Farewell, 2011
I don't think I'll miss you much.
It's not that this was a bad year for me. But it was oddly stressful -- I don't do stress, as a general rule. I am a very zen sort of person. Or maybe lazy is a better word. . . anyway. But there were so many big, hurtful things going on in the world, and so many upheavals. And also my cat Chloe died, and that sucked. So here's hoping 2012 is a smoother ride.
But! There were good things. I rekindled relationships with several old friends (hey, 10 year reunions are good for something after all!), I got more comfortable with my job, and being in a position of some authority there. I might discover some ambition yet!
I read 81 books this year! Not counting books I didn't finish, or stories I read online. That's a lot more than I read last year. Granted, several of those books were ones I've read more than once -- but I like to reread stories! So that totally counts. And anyway, 40 of them were new to me! I've got some new favorite authors! <3
And I wrote stuff! Mostly in a new fandom, which I love. Bandom is full of so many wonderful people -- it felt like home very quickly. I finished five stories this year -- Drums and Monsters (bandom), Icarus, On a Cloudy Day (SGA), Catching Pieces of a Fallen Sky (bandom), and (redacted) and (redacted) for Yuletide -- all together, just over 30,000 words of finished fic, with another 20k or so of unfinished drafts -- I feel a lot more inspired than I have in quite a while. I hope that carries over into next year.
Speaking of 2012 (smooth transition, yes?):
These aren't so much resolutions as they are goals -- but I like to tie my goals to nice even start dates. Like January 1st.
The big one, and the hardest to keep up, I expect: I am going pescetarian! I don't think I can quite muster up the willpower yet to go completely vegetarian, so. Fish is good! I will miss bacon. And pepperoni, and ham, and bacon. And chicken, and roast beef, and bacon. And steak and sausage and bacon. Mostly bacon. BUT. I've had reservations about eating meat for a long time -- I've always said that if I had to slaughter my own meat, I'd never be able to do it. And the way most "factory farms" operate gives me chills. So, this will not only (hopefully) help me lose a little weight, it will also be far less hypocritical! I hope I can keep it up past the bacon-withdrawal stage.
Also, I will try to stop chugging down RedBulls. Those things aren't good for me.
I will try to write MORE. If I finished up 30k this year, I want to write 50k in 2012.
I will try to flex my atrophying photography skills! I'm thinking a real effort to go out and take shots around town -- once a week with my digital camera, and at least once a month with my old Canon SLR. It will be harder to find actual film than it used to be, but it shouldn't be impossible.
I will save up enough money to take that road trip to Seattle in August! I've made promises, and I intend to keep them. Also it will be fun.
I will paint! I need a new easel. But I will get one!
I will catch up on my shows and my manga -- I am so far behind on One Piece! It makes me sad.
And I will send actual letters and cards to people. I need to remember what it feels like to really write stuff. My old journal name was Black Ink on White Paper -- I need to feel that again.
And I will finally, FINALLY, learn to knit. I've been "learning" for a good long time now. It's about time I cracked down and accomplished something there.
So, here's to 2012! May it be a lovely year for all of us!
It's not that this was a bad year for me. But it was oddly stressful -- I don't do stress, as a general rule. I am a very zen sort of person. Or maybe lazy is a better word. . . anyway. But there were so many big, hurtful things going on in the world, and so many upheavals. And also my cat Chloe died, and that sucked. So here's hoping 2012 is a smoother ride.
But! There were good things. I rekindled relationships with several old friends (hey, 10 year reunions are good for something after all!), I got more comfortable with my job, and being in a position of some authority there. I might discover some ambition yet!
I read 81 books this year! Not counting books I didn't finish, or stories I read online. That's a lot more than I read last year. Granted, several of those books were ones I've read more than once -- but I like to reread stories! So that totally counts. And anyway, 40 of them were new to me! I've got some new favorite authors! <3
And I wrote stuff! Mostly in a new fandom, which I love. Bandom is full of so many wonderful people -- it felt like home very quickly. I finished five stories this year -- Drums and Monsters (bandom), Icarus, On a Cloudy Day (SGA), Catching Pieces of a Fallen Sky (bandom), and (redacted) and (redacted) for Yuletide -- all together, just over 30,000 words of finished fic, with another 20k or so of unfinished drafts -- I feel a lot more inspired than I have in quite a while. I hope that carries over into next year.
Speaking of 2012 (smooth transition, yes?):
These aren't so much resolutions as they are goals -- but I like to tie my goals to nice even start dates. Like January 1st.
The big one, and the hardest to keep up, I expect: I am going pescetarian! I don't think I can quite muster up the willpower yet to go completely vegetarian, so. Fish is good! I will miss bacon. And pepperoni, and ham, and bacon. And chicken, and roast beef, and bacon. And steak and sausage and bacon. Mostly bacon. BUT. I've had reservations about eating meat for a long time -- I've always said that if I had to slaughter my own meat, I'd never be able to do it. And the way most "factory farms" operate gives me chills. So, this will not only (hopefully) help me lose a little weight, it will also be far less hypocritical! I hope I can keep it up past the bacon-withdrawal stage.
Also, I will try to stop chugging down RedBulls. Those things aren't good for me.
I will try to write MORE. If I finished up 30k this year, I want to write 50k in 2012.
I will try to flex my atrophying photography skills! I'm thinking a real effort to go out and take shots around town -- once a week with my digital camera, and at least once a month with my old Canon SLR. It will be harder to find actual film than it used to be, but it shouldn't be impossible.
I will save up enough money to take that road trip to Seattle in August! I've made promises, and I intend to keep them. Also it will be fun.
I will paint! I need a new easel. But I will get one!
I will catch up on my shows and my manga -- I am so far behind on One Piece! It makes me sad.
And I will send actual letters and cards to people. I need to remember what it feels like to really write stuff. My old journal name was Black Ink on White Paper -- I need to feel that again.
And I will finally, FINALLY, learn to knit. I've been "learning" for a good long time now. It's about time I cracked down and accomplished something there.
So, here's to 2012! May it be a lovely year for all of us!