#2021 resolutions revisited

[nonotnolan]

No Not Nolan's Year in Review

Apparently this is a tradition now, so-- here are the stories of 2023, ranked by the number of likes.   It also helps keep me a bit grounded-- it feels rough when recent stories don't pick up stream, but the year as a whole has still gone quite well. It's also nice to see where all of my work falls, note-wise.  And if you're feeling very nostalgic (or horny?) here is a link to 2021, and here is a link to 2022.

I'm leaving the eBook announcement posts out of my year end review, but I'm calling it out for myself so when I revisit this in December 2024, future-me will remember to grab those. I'm not planning to abandon this account anytime soon-- and I'm certainly not shifting to Patreon or PayPal or what have you. I'm not prolific or popular enough for any of that. The vast majority of my work will continue to remain free and open. I just wanted to prove to myself that I'm good enough of a writer to publish something that I can be proud of-- I have, and I am.

Do authors love notes and reblogs? Yes. But they often enjoy hearing direct feedback even more-- I know I sure do. Consider "messaging authors directly" as a New Year's Resolution. (Please note that begging for someone to write you a story is not feedback. Don't be that guy.)

12) Green Grass - 122 notes - December 2023 Two guys learn first hand that not everyone values the same things. Concise and straightforward. 11) Soul Stones: Long Distance - 192 notes - April 2023 A romantic story of two men using the power of body swapping to close the gap on a long distance relationship. Cell phones have nothing on being there in person. 10) Colony Freedom - 197 notes - September 2023 A slime alien attempts to rebuild its colony from the ground up after its overseers have completely vanished. Can it manage to find enough hosts for its family, or will its cover be ruined? 9) Cuerpo Inc: After Hours Perk - 249 notes - July 2023 Ethan tries to pretend to be Jake for the weekend, but he wasn't counting on Jake's nosy neighbor getting But if he can't be Jake, at least he can still have fun in Jake's body. 8) Summer Break Dullahans - 252 notes - June 2023 Eric was not expecting to find Ben's detached head in the dorms. I'm a big fan of detachable limb stories, so I decided to be a part of the change I want to see. (I'm also very rusty at GIMP / photoshop, but it gets the job done.) 7) The Great Gym Shift - 275 notes - August 2023 A version of The Great Shift, but with a limited radius. A gym instructor is stuck babysitting a bunch of grown men who suddenly find themselves in very muscular bodies. 6) Just Another Sunday - 279 notes - October 2023 A Chronovac story with unaware recipients and a retroactive reality shift that ripples through reality. I'm really happy with this one, though I will freely admit that I lucked out on the photos for this one. 5) An Excellent Choice - 291 notes - February 2023 My Valentine's Day story, dedicated to my boyfriend. As such, the emphasis is on a merging transformation sequence. Two men take advantage of new technology to become a new sum of themselves. 4) Group Project - 331 notes - November 2023 Another work set in the Swapper universe, where college students take advantage of body swapping technology for success or pleasure. This piece features Aiden, who has to hire a nerd to take over his body if he wants to pass his classes. 3) Cursing Fate - 337 notes - January 2023 It's an alien possession story with a dark twist. If you're going to align yourself with an extraterrestrial force, make sure you have something valuable to offer them. 2) Soul Stones: The Easy Life - 412 notes - March 2023 Alfie finds himself in the body of Jordan, one of the most popular athletes on the football team-- but he's not the one who plotted for the body swap to happen. It's one of my favorites for the year, and it's a series I could see myself returning to if the inspiration is right. 1) Rookie Mistake - 482 notes - May 2023 A novice magic user tries out an Astral Projection spell without reading all of the instructions. Things do not play out in his favor.

Special Mentions-

Travis Cordin - 382 notes - February 2023 by @mergeman My boyfriend's Valentine's Day story that he dedicated to me. A raw and electric story about a magic user who gives the resident nerd too much magical power.

Stories I Love (Part 1) and Stories I Love (Part 2) I was not expecting so many people to react to these lists, but these have been getting reblogged like crazy. More importantly, a lot of authors have been reaching out to show thanks and start conversations, which I appreciate even more. Like I said-- I'm not always the best at participating in the community, so I really enjoy hearing from people.

Top 5 All Time-

5) Revenge, Reversed - 517 notes - August 2020 4) Overbearing - 538 notes - May 2022 3) Finals Week - 552 notes - May 2021 2) Gym Merchandise - 610 notes - September 2022 1) Soulmate Swap - 659 notes - August 2022

It's always fascinating to see which stories get a second life through reblogs and new discoveries. Soulmate Swap is one of my heavy hitters, but both Gym Merchandise and Overbearing have gained a lot of momentum this year. Finals Week is starting to slip, though I'm still quite fond of it. I'm quite surprised to see Revenge, Reversed on this list given its age, but it's another one of my personal favorites.

