aoi_to_midori

I used to do New Year's Resolutions, but I don't anymore. I've found that Yearly Themes work better for me. This year's theme is Taking Care - taking care of my friends and family, taking care of myself. I'll need to do so in the weeks, months, and years ahead. I spent 2016 to 2020 in a state of constant panic, then spent 2020 to 2024 trying to figure out how to crawl out of the cycle of panic attacks, exhaustion, overwork, burnout, rinse/repeat. While I have some ideas of what lies in store in the four years ahead, I have learned that I can't panic at every headline and try to put out every fire. I drove myself to some dark places last time around, and the physical toll was starting to wear on me toward the end. I need to figure out how to find balance. Most of all, I need to learn how to take care of myself. It's not a skill that comes easily, nor was it a skill taught to me when I was young.

I'm going to try to write here more often, though I'm not going to put pressure on myself to write long, pithy essays or witty aphorisms. I'm just going to get some thoughts down and (maybe) make some like-minded friends. Maybe some of them will even be local to me so we could potentially meet in person. What a concept!

Projects: I'm almost done with my third (or maybe fourth?) scarf for donation. I was originally going to give them to Canton Food Not Bombs, but I have no idea if I can get down to one of their drop-off points. I'm hoping that someone at Akron Food Not Bombs could get them down there for me. Of course, this will necessitate a meeting or driving to another drop-off point, since I don't yet have any direct contacts with them. Sometimes living semi-rural sucks.

Incidentally, Akron Food Not Bombs is holding a benefit concert on February 15. You may want to check it out if you're in the area.

Esotericism: I'm trying to learn tarot, partially as a psychological/philosophical exercise, and partially so I can get better at understanding symbolism and how it relates to me and my subconscious. I keep pulling The Emperor. I also keep pulling The Wolf from my Druid Animal Oracle cards. I cannot for the life of me figure out what it's supposed to mean. It could be coincidence, but it'd be an odd one with the amount of times it's happened.

Hopes: I'll be traveling a lot for work this year (same as last year), but I'm hoping aseanchai and I can get away and enjoy ourselves too. A trip to the mountains could be nice, though I'm not sure where we'll end up.

People are fleeing Big Social for places like Bluesky. I'm hoping more people come here. It'd be great to rebuild some of the community I had on LiveJournal back in the day. At the risk of sounding like a cantankerous old person, social blogging was way better than Facebook and Twitter ever were.

Frustrations: aseanchai and I have started working with a personal trainer. It includes a diet plan. We're only a week in, but my brain is already rebelling, getting resentful of the fact that in order for this to work, I'll have to give up a ton of stuff I enjoy, including a certain degree of spontaneity and more than a few comfort foods. I know I need to trust the process. It's just infuriating.

There's a trend on Bluesky of people replacing doomscrolling with crafting and other hobbies. I need to curb my own tendency to doomscroll, so hopefully you'll see more of me on here. It seems to help.

Current book: As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride