1. I think winter has been a total bust so far. No snow. Minimal cold. If it's not going to snow, I don't really want it to be terribly cold. Just enough for sweaters and fires in the fireplace. Thanks.

2. I think the pace of the start of the year has not been to my liking. Too rushed. Too harried. Things slipping through the cracks (I have yet to really pick up my camera!) I'm hoping to get myself on a little straighter next week. I've been missing your blogs. I've been neglecting to give mine necessary attention. I've been neglecting to give lots of things the necessary attention.

3. I think so far we're doing okay on side dishes. It's been a near thing, though. Last night, after taking an hour to make my normal 20 minute trip to get Callum (rain), I texted Neel when I got to school and said, "Let's get pizza!" We never do that, but it was just about the best pizza ever. And still, I made us some snap peas to go along side.

4. I think that aside from the pace of the year, 2012 has gotten off to quite a somber start. No less than three of my friends have lost their mothers. Since Christmas, another lost an uncle and a grandfather. Another lost her beloved dog, a woman known only on my photography forum lost her very young son to a tragic accident. On top of this, my dear friends Mark and Fred struggle to keep their family intact. These are dark days, and they remind me that my complaints about the pace of my days or the laundry piling up or the traffic on I-64 in the rain are thankfully small.

5. I think I will do what I always do when days are dark. Camera in hand (and sometimes not), I will look for the light.