2022- a look back

It's 2023, and therefore time to look back on what happened in 2022. I'm a little late to the game, seeing as how it's almost February already... but it's been a quieter start of the year for me. I went into the new year with guns blazing only theoretically, but as of yet haven't put much actual change into motion. And I'm allowing myself to learn that that's okay. I've been tired for the past two years. I just finished college. The rest of the year is not going to suffer because I start changing things in February rather than January. 

But ANYWAY! Though there are things I wish I would have done differently, 2022 was a full year, and one to remember. Truly, I think there's more to look back on this year than there has been in a while for me, and I hope I can summarize it without rambling too much. But I am a hardcore rambler, so we'll see. XD

JANUARY 

Snow!! So much snow!! I'd much rather be home on a snow day, but this snowfall did bring some warm memories of being bored with my coworkers, and getting frozen mushrooms and potato wedges to cook in our fryers and stuff our faces with.

FEBRUARY

I can't think of much that happened in February, except that my story Falcon Ledge was published with Havok, and I bought Big Time Rush tickets!

MARCH 

I turned 24! And made the ugliest, most mediocre birthday cake of my life, which I won't torture you with a picture of. XD

APRIL

I met Johnny Yong Bosch, who played Adam Park, the Black/Green Ranger from Power Rangers Mighty Morphin, Zeo, and Turbo!

I finished the first draft of my WIP, Look for the Flares! All in the same day, I made myself cry with my writing, broke my word count record for a single day, surpassed my highest word count for any of my WIPs, won Camp NaNo, and of course finished my first draft. It was a good day. 

MAY 

I officially became an MIT (manager in training) at my job, which was SUCH a long time coming. 

My story At All Costs came out on the Havok Story Podcast!! This was such a crazy experience. If you haven't listened to it yet, you should, because the narrator did such an amazing job and I'm still in awe. 

JUNE

I went to the Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois, and saw Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum, aka Clark Kent and Lex Luthor from Smallville. They were so much fun together and it definitely put me on the nostalgia train! I also got to meet George Newbern, who played Superman's voice on the Justice League animated series. My favorite part of this interaction was when he asked where I was from and I told him my obscure little town's weird name and that I was sure he'd never heard of it and he said "I haven't, but that's a great name!" XD (I also came out of that day with one of the worst sunburns I've ever had.) 

JULY

July was the biggest month of the year. For one, it was Realm Makers month, in which I attended my second Realm Makers and was reunited with old friends, made new friends, learned a lot, and spent way too much money. I talked to more people than I did my first conference, even got out of my comfort zone and went up to a stranger during one of the classes in which we were supposed to mingle. I met an author who is a big part of why I'm here in this writing community and was able to thank her in person. It was a fantastic weekend. (You can read my recap and see all my photos HERE!)

And because of that trip, I got to see SO many new places! We traveled from Missouri all the way to the East Coast for the conference, which I still can't really believe we did. I got to see nine states I'd never been to before. I visited New York City, saw the Statue of Liberty, and walked through Central Park. I saw the ocean for the second time in my life. I saw Washington D.C. I saw all three 9/11 crash sites. I saw so much and it still hits me every now and then that I did all those things. (I shared more about it HERE!)

In July I also had two more stories published with Havok- An Enhancing Elixir Experience and The Courageous Lyons. These were my first two stories in the Wacky Wednesday and Fantasy Friday categories, and with them I officially became one of a fairly small number of authors who have been published under all five categories!! 

And to wrap up an already great month, the last day of July I saw Big Time Rush in concert, which I'd been dreaming of for literally over a decade, and it was an absolutely amazing, unforgettable night. 

AUGUST

I got COVID again and read five books over the course of like a week and a half. XD

SEPTEMBER

Nothing super interesting about this month that I recall, except fall and Hobbit Day, which was delightful! 

OCTOBER

I met Nakia Burrise, who played Tanya Sloan/the Yellow Ranger on Power Rangers Zeo and Turbo! 

And I started watching Harry Potter for the first time! 

NOVEMBER

We randomly got a thick blanket of snow?? In November?? It's not unheard of for it to snow that early here, but never enough to cover the ground. And I wasn't expecting it at all, so imagine my surprise when I opened the door and looked outside that morning. XD

DECEMBER

I met Catherine Sutherland, who played Katherine Hillard, the Pink Ranger on Power Rangers Mighty Morphin, Zeo, and Turbo!

I finished college! My graduation ceremony's not til May, but I finished and it's SUCH  a relief to be done. 

Aaand I passed my manager certification at work! I was so stressed about this day for so long, and was about 99.9% sure that I was going to fail the first time. Somehow- I still don't know how- I DIDN'T fail, and it was SUCH a huge weight off my shoulders. I'm so thankful that I didn't have that to worry about anymore when the new year started.

So, that was my year. Even with all the fun, exciting things that happened, there was still a lot of room for growth and opportunity. I barely wrote for most of the year, which I can forgive myself for since I was so worn down by other things. 

If I regret anything about 2022, it would be that I neglected reading my Bible and praying possibly like I've never done before, and I'm not proud of it. It's something I'm really working on now. I struggle so much with priorities and focusing on what's really important, and I want to take it way more seriously.

All in all, 2022 was an unforgettable year. In a way, it was a year of the impossible. And I'll forever look back on it fondly. 

As for blogging? Well, I'm still trying to figure things out. I MISS when I was consistent on here, and I miss talking to you guys. Pulling back and posting a handful of times over the course of two years has really messed with my drive to write and post things, and although it was absolutely necessary, I hate what it's done to my blog. I want so desperately to get back into it- not just posting, but reading other people's blogs, too. Blogging is what brought me into this community, and it's changed so much over the years- most of the bloggers I started out reading don't post anymore, and it makes me sad. But I want to keep my little corner alive.

Anyway. Like I said, I'm still figuring things out. I don't know if I'll stick to a schedule like I used to, or what. We'll see. But if you're here- hi. I'm happy you've joined me or stuck around, and I hope you'll come back. < 3 I pray you're all having a blessed new year so far!