New Year's Resolutions

2024 was ... not great for me at times.

First, my job got increasingly more and more stressful. My bosses jerked me around, messed with my head, and then ultimately let me and several other employees go in the summer due to the dip in business. I'd worked there for nine years. Nine. Years. I got the job right out of college.
I knew I had to leave that job. I knew it was bad for my mental health. I saw others leave. I was the longest-term employee by the end. But I couldn't find my way out. This was probably for the best, but it still hurts. I let that job define me for so long.  

Unemployment was not great. I needed time to recover from burnout but increasingly worried about money. I landed a part-time job that has been weirdly wonderful for my mental health. I have to go in to an office again, but it's not bad. It feels good to be able to leave work when I clock out, it doesn't follow me. I still have nightmares about my old job and my old bosses. I'm grappling with a lot of shame about my career, leaving LA, figuring out who I even am after so many years being invested in the entertainment industry. 

I took care of a lot of health issues I'd been putting off or hadn't realized were so bad. I was in dire need of Vitamin D. I took physical therapy for issues with my foot and lower back and saw strong improvements. I had severe sleep apnea and didn't realize until my sleepiness during the day was starting to worry me, so now I sleep with a mask. I don't need naps most days anymore! I have more energy. I can wake up more easily in the morning.  

My girlfriend and I got into two big hobbies this year: kayaking and Warhammer. Fortunately my girlfriend already had a lot of gear for kayaking. Getting out into nature was wonderful for me! I got stronger and my endurance improved. Warhammer is an expensive hobby, but we're finding ways to cut costs, finding good deals, buying used, and learning about crafting terrain with junk. 

I wrote more. I made new friends. I dived into new and old fandoms. 

The politics ... well that was horrible. Absolutely horrible. I'm worried. Will we have to move, for our own safety? Will I be able to get married someday? Friends are talking about even leaving the country entirely. 

All in all I'm glad to see 2024 go. It was a tough year. Some good stuff, but plenty I'm happy to be moving away from. 


My Resolutions for 2024 were:

1) Run more games, including some in person
2) Cook more meals
3) Find something active to do consistently (i.e. walking, martial arts, dancing)
4) Paint minis
5) Finish a script

1) I did run some games, but only one was in person
2) I did some of this, but not nearly enough
3) I succeeded in this, kayaking a ton over the summer and fall
4) I started airbrushing because I got into Warhammer in a big way in the second half of the year
5) I didn't do this




My Resolutions for 2025 are:

1) Restart therapy 
2) Cooking lessons so I can cook dinner for my girlfriend more often
3) Go to the park/somewhere in nature alone regularly 
4) Work on scripts, finish 2 by end of year
5) Find a hobby separate from my girlfriend 
6) Connect with friends more often