[ducktracy]

You ever make any more progress on that Magician Daffy animation you posted about last year or did you drop it like a rock? (Believe me, I've been there.)

THIS GENUINELY MADE ME SMILE i've had too many projects i've abandoned... i can only fool you guys for so long...

YES AND NO! OKAY the answer is no, i haven't :'))))))) my goal was to wait until Procreate Dreams came out so i had something more substantial to animate in... but i ended up not liking the Dreams interface when it did drop (i didn't realize how often i used the lasso tool!!!!!!!!! no lasso tool?????) and that + work keeping me so tied up + other obligations haven't allowed me to make the progress i want...

BUT. i refuse to drop it because it means so much to me and is such a perfect way to test so many skills of mine. i'm going to get it done! one of my many resolutions this year is to act on my immediate impulses--the moment i want to do something i'm going to DO IT, and one of my goals is to revisit old projects like that OR the cartoon animatic i dropped back in 2021. or my Porky and Daffy salesman cartoon dating all the way back to November 2020. I AM GOING TO REVISIT THESE!!! but the magician short is definitely one of my utmost priorities, and sincerely, i'm super flattered you bring this up because it means people are thinking about it!!!! thank you!!

in case nobody has any idea of what i'm talking about, i have plans to reanimate an interstitial from LTC and add my own interpretations/variations, with each corresponding Pork actually ANIMATED and MOVING in the style it owes itself to. complete with corresponding music cues! for example, the '60s McKimson pig was my own addition. i have lots of different Porkys planned AND some acting between Porky and Daffy figured out to make it a nice loop.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

BECAME A HUGE FAN OF HER WORK OVERNIGHT, AND SHE'S EASY ON THE EYES, TOO -- I REMAIN ENTHRALLED!

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on English actress Jodie Comer playing French noblewoman Marguerite de Carrouges in the medieval period/costume drama "The Last Duel" (2021), directed by Ridley Scott.

Costume Designer: Janty Yates

Cinematography: Dariusz Wolski

Resolution at 2560x1707 & 1107x1707.

THE PLAYLIST: "When the project came your way, what about it was so intriguing about it? What made you want to jump on board?"

JODIE COMER: "Oh, gosh. I mean, there were so many factors. I mean, obviously one is to work with “the” Ridley Scott. It’s a very, very obvious one. I think what really kind of drew me when I got the email and I got a kind of summary of the story that it’s loosely based on a book. And I knew I was meeting Ridley, and I didn’t actually have the script yet. So I bought the book to try and see what it was all about. And I was so kind of struck by how much information there was about this event and these men. And there was just so little about this woman who was at the heart of it, who was the one who suffered from this act. And then it was really speaking with Ridley and Matt, Ben, and Nicole, and realizing what their goal was and the format of the script. And this idea of perspective is quite dangerous to me, just to play around with that. And ultimately, her own hero[ism] and actually the only reliable narrator, to give her a chance to tell her side and play around with the perspective. I was actually having to really kind of step out of my instincts from my own character and be of service to the other characters and really try and think about what they needed from me for their stories to be truthful. So, it was a really interesting process."

Sources: https://theplaylist.net/jodie-comer-revisits-ridley-scotts-mastery-of-the-last-duel-interview-20211224, The Guardian, Glamour UK, various, etc...

[elkement]

Throwback: My first ever attempt at digital art.

These are very low resolution images, and I would do things differently today. I am going to revisit this series.

But I am still happy about the coincidences and events that made me start creating art, having such software only used "for science" before.

Background and math on my blog: https://elkement.blog/2021/06/23/super-motivational-function/

[whoiskt]

Evolution of my art. Made this for myself because I wanted to see my own progress but I accidentally just made myself sad with how much of my art I've lost and the years when I hardly drew anything.

2011- One of my first digital art pieces. Redraw of a photo I found on Google. Eyebrow and mouth are immediately off-portion, but as a fully colored piece I think it is pretty good for a beginner. It was really small tho, I didn't understand resolutions yet!

2012- Homestuck phase. A year full of art to choose from, this was one of the last drawings I made that year, and honestly I still think it looks really good. The way I drew eyes back then was totally different.

2013- Supernatural phase. I was doodling a lot on homework and notebooks, but actual finished pieces are hard to find now. I've lost sketchbooks from this era. Perhaps even burned them, haha. This was done on whiteboard.

