2015 has officially come to a close and as it does, it brings down the shutters on a year of transitions including but not limited to work and home. It was a year of new scenery, new friends, a lot of miles on the car, a lot of laughs shared with Derek and a boat load of change in general. Saying goodbye to your comfort zone is never fun but I made the best of it (as best I could) and shuffled onward.
A year ago today when 2014 was wiped from the slate I decided 2015 would be the year I finally moved away from home. I wasn't 100% committed to Austin at the time, it was just an "anywhere but here" thing. And to toss the usual disclaimer in there, it was not because Appleton was bad (in hindsight Appleton is quite perfect). I just wanted a change. By now you should all know that it took a few months of planning and saving but by September I had once again nailed a resolution to the proverbial wall.
That's my favorite part.
I typically would spend a few paragraphs right now telling you about what happened during the year, but I feel that for the most part you were all there with me so there isn't much point in going through it now. This website is organized in such a way that you can dig right in wherever you like as the controls at your fingertips. Overall it was a good year, that's the important part. I am in decent health, I have my love in Derek, some money in the bank, and the rest is just icing on the cake.
When it came down to sit and write this up I had a few options of what my new resolution would be. These varied but were slim in grandeur seeing as this year will be somewhat expensive with travel (vacation, wedding back in Wisconsin, etc.). However, this year will also be fruitful in friends coming to visit me in Austin. So seeing as this is the fifth time I've put thought into my resolution I figured it's time I upped the ante once again.
For 2015 I vowed to move out of Wisconsin and, well, I totally did that. Not ready to move again! In 2014 I wanted to become a published author, and I did that as well. Successfully, I might add; old news! For 2013 the goal was to move out on my own, which I've now done and can't really do it again, so that's nixed.
And that leaves my 2012 resolution of aiming for 26 golden things.
It strikes me as I get ready to begin my new career at west elm that I don't have anything to inspire people with. It's a company built on the prospect that the people who work there are creative, intellectual, and always shooting for the stars in their personal lives. Yes I've documented a year of my life, yes I've published a couple books, but that's in the past. What have I done lately aside from move across the country and work at a job that drained me both emotionally and physically? Not a whole fuckin' lot.
I realize lately more and more how I find myself adrift down here in Austin, without much purpose. I didn't used to be like this... even six months ago I had a determination, will and sheer desire toward a goal that was so strong I can't even fathom it now. But it's never too late to change, and it's certainly never too late to take the reigns back in your hands. Without further ado, I give you the 2016 new resolution:
Document a year of my life, achieving 30 things I've never done before, and recording it through blogs, pictures and video.
It's a lofty goal but it's one I need in order to push myself. To get out of the house, to get into the city, and to make life taste sweeter by doing the things available at my fingertips. And I'm terrified, let's get that out of the way right now. Terrified much in the same way as I was when I decided in 2012 what I was going to do for that year. There's a particular fear of failure that I can't quite wrap all of this up within 365 days, and as I've said before, I try to impress myself before I go impressing anyone else.
Really it boils down to a year of 30 mini resolutions... step by step actions that will result in (hopefully) a better person. I haven't made a list yet, I haven't mapped out if this will be a story or a big music video like last time. Should I include more of something, less of another? I think this time I'll include you people (the ones who viewed "26 Golden Things"), and solicit your input.
The best ideas are borrowed!
To go hand in hand with this new project, as yet untitled, I am going to aim to write better material for you to read. I used to write really great blogs (just go with it). They were both thoughtful and insightful, witty and flat out funny. I feel like the only reason I don't anymore is because for the most part, I'm happy now. And that makes me sad... sad that I was sad at the time and sad that I lost it when I wasn't anymore. That was a tornado of a sentence and you're welcome. I can't believe sadness is what it would require to produce work like that again... I refuse to believe I won't be able to parlay my happiness into crafting well-constructed pieces of work instead. I think what it boils down to is over the last year I've just been flat out lazy and I'm going to rectify that.
So here's to not being lazy anymore! Here's to 2016, memory cards,a video camera, a smaller kinda shitty camera, iPhone's that are always on hand, and willing participants whether they are truly willing or not. Let's make it big, let's make it grand, let's make a new movie! And what better way to kick it off than to choose a new anthem for the year, much as I did in 2012? If the Naked and Famous had a new album right now I'd take a song from it, but alas, they do not. So I will use this puppy as it fits my needs despite being a couple years old and I think the message is clear.
"If you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?"
In short, yes. But the point of this project, and this year in general, is to show what has changed. Let's find out together, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's me.
Ciao gang (c:
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