Happy Birthday, Blog!

Yep, my blog is a year old!

Let's see how I did with 2014's resolutions:

• Read some books. Check! In fact, I read the entire Discworld series last year, as well as several other books. Goodreads says I've read 77, I think, but I know I read more than that, because I was rereading most of the Discworld novels. So, yep, read some books.
• Drink some coffee. Check! I not only drank coffee, but got a new coffeemaker that is beyond wonderful, and now I'm drinking better coffee than ever!
• Spend plenty of time on social media. Check! I don't know how much time I spent on social media, but it was definitely plenty! 

Alrighty, then! Congratulations to me - job well done. 

This year was the first year we split up Swicky and Coconut's birthdays. Swicky was born on New Year's Eve; Coconut on New Year's Day. So, we have been celebrating both birthdays on one day. This year, Swicky had the entire day of New Year's Eve as her special day - she got to choose a chair to be her special chair and paint it pink; she only had to eat what she wanted to eat (she's not big on fruits and veggies); she had pink Hello Kitty cupcakes and got a new phone, a necklace, and a tabletop hockey game as presents. Then, we stayed up to see the ball drop. Today, it's all been about Coconut - he's not interested in much beyond playing on the computer, so he's mostly just doing that, so far. Tonight, he got a special dinner at his favorite place (he's obsessed with Taco Bell) and camo cupcakes. His presents were a new phone, camo dog tags, and a tabletop pool game. 

Good news - it doesn't appear my finger was actually broken! It was pretty badly hurt, though, and it's still bruised. It also feels like the first joint is...squished.  I don't know how to describe it. It moves fine, it just feels weird. Also over the last couple weeks, I've learned to crochet and developed a new appreciation for audiobooks! They're very nice while crocheting, so I can enjoy a story and keep my eyes on my stitches. 

Okay, 2015 Resolutions. In keeping with tradition (at least, what I've done for the last ten years or so), I'll only set "goals" for things I'm going to do anyway. Here goes:

• Read books. I think, this year, I'll try to read a series in a genre I don't read often. Maybe Cozy Mysteries. That sounds nice. In any event, I'll try to read 100 books this year.
• Spend time with my family. I mean, I see them every day, so that should be doable.
• Play some D&D. My group usually meets once a week, so I'm sure we'll get at least a couple games in over the next 52 weeks.
• Crochet some stuff. I'm already halfway through a scarf for Coconut - look how proactive I am on meeting my New Year's goals!

Links!

• Libraries, Books, & Authors
• A Closeup Look at Free for All: Inside the Public Library "When documentary filmmakers Lucie Faulknor and Dawn Logsdon were evacuated to Baton Rouge, LA, from their home in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, they were struck by the essential role played by the public library in the days following the disaster."
• Before The Internet, Librarians Would 'Answer Everything' — And Still Do 
• Why connecting and talking about books on social media is so cool 
• The New Wave of Graphic Novels 
• A heart-warming twist in the tale of the books industry  "New research shows that the book-buying universe – both digital and printed – is expanding, not contracting"
• Net & Tech
• The rise of the anti-facial recognition movement 
• How Smartphone Use Is Changing The Way Thumbs and Brains Communicate 
• Science
• What We've Learned From Science This Year 2014 was a good year for science! 
• International
• Thailand's Political Crisis Could Hinge on Who's in the Palace