It’s been another good year here at the Practical Free Spirit. I haven’t run out of things to talk about yet, which is certainly encouraging. The site views have more than doubled from last year, and December of 2012 was the second highest traffic month in the blog’s history. The first was April of 2012, when people got very excited that I was talking about intelligent women (or intelligence at all, for that matter, because as it turns out, intelligence is a complicated and highly nuanced concept to talk about, not least because of the difficulty in defining it).
If you’ve been reading me for any length of time at all, you probably know how much I love writing for this blog. That hasn’t changed. I continue to learn so much from doing this: my writing continues to improve, my understanding grows from having to organize my thoughts into blog post form, and you, my readers, often respond in ways that cause me to think more deeply. Writing a blog is one way to allow my voice to be heard, and it’s certainly a way that works well for me.
Most Popular Posts of 2012:
I’m really pleased to see that the five top posts of 2012 are all posts that are among my personal favorites as well. The topics: feminism, intelligence, being an artist, and personal growth.
A Highly Intelligent Woman Speaks Out
Combine two controversial topics–intelligence and gender perceptions–and watch the fireworks!
Not All Highly Intelligent People are Arrogant Pricks
I love this blog title almost as much as I love exploding some myths about intelligence.
What does it mean to be an artist?
This is a question that is, not surprisingly, of deep and ongoing interest to me. I’m thrilled that other people find it interesting too.
Strong Female Characters Can Still Screw Up, Get Upset, and Cry
I talk about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, feminism, and ideas about what a strong female character really is.
In a quest to leave people pleasing behind, I discuss the differences between being nice and being kind.
Other Personal Favorites:
Assertiveness: an Intermediate Guide
I use this post for my own personal reference, that’s how helpful I think it is.
The People Who are No Longer Here
I almost feel like this post is a prose poem.
I Know It When I See It: YA Voice
This is a writing post that I’d been meaning to write for a long time.
Resilience was one of my favorite topics of the year.
Let’s Kick Self Loathing Where It Hurts
I love the comment section of this post, in which I encouraged all of you to brag.
Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to another year of discussing interesting topics with you.
The Practical Free Spirit 
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