Every once in a while, I feel sorry for myself. My marriage didn't work out, I went from a house to an apartment, I had to figure some stuff out. Blah blah blah. 
Now, OK. Sometimes I am disappointed about the past. At the same time, I am in a place close to the water. Where I have always wanted to be. With someone who genuinely loves me. And loves me well. A brilliant, complicated, hilarious man. Who loves talking and listening. And being with me. I have a beautiful and amazing dog. I am making plans for all kinds of stuff that I had given up any hope for. And there is a lot of stuff!! Wait til you hear all of it! 
My life is so different now. In the summer, we walk to the water and hear music. In the winter, we take the pup to the dog park and then maybe walk around town, hear music, visit with our friends. Our apartment is in bright blissful color.We host brunches, dinner parties, cocktail parties.  He welcomes not only my family and friends, but embraces people from my past who most people would forbid or eyeroll/reject. 
Everything, and I mean: everything, in the world is possible now. Everything. 
So, Universe, I don't know why you had to put me through all that, because it was fantastic, then it was excruciating, then I moved on. But OK. As Hannah Marcotti would say, #ilovethislifenow. 

Ive been keeping a low profile here at Ethel Betty.  I've had a rollercoaster of a year.  My marriage did not work out.  This is the first and last time that I will talk about that particular subject other than to say that we are both doing well.  I am considerably happier than I have been in a long time. I wish all good things for my ex. For the most part we are handling things with amazing consideration and cooperation.
 
I have had some unbelievable travels and adventures, hobbies, new twists to my career, lots of amazing experiences with friends old and new.  My crushed and broken heart was slowly and magically healed along the way. Some day I plan on writing about the most amazing spring, summer, and fall of my life, the many ways the Universe showed me hints of my next chapters, and the unbelievable cast of characters I encountered in my own real-life version of Alice in Wonderland.  I promise you wont be bored. But all of that's gonna take me a while to fully process and put on "paper."
 
I have continued writing with some fun projects including artist profiles for Spark Magazine, a fashion column for Hot Jam Media, and some more pedestrian business articles but I needed to take a break from any more personal writing. 
   
I really wanted to start this blog from today.  I wanted to take the articles I wrote last year and delete them from the internet.  But, they are all valid experiences that I wrote the truth about at the time. Instead, I am explaining the break I took from writing and the joy I feel at starting from today at a new chance for an even better life.
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For a while I was too sad to write. And then suddenly there was so much happening so quickly I could hardly make sense of it. But almost exactly a year from the day I started this blog, I am back.  I am stronger, healthier, and happier and better than ever.  I am glad that I can take all of you with me on this next chapter.

I cant wait to see what happens next!