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2017 – The Good, The Bad, The WTF?

I have struggled to write this post for weeks, rather months, okay, since January 20, 2017.  Like many sane people, I have difficulty processing much of what has happened in the past 12 months, kind of like processing being hit by a mack truck and dragged for a mile caught in its undercarriage as an afterthought.

The urge to wax poetic about my struggles with depression and suicidal ideation during the Year of Bizarro is strong, but I am not going to waste my time or yours on useless hand wringing and pointing fingers, I'll explain this fast so that you can go and relax with your backrest pillow with arms.  Instead, this is a year in review before packing 2017 away and continuing into the future.  I'm looking at you, 2018.

THE GOOD

  • I swam with sharks! 
  • I had two stories in the ARETEMIS RISING 3 event by EA Podcasts in March, "Meat" at PSEUDOPOD, and "The Absolute Temperature of Outer Space" at CAST OF WONDERS.  Two!  I still can't believe it.
  • My story "For" kicked off CAST OF WONDERS Banned Book Week event in September.
  • I broke into the lovely MYTHIC DELIRIUM with "Resistance on a Park Bench with Stale Bread and Ducks".
  • After countless starts and stops, I finally tackled a new novel idea, what I lovingly call Red Wine and Post Menopausal Magic.  Keep your fingers crossed.
  • The awesome Cat Rambo introduced me to Habitica, an app that allows you to "gamify your life" by earning gold and various rewards for meeting goals and establishing good habits.  There have been a few hiccups, but I have seen marked progress in how I handle certain problems.
  • Our youngest son turned 21!  AAAAIIIIEEEEEE!  *deep breath*  All panic aside, this is quite a milestone for a child we were told would never walk, never talk, and would be a rutabaga.
  • Our oldest son has a job and continues to work towards independence.  This is another milestone and we could not be more proud of him.
  • Evan, our Albanian miniature moose disguised as a pitbull snugglebug.

    Did someone say snugglebug?
    Did someone say snugglebug?
  • Hubby's store continues to do well.  I played some fantastic board games, introduced the store to new customers, and had the privilege of organizing our second annual Christmas Giving Tree.

    Our generous customers helped us help a local family have a very Merry Christmas!
    Our generous customers helped us help a local family have a very Merry Christmas!
  • The Doubleclicks released "Love Problems".
  • I have wonderful, creative friends online and in real life.

THE BAD

  • Trump
  • Brain Weasels
  • Our youngest son turned 21 which starts the clock ticking on his eventual move to a supported care facility.  Cue panic.  AAAAAIIIIEEEEEEE!!!
  • I did not meet my therapy goals for personal safety and suicidal ideation.  This is a particularly difficult admission and one I hope to explore further.  Later.
  • I consider Christmas a secular holiday I enjoy celebrating with ornaments and gifts as a way to express my continued thanks and appreciation for the good in my life.  I am no longer physically able to dig out the Christmas ornaments, and this Christmas was numbing and dark.
  • Understanding that I will never not be mentally ill.
  • Dozens of story rejections, including two that were quite hurtful.
  • The deep-seated fear that I will not be able to protect my family and friends from the twin evils of ignorance and hate.

(The Bad would seem much less than The Good, but fear is loud and insistent and DEMANDING.)

THE WTF?

  • Trump?  Really?  Really?  The Orange Menace is listed under THE BAD, but there is no denying that his year of blunders has left the world scratching its head and wondering why the United States has lost its flipping  mind.  I mean, do some research, Google his lies and nattering hate.  I can't even.

*deep breath*

THE FUTURE

So, what happens in 2018?  A mixed bag of things, hopefully more good than bad.  My short story collection Godfall & Other Stories, will be released by Hydra House Books in April of 2018.  I will be a pro guest at Norwescon 41, teaching an honest to goodness writing panel.  Our youngest son will move out of the house, keeping a promise we made to him when he was three.  Hubby and I (and possibly our oldest son) will move in with my mother-in-law to help her around the house and help ease our financial burden.  I am dedicated to resume posting on my blog.  Two of my stories will see print.  I plan to launch my Patreon page in February.  I will be afraid. . .

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope to see you again soon.  Here's looking ahead to a better 2018.

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