I’m sure you are well into the New Year by now, but I’m just getting going. Like just now getting going. Today.

Harry didn’t start school until the 7th, and during those first seven days, we played a lot, made some resolutions  I’ve already taken a class to fulfill one of those resolutions), then I last-second went to CES for a random week of weirdo Las Vegasness, then The Padrino visited, and then I got the flu that wouldn’t end. Yay. And now, 23 days later, this year has so far been nothing like I expected.

In fact, it’s basically been an unexpected hodgepodge of unexpectedness.

It started out innocently enough. Jenny and her family came over for a low-key New Year’s Day. Normal. Point of interest: Jenny is solidly scared to death of the number 13, so this being 2013 and all, she couldn’t say the year out loud as if it were Voldemort. So she named 2013, The Library. Like, today is 1/23/The Library. She has a somewhat sane explanation of this here. But here’s the gist:

Everything that happens in the library is just preparation for the next year.  That means if you mess (edited to be Rated G) something up this year, it’s fine.  This whole year is just practice.  The library is made for that.  Maybe you spend the year writing a book no one will ever read.  Maybe you spend the year recuperating from last year.  Maybe you burn the Thanksgiving turkey and forget an important birthday.  It’s okay.  It happened in The Library.  It was just practice for next year.  

She goes on in her wrap up…and this is what we talked about on that first day of this new year….about how we could use a year in the library. A place in time where we’re just getting ready for things, where everything doesn’t have to be exactly perfect. A year of studying up, sorting through, learning more. A year where we give ourselves a bit of a break and just do our best.

If that’s the case, then I’m not 23 days behind. I’m 342 days ahead in getting ready for what’s next.

So here’s to that. If these first days are any predictor, this year is going to be weird and full and awesome. I have a lot to write about.

Expect the unexpected.

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