Happy Boxing Day!
Wow, what a week/weekend. My Xmas over all was very relaxing. I went to see the Muppets (as an avid Muppet fan there were some things I did not approve of but I laughed quite a bit especially at the end), made a quiche, drank some wine/beer, watched football, attempted to leave my house to go to a friends house for a party, only to realize the attempt was futile, made pasta, went to sleep at midnight. If Xmas is about doing what you want to do, then I was going to stay home on my couch and drink beer while not feeling bad about any of it.

Today all I want to do is sit and read Mindy Kalings * “Is Everyone Hanging out without Me? (and other concerns)” before I go to work but I should probably venture out into the world at some point. I am hoping this new bond I’m forming with my couch is due to the freezing-ness of my apt. coupled with the Holidays when most people (aka me) tend to hibernate.

Seeing as how it’s the end of the year and there is usually so much reflection going on at this time, I figured I’d reflect on my own year and tell you some of the most notable, inspiring, un-inspiring, lame, exciting moments of 2011. Without further ado and in no particular order…..

1. I finished my first full length album (sonically) in August. **
2. I am STILL waiting for the artwork for said finished album
3. I went to Israel to visit my very awesome grandmother and we drank lots of Johnny Walker Black Label together
4. I attended the ASCAP “I create music” expo in LA in April, got inspired, and realized there is a whole community of musicians out there that I do not know /:-(
5. I attended an event in NYC with amazingly supportive and brilliant women entrepreneurs and met a lot of inspiring people. It put my ass in gear to really focus
6. I upped my yoga classes from 1 to 2 times a week and have begun practicing it in my house alone:-)
7. I got to see my adorable niece and nephew a few times (in NY) and realize that it really is all about your family
8. I wrote many new songs that I have yet to debut because I am still waiting for my album /:-(
9. I am in an artist development program that is helping me focus even more on my dream of having lots o’ people hear my music
10. I am getting more interested in my spiritual side ( I really hate using that terminology but there is nothing else to describe it) by reading books about it, listening more to my gut (albeit hard to do), and meditating.
11. Have realized how much work it requires to go after your dream /:-(
12. I have started developing faith in the universe that it has my back. Doesn’t always feel like that, but I hope that the faith alone is enough to get through those times

I know there are one million other things to write about over the last year. In looking over my list, I see that music and “spirituality” (bleh! there’s that word again) are monopolizing it. I’m OK with that. It’s definitely reflective of where I stand today, looking back on the year. Trying to find the “balance” of what’s really important and what we’re ingrained to believe is important. Clearly, they are not the same.

How was your 2011? What do you want for 2012? I hope to continue on my quest for music, love, sprituality (can we make up a word for that? How about Swoowoo? It’s a combo of “So” and “woowoo”…or swoo for short), I mean swoo, and whatever else comes my way. Patience maybe? That’d be a good one since I don’t have any.

I hope your holiday season has been safe, healthy and happy! I will see you on the flip side!:-)

love,
Dana Danes

*Mindy Kaling plays Kelly Kapoor on “The Office”. She is also a writer and director on the series. Her book is pretty funny but mostly, it’s just entertaining.:-)
** /:-( denotate whether the moments were inspiring or less than inspiring.