December Wrap-Up: 2022 in review

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I wasn’t convinced I would survive 2022.

Before I get to my reading stats for the month, I’d like to go over a few of the life changes I experienced this year.

A lot happened.

2022 Highlights

I Finished School

I had a kind of “yeah, whatever” approach to this accomplishment, mainly because by the end, I desperately wanted to be done.

I finished in just under a year and a half, well before the two-year program deadline and a few weeks before the finish date for my final class.

And I did this while working full-time.

I loved the class content! I met some great instructors! I received a fancy certificate in the mail upon completing the course!

I absolutely would not do this again!

I Got Three New Tattoos

Two were spontaneous, one was planned.

My most-recent tattoo was a collaborative flash mash-up of religious iconography, tarot imagery, and Disco Elysium fanart.

It is my favorite tattoo I have gotten so far and was also the best tattoo experience I have ever had, even though it HURT THE WORST. I WAS SCREAMING.

I Started Collecting Squishmallows

It was an accident.

I started with a 5-inch Bubba and now sleep with a 20-inch Chewbacca.

My case manager gifted me a 12-inch Bernardo for Christmas.

During a white elephant gift exchange, I had my coworkers fighting over a 16-inch Sachie.

How did I get here?

Oh, speaking of…

I Found a New Job

An in-person office job, to be specific.

Between March 2020 and August 2022, I worked from home. I spent all my time in my tiny apartment. I’d forgotten what a “commute” was.

Also, after my program, I’d resigned myself to working part-time freelance while staying at my previous company.

That obviously did not happen.

Working in an office again is WEIRD. I don’t want to be one of those guys who is like, “Working in an office is WAY better than working from home!” because I hate when companies use this rhetoric to take away wfh opportunities.

I really like it, though. I needed out of my apartment.

Sometimes I buy coffee before work so I can sip it and grumble about public transit. I feel like I’m part of society again.

I like the work, too, though at no point in college did I expect to work in the legal field.

Life is fake.

I Considered Moving

On the plus side: I’d be closer to my family! I could afford a bigger place! I could potentially own a car!

On the con side: I’d have a MUCH longer commute (yuck), I’d have more bills and expense, and I’d be too far from my friends (this is less of a concern now.)

I opted not to move and I think I’m happy with that decision. Getting out of the house more often has helped, as I’m no longer working, living, and sleeping in the LOUDEST APARTMENT COMPLEX OF ALL TIME.

I still fantasize about a life where I can afford a car and avoid both the ferry terminal and public transit.

It would also be nice to have a bedroom one of these days.

I Began Working on a New Writing Project

I mentioned this project in another post.

I’m finally writing the high fantasy dark romance I’ve been kicking around in my head in 2017.

I would say, for the most part, it’s going well.

I have been trying to write when I feel excited about it instead of pushing myself to keep to a schedule.

I’m a little nervous because the last time I tried this with a project, I ran out of steam.

I’m also nervous about potentially Never Finishing this because two of my beta readers are no longer speaking to me and writing for them was one of my primary motivators.

I haven’t figured out how to tell the rest of the story.

I kind of know where it’s going and I’m excited about it. I’m also majorly freaked out.

I Returned to Therapy

When my emotions got too big and I started relying on my friends too much, I looked for a new therapist.

Therapy is partly responsible for my new job.

It’s also partly responsible for two of my friendships exploding! I hate it here!

Having a place to process my emotions has been invaluable. I’m glad to have the resources to pursue this.

Reading Stats

Last month, I completed a total of 24 books. Of those books,

• 63% were fiction
• 25% were nonfiction
• 8% were graphic novels
• 4% were poetry

• 25% were physical books
• 50% were audiobooks
• 25% were e-books

• 79% were Adult
• 17% were Young Adult
• 4% were Middle Grade

• 67% were new books
• 33% were rereads

My reading for the month of December was light on romance but predictably heavy on gay fantasy.

My top moods were reflective, mysterious, emotional, and adventurous.

My average rating for the month was an unheard of 4.01. I didn’t rate a single book last month 3 stars or lower.

I reread quite a few books but did pick up some new titles that I really enjoyed.

I don’t feel like doing long reviews this month, so I’m going to do some baby reviews.

Rapid-fire reviews.

Whatever you want to call them.

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
(reread)

Gets better every single time I read it.

I Hope We Choose Love: A Trans Girl’s Notes from the End of the World by Kai Cheng Thom

It’s possible I read this at a bad time. Some of the seemingly contradictory statements about conflict in community had me STRESSED OUT.

Her Pastry Shifters and Her Donut Shifters by Mia Harlan

Absolute nonsense. 10/10, highly recommend.

The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times by Pema Chödrön

Listened to most of this on the way to and from a CT scan, which feels appropriate.

Horns by Joe Hill

Really liked this in spite of myself. Self-consciously “edgy,” still managed to make me cry.

Bad Gays: A Homosexual History by Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller

Gays in favor of removing civil liberties have multiple historical precedents! I hate it here!

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

This book devastated me.

Recitatif by Toni Morrison

So…everything she writes is incredible? Cool, good to know.

The Wicked + the Divine: Books 1 & 2 by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, and various artists

To no one’s surprise, my favorite god is Baphomet. Volume 2 features some premium bisexual art.

Letters from Camp by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise

Absolutely holds up. Argued with my mom about which family-centered music group the Harmonies are a send-up of. I say the Osmonds. She says the Partridge Family.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Both much better than I’d remembered and much harder to read as an adult. THEY’RE JUST KIDS.

Alive at the End of the World by Saeed Jones

Gorgeous poems about pain and the sharing of that pain with the public.

The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers

I had trouble sleeping after reading this! I can absolutely see this collection’s influences on other cosmic horror works.

Final wrap-up of 2022 DONE!

I have a few more posts queued up with stats and other top ten lists.

Look out for those in a few days.