, challenging me to write something reader-worthy. It is a staring contest that can go on for hours, until my eyes blur over and I am the first to blink, leaving my victory for another day.

Then I ask myself, does everyone think their family is worth writing about?

Why do only some share their stories with the world?

Is it just that some are writers and some are readers or is it actually that David Sedaris' life is more interesting than mine?

With two foreign parents and four older siblings (the youngest, only 8 years older than me), you'd think that my writing would be overflowing with exciting and embarrassing stories. But even if inspiration hits, as soon as I open up that word doc. my creativity shuts down and I am left staring in frustration; grasping at the disappearing wisps of revelation. But I will not lose faith.

Maybe I can put this on my list of New Year's resolutions for 2010. So far, I've got:

1. Write on my blog more often - if not everyday, at least every other day.

And now...

2. Write a least one story about one of my family members each month.

(Two working titles are: The Year of the Pineapples* and Brunch.)

Wish me luck!