How Was 2010 For You?

           As my 2010 began I was getting the last of my first 100 followers.  I had set the goal in October of 2009 to get 100 by the end of the year.  Oh well, I was a few days late, but that was okay in my book  After a little over three months of blogging I was starting to grasp an inkling of how it all worked.

          After I got the 100, I set my next goal for 200 by April 1.  Blogging daily, I had gotten settled into a writing routine.  The followers came on a regular basis now that I knew more about how it all worked.   My second goal came before the April 1 projection.  That's when I tossed out to the readers the concept of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge.

         This was my celebration and I wanted others to join with me.  And, by golly, they did.  The Blogging From A to Z Challenge was a success.  I made a lot of new blogging friends and picked up another 100 followers during the month of April.  This was the highlight of the year for Tossing It Out.

             Blogging was becoming old hat for me now.  I was churning out posts and making my daily deadline.  I was also starting to look forward to my first blog anniversary in September.

               When the one year of daily blogging date came I soon cut back to a three day schedule.  This works better for me and each post gets more readers than the daily posts did.  Of course, it still seems like there's never enough time to get  everything done.

               Once again I participated in NaNo and completed that challenge without a hitch.   This novel should actually see completion very soon.  Then it will be on to editing and rewriting and so on.

              On the non-blogging level I'm getting by fine.  My health remains good, but my job outlook is still bleak for now.  I've been enjoying my first granddaughter as she passes her second birthday and is not a terrible two child by any means.   My daughter who was getting married last December has delivered me a second beautiful granddaughter less than two weeks ago.  Life is simply grand.

               This year I will try to get something to happen to my first completed novel Time Light.  I also want to wrap up my father's project The Autobiography of a Nobody and my 2009 NaNo novel A Desert Place--I am a year behind on both of these.

                Is anyone up for another April Blogging From A to Z Challenge?

                How was your year?   What were the highlights?   What do you plan for 2011?


     Happy New Year!   

Really Tossing It Out There

         As many readers may know I am a bit of a juggler.  However, I will embarassingly leave the room now while you view one of the world's greatest jugglers, Francis Brunn, in a classic clip from the Jack Benny Show.   This man was not only a great juggler, but also a tremendous gymnast and dancer.  Note his amazing movements and form.





To view a more pure video of Brunn's amazing act in color click here.

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An Ultimate Animal Rescue Story

 This is something I received via email.  I'm not sure what the original source is.

Four young Sitka black-tailed bucks fell upon good luck Sunday as they were pulled from the icy waters of Stephens Passage, Alaska by a group of locals on Tom Satre's 62-foot charter vessel. Four juvenile Sitka black-tailed deer swam directly toward the boat..

Once the deer reached the boat, the four began to circle the boat, looking directly at the humans on board. Clearly, the bucks were distressed. With help, the typically skittish and absolutely wild animals came willingly onto the boat. Once onboard, they collapsed with exhaustion, shivering.

Here the rescued bucks rest on the back of Tom Satre's boat, the Alaska Quest. All four deer were transported to Taku Harbour . Once the group reached the dock, the first buck that had been pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back, then leapt into the Harbour, swam to shore, and disappeared into the forest. After a bit of prodding and assistance from the humans, two others followed suit, but one
deer needed more help. Here he is being transported by Tom Satre

Tom, Anna and Tim Satre help the last of the "button" bucks to its feet. They did not know how long the deer had been in the icy waters or if there had been others who did not survive. The good Samaritans (humans) describe their experience as "one of those defining moments in life." I’m sure it was for the deer, as well.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and have a Happy New Year!  If everything is according to schedule, I am in Tennessee at this time.