A new year

Well, a new year has come and gone and a few things have changed this year. The week before Thanksgiving I got back in touch with my brothers and sisters from my Dad's first marriage. Turns out that Dad has terminal cancer and doesn't have a lot of time left. I haven't been in contact with my Dad for over 6 years. I'm glad I am able to be back in his life for whatever time is left. I'm still working in a factory on 3rd shift. I've been at my current job since July of 2008. I have been at my apartment now for almost a year this month. Yes, I moved in very, very cold temperatures last year. I think it was only 5 degrees the day I moved. It had been -15 the day before. The wind was blowing hard and it was snowing. That was a crappy day. Fortunately I have awesome friends and family that were willing to drive all the way from Kentucky to help me move that day.
I've been slack when it comes to writing. I have started a new idea for a novel but have only gotten maybe a chapter in so far. I'm working more on character development before going any further. I can't write about characters I know nothing about. They have to be fleshed out quite a bit to be able to see into their minds and be able to predict what choices they make. I do know that the characters so far are interesting enough to make me want to tell their story. I want to dive in and get 'er going, I really do. Still have to work on plot and antagonist of the story.
I've started working on different art projects, more for fun than anything. I invested in a Wacom Bamboo tablet to do digital art with. Much easier than using a mouse and nicer than using a pencil and paper. It's much easier to fix mistakes. I wish I would have gone into college for graphic design after high school. I went the quicker and cheaper route by going to Cosmetology school instead. Don't get me wrong, I liked doing hair. Unfortunately it's a hard business to break into.
This past year hasn't been the best, and by far is one of the worse years I've had. I hope, with a little luck and some determination, this year will be better.