2014- This self-portrait was my magnum opus at the time, done for art class. There was a level of detailing textures here that I'd never care to revisit and this piece easily could have taken me 50 hours or more to complete. The nose/mouth feels so off to me, now, although I clearly broke my bad habit of drawing small pointed chins with this one. Each year I look at it hanging in my parent's house it makes me cringe more. Charcoal.

2015- Mostly MIA. I have some pen drawings from this time but I thought they were skippable and I only had room for 10 years here. I went to film school so I was focused on that creatively.

2016- Got into watercolor this year. Wasn't done on watercolor paper so it warped a lot. I don't really mind. End of my vanity era. I was in an art class, animation class, and character design class this year. Maybe got a little burnt out on art.

2017- Height of my pen drawing obsession, although most of the drawings I did were at work, and were hung up at work, and may still be there even though I am long gone now? Sorry about the weird crop it was a horizontal piece.

2018- Yes, similar to the previous year, but I see improvement in pen technique. I rarely took time to just sit down and draw other than in-class doodles.

2019- Wedding gift for my sister of her and her husband (although I cropped her out lol). Large watercolor piece where I was rushed and had to finish the background as an abstract fall leaves. I'm still on the fence about it overall.

2020- My digital art renaissance. This was the year I started to really realize I was utterly incompetent at backgrounds.

2021- I was really focused on photography this year, although I did do some sketching here and there. My laptop became mostly unusable for digital rendering so that cut down on my motivation.

2022- I discovered watercolor brushes, my beloved. I closed the door on many of my other creative outlets which seemed to bring back my love, passion, and motivation for drawing again.

Hopefully I can share a 2023 piece with you soon to show my improvements 🤗 I've been sketching a lot like I did back when I was 13 and it feels good!

[ivankahasbeentreatedsounfairly]

The NY Times Jan. 14, 2025

By Sharon LaFraniereDylan Freedman and Kate Kelly

In August 2021, Pete Hegseth said on Will Cain’s podcast that slowly, surely, “by the grace of God,” he had been able to undo a pattern of alcohol abuse that had dogged him since he returned from military combat in Iraq in 2006.

Asked about his New Year’s resolutions on the same podcast in mid-January 2024, Mr. Hegseth brought up alcohol anew. “The less booze thing is not working out for me,” he said then.

Mr. Hegseth, the former Fox News anchor and combat veteran President-elect Donald J. Trump picked for defense secretary, is likely to be asked to revisit the issue of his alcohol use as part of his Senate confirmation hearings on Tuesday.

The New York Times and other news organizations have documented a pattern of excessive drinking by Mr. Hegseth. In the most serious episode, a woman in Monterey, Calif., accused him of raping her in 2017. Mr. Hegseth said the encounter was consensual, and it resulted in no criminal charges. His lawyer said Mr. Hegseth was inebriated at the time.

In an interview on Megyn Kelly’s SiriusXM show last month, Mr. Hegseth acknowledged concerns about his drinking had put his nomination at risk. He promised then that there “won’t be a drop of alcohol on my lips” if he is confirmed.

“I need to make sure the senators and the troops and President Trump and everybody else knows when you call me 24/7 you’re getting fully dialed-in Pete, just like you always did in Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said then.

Depending on how he answers the senators’ questions, Mr. Hegseth could come across as sufficiently reformed or lacking the necessary self-discipline for one of the most critical cabinet posts.

Some Democrats have promised to challenge his fitness for the position partly on the basis of his drinking. “A Secretary of Defense must exercise clear judgment and be ready to be called upon at any time, and a Secretary who struggles with excessive and inappropriate drinking undermines our national security,” Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, wrote in a letter to him dated Jan. 6.

Mr. Hegseth’s pledge to abstain from alcohol echoed that of another nominee for defense secretary, John Tower, who in 1989 said: “If confirmed, I won’t have a drink.” Mr. Tower also promised to resign if he faltered, but it still was not enough to overcome his reputation of being a carouser and the Senate voted him down.

As part of a background check that began last month, F.B.I. agents asked at least some people whether Mr. Hegseth had abused alcohol, but it was unclear as of Monday how thorough that inquiry was.

A review by The Times of Mr. Hegseth’s public statements in recent years found that he often referred to his alcohol consumption, both in describing some dark moments in his life and in light banter about enjoying “an extra pour” or a certain type of liquor.

Mr. Hegseth said in the 2021 podcast episode that he struggled to adjust to civilian life after his deployment in Iraq.

“I’d look around at 10 o’clock and be like, ‘What am I going to do today? How about I drink some beers? ’” he told Mr. Cain. “And one beer leads to many, leads to self-medication, leads to ‘I’ve earned this.’ Like, ‘Don’t tell me I can’t.’”

