Christmas is nearly over so it’s time for my now yearly blog. I moved everything over to a new server a couple of months ago, so I figured I should probably do some kind of update on the state of my life, the world and everything to justify the hosting cost.
This year has been a rollercoaster. Up and down and up and down again. I got engaged, at Disneyland Paris no less, which is pretty much all I could have asked for. If nothing or, indeed, everything else happened this year, then I have that. And next year, Charlie and I are finally getting married. I get to spend the rest of my life with my person, officially, and even though I never really bought into the whole idea of marriage when I was younger, there is a certainty in it that feels right. Plus, we plan on having a festival-themed wedding with all our friends’ bands playing. That sounds like a good party.
Work was… I literally don’t even know how to describe it. All I can say is that my stress management techniques have been working extra hard over the past six months – I have a certain affinity for scented candles that I’d never even considered before. I hope that 2023 will be a little more settled. I’m not afraid of change, after all, but I don’t enjoy having panic attacks because there’s too much information swimming through my lizard brain.
I set many goals, none of which I’ve really achieved in full, but lots of things I’ve worked towards, so I’m counting that as a win. I plotted a whole book, and have about a quarter of it written (the whole wedding planning thing and aforementioned work stress got in the way a bit). I started going to the gym and I’ve lost a whole stone throughout the year – halfway to my pre-pandemic weight. It’s slow progress, but with PCOS, weight loss always is. The good news is that it seems to be staying off, even over Christmas. I’m not necessarily limiting food by any means but I’ve gotten better at making healthier swaps. Also, Grenade bars are life.
There have been lots of little wins, too. More than I can really count, but after almost two years of worrying about the future and how little of it we might have left, I’m trying to capture the joy in everyday a lot more. For example: I’ve learned how to bake brownies – finally! That’s something that’s been eluding me for about 15 years. I’ve laughed so hard I’ve cried at our weekly D&D sessions. I’ve tried my best to let go of cringe – if I want to write Deep Space Nine fan fiction to make my friend smile (or just because I want to), then I’m going to bloody do it. I saw Lady Gaga put on the show of a lifetime, and I danced. Because why just stand stock still at Lady fucking Gaga? 2000trees was back for the first time since 2019, and I had the time of my life watching bands again. I think the biggest difference I’ve made this year is that I’ve tried my hardest to say yes to things, instead of turning them down in favour of retreating back into my little shell. That said, I’ve also learned to recognise when I’m wiped and I need time to recharge. The past few years have been tough. But I’m learning who I am now, and I’m good with the person staring back out of the mirror at me.
Anyway, the usual media roundup of things I have enjoyed follows, with the usual caveat that I am slow at discovering things and therefore, not all of it’s from this year. Hope you find something you like, too.
Music:
GLOW ON by Turnstile; Rashomon by Ibaraki; Midnights by Taylor Swift; Cowboy Nights by Blaqk Audio; Eternal Blue by Spiritbox; Fever Daydream by The Black Queen
Books:
Silverweed Road by Simon Crook; Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir; The Splinter King by Mike Brooks; The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick; The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers; The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison
Film:
Everything Everywhere All at Once; Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; I Kill Giants; Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness; Turning Red
TV:
Andor; Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities; The Sandman; The Orville; Spy x Family; Laid Back Camp
Video games:
God of War: Ragnarok (PS5); The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch); Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (PS5); Disco Elysium (PS5); Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5)