2018 recap

So what did you do this year, Nicky?

I found a re-issue publisher for my roaring 20s stuff.

I finished Master Anton.
I re-edited Glad Hands
I wrote 6 short stories
I kept up with my patreon. Ish. I missed a couple months on new stories.
Unseen stories published this year:
Wishing away (flower fairies)
A gift of scars (8 thrones)
A fools Taj Mahal (horror)
Neighbors (horror)
Fannish Activity (erotica)
Under the Skirts of Sherwood (Robin hood)
Rock the Casbah (Edward and Charlie)
Growth in a Desolate Season (fantasy)
The Construct Job (fanfic)
Step Into the Circle: Winter (children's)

I also recapped 11 Smallville episodes

I continued going to the gym.
I started a daily spiritual practice.
I was called by the Morrigan.
I went through rehab and can now drive a truck without my 2012 error hanging over me

I read 36 books. Stone Butch Blues and The Art of Manliness were two of the most important. World War Z was brilliant. And Moonlight Sonata amazed me on every level.

I saw 51 movies, 15 of them new. I saw a lot I hadn't seen in decades. The Black Hole and The Dark half sort of hold up. The Seventh Seal still works. Excalibur is a mess. Mamma Mia is one of the most pagan things I've ever seen on screen.

I made a lot of things.
I learned about tie-dye and using a planner.
I learned a lot about Disney.
I worked a lot.
I failed to get a job as a truck driver. Three times.

Planning for the week ahead

To Do:
Finish lovey, deliver
Finish scarf, mail
Make cocoon
Make hat
Mail huge box


Mon:
work
Aldi mystery shop

Tues
Work

Wed
Work
Sonic shop

Thurs,
work
field trip
panda garden

Fri:
Work
Michaels 8-midnite

Saturday:
Yule

December already and my wishlist

So here it is, December second.
I made no posts during November. Not even about being subjected to torture for a week. A high, inescapable continuous sound is classified by the UN as torture. My bus was in the shop and the replacement had a constant low-air alarm. I've been working 7 day weeks, and will until January.

I'm behind on everything, including crafting. I have hard deadlines and am working on a lovey, a c2c afghan and a scarf. After the c2c is done, a cocoon shawl and a hat round out that order.

The gamers call it grinding. It's when you do small, tedious tasks over and over to advance a skill.
It's the embodiment of the Eight of Pentacles.

And I'm grinding.
Money is the worst it's been in a while.

The Disney Trip is a dream that sustains me. It gave me a place to escape the Torturebus. It gives me hope I can do things I want to and make things better. And it is, on the face of it, ridiculous. There are so many other things I could use $3000 to do. So so many places it would make a difference.

On Livejournal, we used to wishlists on this group. We would list some things: physical, virtual or otherwise, that we really wanted. Other members of the group would fill the desires they could.

My wishlist:

A trucking company that is willing to retrain me and put me on a dedicated.
More patrons for Patreon
A job for my younger son, who has minimal skills
New shoes. Mine are starting to wear.
Space heaters with low electrical draw and high output. It's going to be a cold winter and our bedroom one is defunct

There is literally nothing wrong with my life that 250,000 wouldn't fix. (That's the amount that will pay ALL our debt: house, cars, medical and student loans. Our consumer debt is about $100.)


But all told, I am thankful for what I have.
My house is still standing, even if 60% of it doesn't work
My oldest is self supporting
My older son survived the Army (barely, medical discharge after being hit by a crane) and is starting school next semester.
My younger son is in school for IT and doing well.
My youngest daughter is an honor student.
I have a job I love and pays all right (not great, but all right)
I have my husbands. Both of them.
My father is still with us, still well and leading an active senior life.
My sisters are doing solidly.
My cats love me.