It’s been awhile since I did a little check in here on the blog, but the first post at the start of a new year seems like the perfect time! Plus I’ve got some really cool news to share and am generally feeling very thankful for what I have and hopeful for what 2014 is going to give me.

OK fine, the really cool news first.

Santa brought an awesome gift to MyUntangled Media by way of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. We are now the proud owners of the word “MyUntangled®”! Which means we get to put the little circle R (which always makes me think of the circle K, something totally different) after the word MyUntangled® every time we use it, like MyUntangled® (see what I did there?) Oh yeah…this will take awhile to get old.

So I’m pretty excited about it but why did I do it? I tend to learn by doing. It’s a gift and a curse because what that really means is I tend to jump in, make mistakes, learn from said mistakes (and usually that involves paying a bunch of money, as well) and then desperately try not to repeat them. I learned the hard way many years ago that at any point in time the owner of a trademarked word or logo or even a saying or sentence can come knockin’ on your door (they snail mail you) and shut you down, no matter how innocent and dumbfounded you are when they arrive! Or even worse, someone can think your ideas are pretty cool and go trademark them before you…then proceed to knock and shut you down. Then it’s like, wow, have a nice time trying to forgive yourself for that. I’m trying to lay the bricks to my own path here, folks will always be inspired by (steal) each other’s ideas, but the MyUntangled empire is mine and that’s a perfect way to start a new year.

So about that new location.

If you haven’t read my novella about moving and quitting my job, of trying to fit squares in circles, you may get confused here, so read that first. These past 8 months have absolutely flown by. I’m still living in someone else’s furnished home, all my stuff is still in storage, my pack is happier and healthier than ever, and pretty much everything else has changed. It’s interesting, this whole starting a new life and changing thing involves starting a new life…and changing. As simple as it reads, I think that’s simply where a lot of folks get tripped up, and I’m not immune to tumbling.

But North Carolina is unlike any place I’ve lived before and the climate is different here in so many ways, not all having to do with the weather. Every stupid cliché and textbook fairytale saying people have about living near the ocean is absolutely true. I’m a believer. I plan my days according to the tide schedules and sunsets and spend my nights hearing the roar of the crashing waves, while I walk Ruby at night. This place is definitely my home, my fantasy island. Give me sun and I’ll grow.

Oh and it’s a new year!

So what’s in store for myuntangledlife.com and the rest of the empire? More and better and greater everything, of course! We’ll be starting the year off on the blog with some closet organizing from Michelle, and album organizing with Andy, get ready for some slow cookin’ with Kat, book reviews from the world’s greatest dog and his feline friend, more how-to posts and videos from me, and Joanne is currently in detox (just kidding, she’s trying out some herbal tea for a review!)

Many thanks to all of our readers and supporters and friends and clients and all your dogs and cats too! On behalf of all of us at MyUntangled Media, cheers to an untangled 2014!