2009 was...

I don't even know how to finish that sentence without devolving into a Tale of Two Cities opening monologue.

I had a great year, job-wise, but let my writing slack off. I got to visit with both family and friends in far-flung cities, but often felt like I was sleepwalking through the visits. I'm busy, but not so busy that I should be zoned out, you know?

My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, but is doing very, very well, and we expect a full recovery. I made the first baby steps to getting my health under control, and am determined to make progress on my goals this year.

One of the nagging to-do items is a backlog of product reviews from last year. While I drastically cut back the number of items I requested for reviews, I have a list of about 10 things that I have received and haven't had the chance to give a fair, honest review. The good news is there is nary a stinker in the bunch. I'm enjoying every single item. The bad news is the folks who sent them my way haven't seen any written proof that I'm using and enjoying.

I'm going to start chipping away at these posts over the next few weeks, and I'm putting a hold on accepting any new products for review going forward, at least until I've caught up on the backlog, and have a chance to get my priorities straight.

That said - my first post of the bunch is now up at my review blog for the Ninja Master Prep, a product I sort-of mocked until I got my hands on it and gave it a try. Really, go check out what happened next.