No, I’m not going anywhere. I mean 2018 can go now.
I never cared much for New Year’s. As a kid, it felt like a ton of buildup and anticipation for nothing. Then I got old enough to be super self-conscious about not being at a party, or not having a girlfriend, or how I really didn’t like to drink, or perhaps all three.
The only NYE I remember from when I was in the Coast Guard was when I had an apartment with civilians and enough friends to actually have stuff to do, but I wound up at home super sick anyway. I was drugged up and groggy and exhausted and I raided my roomie’s videos for something to watch. That was when I discovered the existence of a whole genre of animation through a film called Legend of the Overfiend, and, um… yeah I didn’t get very far into that. Wow. Yikes. There are reasons I believe in content warnings, y’know?
Anyway. I got a little older. Eventually I had social circles who put on good parties and I started on my serial mono/poly/monogamy road and the pressure to drink eased off… and then I felt less like I had to have a great New Year’s. The wariness is still there. NYE always feels like too many people trying way too hard to have the Most Fun Ever for the most arbitrary reason. But whatever floats your boat.
This is a long way of saying I’m finally at a point where I’m happy to chill through New Year’s. I’m super lucky to be married to someone who feels the same way. I may Overwatch right through it if I’m lucky. Or go to bed early. Or a combo of both. If your NYE is mellow, whether by choice or not, you are not alone, and I’m here to tell you it’s okay. At least, if my opinion matters.
2018 was a good year for me. I didn’t quite hit my record earnings, but I was real close. I got two books out. I’ve written a good chunk of the next Good Intentions and Wandering Monsters. I did lots of cons. My personal life was stable in generally good ways. I have lots to be grateful for, and obviously I am especially glad for all of my readers, even the ones who liked one book this year but passed on the other.
I’m also real conscious of all the people out there who can’t say the same sort of thing. 2018 may have been decent for me, but I’ll mostly remember it for being terrible to far too many others. I’m not sorry to see it go.
Here’s to making 2019 into something better for everyone who didn’t make 2018 into a dumpster fire for everyone else.
While my semi-rational mind is starting to get annoyed at the arbitrary celebration of events on specific dates, my subconscious gave me something of a kick in the chin.
I had the great luck and honor to be *allowed* to work on New Years Eve. For some extra cash, mind you, but still. Only when the clock ticked over and I stood in the big ball room, having to smile and wish people a happy New year, I was acutely aware that I wasn’t celebrating it with my family for the first time in my life. It didn’t feel good.
At any rate, aside from that bit of personal life (sorry for it, wanted to build a base before the next bit, here it comes):
My rational side congratulates you on an arbitrary night in the year well spent.
My subconscious tells me to wish you a happy new year regardless, belatedly, and that 2019 will show mostly improvements in the world.
Wow. Your first foray into Anime was Legend of the Overfiend!? You poor poor thing. XD (I’m still laughin over here)