Hope you don't mind a personal celebration, I have some exciting news to share with you:

When I first began working with my career counseling program two years ago, I suggested writing as a possible career choice, but my counselor at the time was a bit snooty when she responded that they did not fund writers. So I went another route and chose graphics.

As a result of my writing success online this past year, my career counselor has decided that I can indeed make it as a full time, actual, real-deal, writer. This means many, many things for me. They can assist me in locating and paying for content editors, and even finding an agent!

It also means a totally new business plan, hardcore deadlines and a serious demand for productivity. It means stepping outside of my comfort zone at Squidoo and venturing into not just other sites, but *gulps* the publishing world as well.

A year ago when I started this blog, and found my writing home at Squidoo I had no idea what I was doing, and I certainly didn't think I had anything to say that people would want to read.

According to my internal blog stats, I am getting close to 2000 readers per day here, and had my best traffic day ever on October 3, when I had 2616 visitors to this site!

What an amazing year it has been! Thank you for reading, and thank you for all of your support. You are all awesome!!!

For the rest of the good news...

Becoming a Giant Squid was an important step for me, a goal I reached in July of this year, and last week I made an even bigger step when I was accepted into the Squidoo 100 club.

According to Squidoo:

"The Giant Squid 100 Club is a gathering of the most prolific and creative lensmasters on Squidoo, people who have (at least) 100 top notch lenses. These members are known not just for their superior lensmaking abilities, but also for their all around helpfulness in the Squidoo community."

I was notified of my acceptance on the 5th of October, and the 6th just so happened to be my one year anniversary at Squidoo.

Because of that, my interview was featured in today's Giant Squid Community Showcase Though there were only four questions I had a great deal of fun answering them, I got to talk a little bit about why I write, and even how I write (and think). I hope you will take a look.

Then a lovely surprise, a very sweet article about me appeared on the squidoofriends blog a blog written by one of my favorite people, known on Squidoo as spirituality. I have always loved her outlook on life, but seeing her outlook on me was a true blessing indeed.

Her description of me as being "a unique lensmaster" was the greatest compliment I have been paid in a long time! I have never wanted to be a carbon copy of anything or anyone, so it is nice when someone notices...

So if you have a few minutes head over and take a look at Giant Squid Community Showcase - Spotlight on Boshemia and "Boshemia – tackling tricky subjects" and help me thank them for the wonderful honors.

On top of that my surgery seems to have been a success, and one week post-op I am recovering far faster than any of us had expected. Though I am still a little tender, and jumping-jacks are still out of the question, I am feeling great! It seems they were able to locate and remove the problem and the pain is gone!

So here is to a new year full of even more incredible blessings!

What is it you are seeking in life, that thing that would allow you to say, yes, my life is perfect just as it is? How do you define personal success?

I can’t tell you how to make a million dollars by this time next year, I can’t show you the path to gaining your dream home, car, or life. If that is the personal success you came here looking for, I’m afraid I really can’t help you. I can talk to you about happiness, but our definitions of happiness may differ a bit.

All I really offer you is food for thought. I can't help you get more, all I can really do is help you see what you already have.

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I do strongly believe that we get what we give. That what we do to, or for, others comes back to us eventually. I don’t believe that has anything to do with magic thinking. It is just a basic principal of nature, when you plant apple seeds you don’t sit there waiting for a peach tree to grow.

“What you sow, so shall you reap.” It is said in hundreds of different ways in every major religion, throughout every age of man. What you give to others will soon come back to you. What you take from others, will soon be taken from you. What you do unto others...

There are many people in this world who plant the seeds of contention and keep expecting love to blossom. They plant the seeds of greed and self-interest, and yet expect generosity from others to come to them. They keep planting seeds, and are always surprised when they reap the harvest.

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