Reverb11, bitches. Back and better than ever!

You guys. YOU GUYS. If I could express how excited I was right now - well, I don't think I can. It's REVERB TIME, bitches!

OK, let's take a step back. Remember when I did Reverb10 last year? Well, while I found some of the prompts to be somewhat drippy and repetitive, this amazing thing happened as a result of that project: I made a shit-ton of internet friends. Like, real people, far and wide, that I've never met, but check in with pretty much daily. Which is awesome, because THEY are awesome. (I would name-drop here, but I would fuck it up and leave people out, and I don't wanna do that. So I am talking to ALL of you. Especially YOU.)

Chatter about Reverb11 started up a couple of months ago. People were getting excited. I was kind of back and forth about my participation, and settled on the idea that I would sign up for it, but only respond to the prompts that really spoke to me. Besides, December is BUSY (have I mentioned I am in a play? And I have rehearsal practically every night over the next week and a half? And that it's NEXT WEEKEND OMG. Plus Christmas, etc. etc.).

Anyway, Gwen Bell, who I will not link to here because right now I think she kind of sucks (mean, I know, but true) was the main organizer of the Reverbs over the past couple of years, and everyone had been instructed to go to her site to sign up for Reverb11. Which we all did. And then two days ago we all got an email from her saying, basically, too bad, so sad, I'm not really in that place right now, no Reverb for you, and FYI, I'm deleting the mailing list, so good luck with that. Oh, and plan your own Reverb in the next, oh, 36 hours.

But the thing is? It happened. Brad over at geekinhard.com is spearheading a Reverb, and I know there are others floating out there. And because it happened this way - that people I've become close to, over Twitter and blogs and some on Facebook, rallied and made this happen - is how I know that this is going to to be better than ever. I even submitted a couple of prompts - we'll see if they come through.

So, to make a long story short (too late!) (anyone?) - it is time to Reverb. Without further ado, here we go:
 
Day 1 - One Word. Encapsulate the year 2011 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word.Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2012 for you? If you did Reverb10 then bonus points for also re-posting your 2011 word from last year along with how you feel about that in retrospect.

I think my one word for 2011 is TRANSFORMATIVE. The word I chose last year for 2011 was FUN. And to me, compared to the nightmare of misery, depression, and anxiety that was 2010, the words "fun" and "transformative" are kind of the same. Perhaps my word for 2011 is TRANSFORMATIVELY FUN? 2011 and 2010 were completely different years. And for that, I am grateful, and proud that I was extremely proactive about it.

A major transition for me this year - this decade, really - was leaving my full-time theater marketing position that I had for 11 years to take a part-time marketing position at a college. Here is the story on that. This is a change in my life that I am still getting used to. But I do not regret it. I miss my friends, yes - but I don't regret the decision. It turns out it was right for me, and, more importantly, it was right for my family.

I have consistantly exercised for the past year. And while that 10 pounds I really want to lose won't budge, what HAS transformed is my mindset about it. I KNOW I have to exercise. This is not a choice anymore. As I head into my very late 30s, exercise must be a part of my routine as many days a week as possible. So when I wake up, I don't bargain or hit the snooze button or make excuses. I get up and get out, before the sun rises.

OK, so that part isn't fun. What has been fun this year? So, so much. I have made a huge effort to spend more time with friends. I directed my favorite play. I am currently in a play, and I'm having a complete blast. I have totally been consumed by the theater bug again. I went on vacation with my family. I went on vacation with my friends. I made fun a focus. And you can bet you ass I'm doing that in 2012 too.

As for my 2012 word - I'm not sure. This one might not make sense, because it's more of an action word than an overview word, but a word I want to become part of each day in 2012 is WRITE. It is time that I start writing more.

And what a sweet kick-off  Reverb11 is for that. Join us, won't you?