I've been thinking a lot lately of relationships and how I've changed from a person who used to keep in great contact with old friends to a person who doesn't do that as much I should.

I used to send pecan pies through the mail for Christmas -- pies I baked myself. Now I can't even get a family letter out with updates about what's going on here.

It's not that so many new people have come into my life, but it's just that things are much busier than I would like. I am trying to unload things and I have hopes of getting substantially less busy over the next year. I'd like to fill the time with something more meaningful and connected to the people and friends I still have.