New Year! New Goals! Real Life! Fresh Starts!

Wishing the Happiest New Year to EVERY Reader Here! 

True confession #1. I have just arisen from my Nyquil induced haze to realize that today is NOT the first of the month. Just goes to show what wins in a show-down between a full life, high expectations, an unexpected 'bug' and reality. 

My Cinderella impression {on Dayquil} Proof I was upright on the 31st

Truth be told I didn't even feel guilty yesterday. Yesterday I had NO awareness that January first follows Dec. 31st. My brain cells were apparently in that razor thin area between thinking straight and just nodding in and out of awareness between the commercial scenes for that aching, sniffling, running nose, aching, stuffy head, aching, aching and pounding head with aching caricature. Nothing exotic. Not-to-worry. Certainly not the full-fledged-flu. Just NO connection to the bigger picture, beyond my blankie.

I felt so bad, I had to wake up today to learn that my favorite under-dogs, "THE Ohio State Buckeyes" had reined supreme! Watching all of their footage from the saved recorded film, it still hadn't dawned on me: my duties here as editor-in-chief of the collaborative remained illusive as the Nyquil diffused. High noon and reality dawned. I missed my deadline! By OVER 24 hours! 

#HolyBloggingEggOnFace! 

True Confession #2: I just counted the number of articles contributed here during this past month of December and the grand total was NINE! I think it goes without saying that our collaboration here has lost energy steam direction visibility  determination  passion.

Listening to coach Nick Saban during the aftermath interviews following the Crimson Tide's unexpected defeat, he showed class and accepted responsibility for the upset loss. I too accept responsibility for the continuing decline in regularly published articles here. 

Something of a chicken-and-egg conundrum. When the quantity of articles declines our readership sags as well. I can assure you that the QUALITY of articles from those dedicated authors still writing here, continues to be stellar in every regard. For each and every one of them who prioritizes their contribution? I give a HUGE thanks! So glad that my Nyquil haze has not obliterating your continued contributions. 

True Confession #3: I have THROWN my heart and soul into this latest social networking phenom which is our weekly Twitter chat at #TeacherFriends. {Must have candid conversation with self as to how many plates can be spun successfully in how many different arenas, but that's for another day.} 

The truth about blogging? It's hard. And it is seriously hard to blog successfully over the l-o-n-g haul! What topic? Where's the interaction? Where's the stats and readership now that FB and even Pinterest have gone to pay-to-play status? Blogging is swimming up stream in terms of feedback. Twitter swims downstream with immediacy of interaction. By ALL means mark your calendar! There are some HUGE names on the horizon for the PreK+K Crowd! Take a look for yourself! 

By moderating our weekly Twitter chat I have INSTANT gratification! I am tweeting/speaking to real teachers in real time! There is something to be said for paragraphs vs. 140 characters at a time. For now? I'm going to have my cake and eat it, too! Continue with our weekly #TeacherFriends chat and see if I can resuscitate the collaborative. Lofty goals! Hey! It's a NEW Year [even if I slept through the first 36 hours of it.] Hit RESET! 

What does this NEW Year have in store for you? Are you able to get out of your "own way" and continue toward excellence in the face of little feedback? Frustration? A national stampede for increased academia in early childhood, when we ALL know that #playmatters! 

I am so excited that exactly two weeks from tonight I will have traveled from this eastern coast we call home to the annual CA PK1 conference, known for their focus on ARTS integration!!! I get to give a mini-keynote on Sunday, Jan 18th, following Dr. Jean as she leads off the morning for all involved! 

The whole three day event kicks off with a "Blogger Fiesta" where over a dozen of your favorite blogging celebrities will join together in one MEGA celebration -- with SWAG! You still have time to register, but HURRY! Hope to see you there! 

Enough about me. How can I support your January?

{click each picture below to go to the earlier article} 

Snowmen in a Ziplock Baggie Snow-Globe!