This year is getting off to a slow but good start. Already things are far better than they were this time last year, and I'm looking forward to everything 2010 will bring.

I'm working on some freelance contracts; I've been getting great feedback and it's looking like my current projects will lead to future work, which is fantastic. I'm also finishing up some temp work - at the moment, that will be ending next week, although it might end up lasting another couple of days beyond that. I'll be training my replacement starting on Tuesday. I've met her before and I have every confidence that she'll do a great job.

On a total aside, I've been watching some old movies lately, and I came across Anna Christie, the 1930 film which was Greta Garbo's first talkie. While I found that not enough was done to create a realistic bond between Greta's title character and her love interest, I did find the film itself to be compelling - especially given the time in which it was released. When I think of films from the 1930s, I think of highly stylized, romanticized, and watered down scripts to appease any censors. Anna Christie is filled with characters who populate the underbelly of society; the storyline is dark and gritty. It doesn't shy away from subjects like neglect, poverty, and prostitution, and yet there is also a sense of hope - that the characters can rise above their circumstances and find some sort of happiness, even if it doesn't conform to society's idea of propriety.

Apart from watching old movies, I've been working towards making this be a successful year. Further to that, I'll sign off for now so I can go and bid on some more projects.

Happy travels,

Sarah