In the last month, the year has come and gone. Unbelievable.

As a "writer" (chuckle, chuckle), I've done less writing, more running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Yes, that's very cliche of me. But, it completely feels appropriate, especially with the headaches that the Holiday Season tends to bring about. *So much so that I might have wished I had my head cut off* I've also given birth to more plot bunnies than is possible to conceive into writing.

My poor, ignored, older plot...

This is a bit of a confession, but here goes nothing – I have Dora Envy.

Without getting too into who and what Dora is, copyrights and all of that, I think anyone who has or was in contact with a child within the last ten years knows what Dora I am talking about.

Why the envy?

You see, Dora is a fictional cartoon. She sings and dances and plays with a monkey. She is also a bit of a fixation for my niece.

My niece, now nearing her third birthday in a few months, and even her little broth...