This is written in response to Weekend Engagement 82 in the excellent Weekend Community. If nothing else, it's a good chance to do some reflection and peering ahead on this New Year's Weekend.
Typically for me, I'm going to disregard the rules/suggestions and publish what I want. Sue me.
It was exactly two years ago that I first got confirmation that I had actual blood relatives. My niece Miranda was a member at 23 and Me that showed up right away. The journey since then has been amazing-meeting and getting to know my family.
(I'm not sure who took this but I do have permission to use it)
I am the last male on the top right. Between my youngest sister and a niece. This isn't all of them, but a nice representative fraction.
Wonderful, loving creative people. Notice my brother's garden bench which looks suspiciously like a 1916 Mack Truck cab. That sort of creativity is ordinary in this bunch.
What's the point to all this? I'm glad you asked. There really is no point except that the world keeps grinding along whether I approve or not.
Another of my brother's trucks, a 1964 Autocar. Photo by me.
So because of this, 2020 AND 2021 weren't the calamity years that they were for most. I'll have fond memories of both years as long as I live.
Not that they were perfect, mind you. By June of 2020 I had 250 pages of notes and the corresponding research that goes with that, pointed at a book project. I still think the idea was really good but it was based on a historical epidemic. How many wanted to read about a historical epidemic when they were living in one? Not too many.
I think that's probably part of the reason I quit writing entirely in 2021. I quit writing everything. The journal I'd kept for several years stopped and I didn't write anything heavier than my grocery list-which I keep on my phone :)
Where do I go from here? I've picked up the journal again, and have actually posted on Hive in the first two days of this year. Does it indicate a trend? No, but the trend line is in the right direction.
I genuinely hope that every single one of you that reads this post has the most magical year ever.