Every year since I started my blog some 6 or 7 years ago, I’ve done a “wrap” in which I let the whole world know exactly what I got up to in the preceding 12 months. I’ll say this, 2023 was a banner year. I did too much in too little time and hurt myself in ways I never expected. It was a year of great gain and even greater loss. It will not be forgotten.
This year, I:
Published my debut novel, A Lot of People Live in This House.
Graduated from Harvard Medical School.
Went on a book tour.
Quit my job.
Turned 30.
Had a nervous breakdown.
Celebrated my 1st wedding anniversary with my wonderful husband.
Lost my father.
Lost my father.
Lost my father.
Lost my father.
Started a new job.
Had another nervous breakdown.
Had difficulty sleeping for the first in my life.
Learned a lot of new things quickly.
Had an idea for a new book.
Struggle to write.
Saw my mother’s beautiful new home.
Visited friends.
Started thinking about moving.
Started a writing group for bisexual authors.
Made new friends.
Retrained myself to sleep.
Stopped leaving the house.
Started leaving the house.
Grieved.
Fell deeper in love.
Lost my father.
As I’ve gotten older, my expectations for the future have gotten smaller. I have goals, of course, but now I’m less anxious about the “when” of it all. There’s a lot of travel on the horizon for next year, and that’s all I need for the moment.
Wishing you and yours a gentle 2024.
bam