Oh yes! It has happened. I have retired from making a living and will be concentrating this year on making a life. That means more poetry, more writing, maybe some travel, and learning new things -- such as how to take amazing photos with my cell phone.
In November I joined the Poem a Day Challenge offered by Writer's Digest. Each day we were given a random prompt and had to write and post a poem using that theme. In December we edited our work, and in January submitted the resulting manuscript for a possible aware. This was the first time I'd written poetry on demand. Usually poetry required melancholy if not depression, so I was surprised to be able to produce 30 poems in such a short span of time without needing a mental health crisis. LOL! Will let you know how it turns out. Look for some of those poems to get posted on this site eventually.
In December I started an online memoir writing course with Irene Graham in Ireland. Her interesting workbook and many audio instructions have been a new way for me to access meaningful memories and write on personal topics. We'll see if I decide to publish or keep the results to myself. Irene hosts a residential retreat in the summer, and I've got my eye on another in France that would take me back to the little village of Chamonix -- a beautiful place in the Alps near the Swiss border.
Now I'm looking forward to a possible writer's retreat at the end of April in a remote area of southwest Colorado. Only 8 people can register for this intensive that includes some private coaching, and some transformational ceremony. Doesn't that sound like fun? Debating whether to fly in to Albuquerque and rent a car, or drive down from Puget Sound and wander around on my way back. Either way, it would be an adventure. And since I still have less than 5000 miles on my 3 year old car, it should be mechanically safe to do this.
I'll be looking for other retreats or conferences to attend this year, and may take a photography trip or two when the weather allows safe driving over the mountains -- which is necessary regardless of which direction I go.
For former clients, do keep in touch with me on Facebook. I'll look forward to hearing about how life is treating you!