2016 has been a strange year - it seems like every day, my newsfeed is packed with new articles outlining all the reasons 2016 was the worst year ever. Everyone's favorite celebrities have died (see: David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Prince, Florence Henderson, Gene Wilder, etc.). Brexit happened. Kim Kardashian was held at gunpoint in a Parisian hotel room (and people said really disgusting things about it). Tensions between racial minority groups and the police are at a seemingly all-time high (or, perhaps, we've just now started paying attention). We hired a reality TV star to our highest political office. The KKK and other alt-right white supremacist groups are holding rallies and parades in public daylight.
Our one saving grace this year was Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, and even that was nearly thrown out because of the last four words (for the record, I support the last four words - and I do not need any more Gilmore Girls in my life).
Fortunately for all of us, 2016 is almost over and 2020 is only four years away.
While 2016 may not have been the best year ever, I will say that I feel I accomplished plenty in 2016. I traveled to two countries I've never been to before and one I already had. I bought my domain name from (ryan)vention. I kept up - more or less - with a blog (although certainly not curating regular content). I manual labored. I learned that rugby is not lacrosse on a horse. I got published in a textbook as third author. I had a Pad Thai meltdown. But best of all, I started writing again. I found my voice again. I found myself. Hence why I am now referring to 2016 as my Year of Discovery.
Snail mail.
Okay, so if I am being honest with you, basically everyone in my life got to re-celebrate their birthdays via USPS ~1-12 months after they actually happened. But you know what, they all got to celebrate their birthdays twice, and I think that makes me the true hero of 2016.
BUT, in all seriousness, I managed to send out WAY MORE snail mail than I have in my life ever (with the exception of wedding invitations, shower thank you notes, and wedding thank you notes). Although I wasn't exactly timely with this macguffolution, I am so glad I did it. I remember my mom doing it for every birthday and Christmas, and it's nice to carry over traditions between generations. Besides, who doesn't like getting mail?
Read at least 50 (new) books.
64 currently. I think Professor McGonangall would be proud. Read the reviews of my top 6 books here.
Less negativity.
I think I did this? See, this macguffolution was a bogus one, because there was no real way to measure it. I know, I know, my inner quantoid is showing, but I feel like I cannot, in good conscience, shout from the mountaintops that I did it. While I feel like I am in a better place than I was last year, I can't tell you that that's due to a change in mentality - or a change in circumstance. Either way, we're going to say that me feeling better overall about life meet this macguffolution, and then look towards 2017 to really look at how I can be more active in my pursuit to be more positive.
Set a budget and stick to it.
*Gulp*. Send something off for publication.
Our one saving grace this year was Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, and even that was nearly thrown out because of the last four words (for the record, I support the last four words - and I do not need any more Gilmore Girls in my life).
Fortunately for all of us, 2016 is almost over and 2020 is only four years away.
While 2016 may not have been the best year ever, I will say that I feel I accomplished plenty in 2016. I traveled to two countries I've never been to before and one I already had. I bought my domain name from (ryan)vention. I kept up - more or less - with a blog (although certainly not curating regular content). I manual labored. I learned that rugby is not lacrosse on a horse. I got published in a textbook as third author. I had a Pad Thai meltdown. But best of all, I started writing again. I found my voice again. I found myself. Hence why I am now referring to 2016 as my Year of Discovery.
I'll agree that I overpromised. If it wasn't weight loss and being healthier, it was me promising content and not always delivering. It sucks on both fronts. It isn't a great habit to set goals and then not meet them like you thought you would. However, I like having goals. Even if I don't do them all in a year and even if I don't necessarily follow through on them right away, I feel better when I am working towards something. And that was the whole point of this blog.
Almost one year ago, I was rolling my eyes with you about this idiot (me) making a list of five "big" things I wanted to accomplish in 2016, while simultaneously throwing shade at the concept of making New Years resolutions because, cynicism. In that post, I promised all of you dear readers that if I didn't do all of these things before December 31st, 2016, I would personally scoff with all of you.
So, without further ado, here are my 2016 macguffolutions in review.Almost one year ago, I was rolling my eyes with you about this idiot (me) making a list of five "big" things I wanted to accomplish in 2016, while simultaneously throwing shade at the concept of making New Years resolutions because, cynicism. In that post, I promised all of you dear readers that if I didn't do all of these things before December 31st, 2016, I would personally scoff with all of you.
I will join you in a light chuckle because, dear readers - I nearly did all five. I NEARLY DID ALL FIVE.
Snail mail.
Okay, so if I am being honest with you, basically everyone in my life got to re-celebrate their birthdays via USPS ~1-12 months after they actually happened. But you know what, they all got to celebrate their birthdays twice, and I think that makes me the true hero of 2016.
BUT, in all seriousness, I managed to send out WAY MORE snail mail than I have in my life ever (with the exception of wedding invitations, shower thank you notes, and wedding thank you notes). Although I wasn't exactly timely with this macguffolution, I am so glad I did it. I remember my mom doing it for every birthday and Christmas, and it's nice to carry over traditions between generations. Besides, who doesn't like getting mail?
Read at least 50 (new) books.
64 currently. I think Professor McGonangall would be proud. Read the reviews of my top 6 books here.
Less negativity.
I think I did this? See, this macguffolution was a bogus one, because there was no real way to measure it. I know, I know, my inner quantoid is showing, but I feel like I cannot, in good conscience, shout from the mountaintops that I did it. While I feel like I am in a better place than I was last year, I can't tell you that that's due to a change in mentality - or a change in circumstance. Either way, we're going to say that me feeling better overall about life meet this macguffolution, and then look towards 2017 to really look at how I can be more active in my pursuit to be more positive.
Set a budget and stick to it.
*Gulp*. Send something off for publication.
So I chickened out and ended up taking what I was going to publish and turning it into Boys Will Be Boys on this blog.
BUT, I did send something off for publication - THREE somethings, to be exact. Bluffs Literary Magazine is a local start up based out of Peoria, Illinois! I submitted three poems to them that I wrote when I was coming out. I have no idea if they will like what I submitted enough to publish them, and my writing style has admittedly changed and matured since I originally wrote said poems, but the poetry reflects who I was and what I felt at the time, so the work's integrity remains intact. The big thing here is that I never submitted any of my creative work to anyone ever before this year, and I think that was a big step.
So, there you have it - my Year of Discovery in review. Starting on Wednesday, December 21st, I'll be posting a new macguffolution a day for 2017 (with the exception of December 24th, 25th, and 31st - because, holidays).
BUT, I did send something off for publication - THREE somethings, to be exact. Bluffs Literary Magazine is a local start up based out of Peoria, Illinois! I submitted three poems to them that I wrote when I was coming out. I have no idea if they will like what I submitted enough to publish them, and my writing style has admittedly changed and matured since I originally wrote said poems, but the poetry reflects who I was and what I felt at the time, so the work's integrity remains intact. The big thing here is that I never submitted any of my creative work to anyone ever before this year, and I think that was a big step.
So, there you have it - my Year of Discovery in review. Starting on Wednesday, December 21st, I'll be posting a new macguffolution a day for 2017 (with the exception of December 24th, 25th, and 31st - because, holidays).
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