The new year arrives on a blanket of white

January arrived quietly here, and in its wake 5-7" of snow. It was as if mother nature -- who, like the rest of us, had been weary and distracted by the holidays -- suddenly remembered that it was winter and she should really get on that snow-thing she had promised us.

Safely tucked indoors, listening to the scrape and beep of the snow plow clearing the parking lot, I watched the tabby cat sit by the window and try to tap every snowflake that stuck to the outside of the glass.

I'm still in the process of wrapping up the old year, and thus I'm beginning the new one slowly. I have almost 30 more books from my 2011 reading list that I'd like to blog about.  I have goals and plans to make, but it doesn't bother me that they've not been made before the first seconds of 2012 ticked away.

I already know that my biggest goals for 2012 are ones which clarified themselves in 2011 -- I know what I need to do to live that life and be the person I want to be, the writer I want to be, the entrepreneur I want to be, and everyday I am taking small steps toward that that person. In this respect, I've not wanted to change anything about my attitude or habits in 2012.

And -- for the first time since I laid out all the money months ago -- I'm seriously glad I invested in two new pairs of boots. I anticipate a long white winter to come.

I invite everyone to leave a comment and tell me your hopes, goals, and plans for the new year -- or leave me the link if you've already blogged it.

Photo credit: VW-chick on Flickr.