No, I'm not.

Crazy, that is. It dawned on me when I got up this morning that my Word of the Year for 2009 has already started to move out of percolation in my brain, into my world.

The word is: DARE.

It's a word I put in beads on an early art quilt that I made in white, red and black, based on a process from Quilters' Playtime by Dianne S. Hire.

D A R E.

Not as in 'dare-devil' or being reckless or stupid about my safety (and/or that of others). No.

Rather, "DARE" as in 'daring', 'bold', 'audacious', 'courageous' -- particularly when it comes to creating and displaying my work, entering competitions etc.

Amazing. I hadn't even spoken the word, or declared it in writing -- even in my journal. It was just in my mind, tumbling about like a bright, beautiful glass marble. And what happens? I dared!