Can you believe the first month of the new year is pretty much over? I have no idea how that happened, but I remember that I set out to make 2014 the year of new experiences.

And experience new things in January I did (I am an Experience-Jedi. And maybe a little bit of a Star Wars geek. What?). Here's what I did in January that I've never done before:

You know those things you do that drive yourself or others crazy? Things we call annoying or even exhausting? What if we actually looked at those things as our secret superpowers? I think that's an excellent idea (and I'm not just saying that because my list might be rather long); I'll share a few of mine with you and then you tell me about yours, mkay?

My husband and I went on our first date in over two years last week.

How old are our kids, you ask? Why, they are 12 and 16 years old.

Could we not have date nights all the time, because we don't need a babysitter anymore? Why yes, but TV, laziness, internet, ... I think you get the point.

As a matter of fact, we didn't NEED that date last week either - until we went and realized that we really did.

I may have mentioned that I work for myself as a freelancer once or twice (or 89 times) before. The tagline for my business is "living my dream, working on yours" - and that's really exactly how it's been for me. 

The working-on-yours-part of my business is consulting small businesses on marketing strategies as well as creating content for their websites and social media networks; the living-my-dream-part is mostly writing. I'm getting ready to revise one of the books I wrote for a second edition and I have some great story ideas I'm pitching to different magazines.

So, Jacob - you have been the family dog for a while now and I think it's time we sit down and have a little talk.

Do you mind if I lay on your couch while we talk?

Go ahead.

At the dinner table:

Me: "I have been thinking about my "word" for 2014, sort of a theme or guideline I want to follow this year on my blog."

Son 2: "You mean like a Star Wars theme?"

Me: "No, lots of bloggers do this. It's a word like "faith" or "hope" or "growth" and it stays with what you do and write about all year."

Son 1: *rolls eyes* and gives me the I-can't-wait-to-hear-about-this-no-wait-I-really-don't-care look...