He said he had been able to “undo that cycle,” but did not specify when.

In 2020 and 2021, Mr. Hegseth repeatedly told a story about getting extremely drunk with a veteran involved in the 2011 raid in Pakistan that killed Osama Bin Laden.

“The first time I heard the full story from Rob O’Neill in a bar of the Bin Laden raid I thought I was going to meet him for 45 minutes. Four and a half hours later, I could barely walk and I heard the whole story,” he said on Fox Nation’s “Friday Night Live” in a 2020 episode.

As a weekend anchor for the morning show “Fox & Friends” from 2017 to 2024, Mr. Hegseth and his co-workers frequently joked about his taste for beer, gin and whiskey.

Answering a question about his weight in the 2020 episode on Fox Nation, Mr. Hegseth said that his diet mostly consisted of “protein and booze.” But he also suggested that he was trying to cut down on alcohol. “I put this much soda in and this much gin in, so I’m not really drinking all that much, although I may have many glasses. You know how that goes,” he said.

Three years later, showing up for a “Fox & Friends” episode in a tuxedo from a celebration the evening before, he said, “I partied all night and I’m here and I didn’t change.”

Mr. Hegseth’s treatment of women may also come up. In a 2018 email, his mother, Penelope Hegseth, accused him of mistreating women for years. “I have no respect for any man that belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego. You are that man,” she wrote him.

Mrs. Hegseth later disavowed those sentiments and said she apologized to her son for the email.

In the interview with Ms. Kelly, Mr. Hegseth said with the help of his third wife and his religious faith, “I have become a changed man.”

[chameleonv]

CTS A | Connect CTS A to all your other modules (and components)

Throughout my coursework, I could see how critical thinking was the backbone interconnecting with all my modules. I relied on it heavily, especially when experimenting with techniques, problem-solving and collaborating.

Collaboration played a big role, particularly in Studio 1 and Craft Workshop. Working in groups taught me to adapt my approach to different perspectives and working styles. Each experience broadened my understanding and deepened my appreciation for diverse insights. After all, not everyone has the same ideas as I do. I felt that blending ideas led to more effective solutions.

Emotional intelligence and assertiveness were also key. I had to manage my own emotions and remain sensitive to others. This is evident during Studio 1 and Craft Workshop. For example, in Studio 1, I helped resolve tension in a group activity by suggesting we revisit a peer’s idea, which led to better progress.

This experience ties closely to assertion and conflict resolution. I learned to balance being open to others' point of view while contributing my own. I found that this fostered greater success and productivity within the group. When conflicts arose, I resolved them through empathetic, strategic interaction - asserting my perspective without dismissing others - to reach shared goals while remaining considerate of the team.

Maintaining a growth mindset was essential across all modules, especially in a creative environment where innovation is constant. We were not given predefined frameworks but worked with ideas that are constant in need of fine-tuning and exploration. This process can be exhausting, particularly when feedback can be subjective. However, I learned that embracing diverse opinions and accepting constructive criticism are key elements of critical thinking and personal growth, requiring resilience.

Lastly, documenting my creative process was another vital part of my work. By documenting through design softwares for Digital Skills and Photography, I was able to track the development of my ideas and reflect on how my work evolved over time. In particular, working on a Creative Process Journal for Studio 1 allowed me to document not only final outcomes but also the stages of exploration and research, giving insights into my own creative journey.

In conclusion, all of these skills come hand in hand. They are elements of critical thinking, and each module required me to apply them in unique ways, shaping my growth as a designer.

(383 words)

References:

Four Cs of 21st Century Skills." iCEV, 12 Aug. 2021, www.icevonline.com/blog/four-cs-21st-century-skills.

[moochilatv]

Chuck Johnson presents: Teleos

Having previous releases on labels such as Kompakt, Thrill Jockey, All Saints, and Three Lobed, Oakland producer/musician/composer Chuck Johnson explores themes of time, memory, and illusion through his unique blend of ambient via pedal steel, synths, organs, strings, and drums. 

 On his upcoming album Sun Glories out August 16th via Western Vinyl, guests include Clarice Jensen, Emily Packard, Ryan Jewell, and Cole Pulice.

“Teleos” is the first single out 6/18, which channels a bittersweet relief and nostalgia that can flood the senses with the arrival of the first warm and sunny day after a long, dark, and rainy stretch of winter.

According to Johnson, the piece "took a surprising turn when I started adding guitar textures that recall the music I played and listened to when I was much younger." Evocative fields of guitars and pedal steel conspire to spark an intoxicating palimpsest of memories, before being ushered forward by an improvisatory and propulsive drum performance from Ryan Jewell.

BIO:

On his new album Sun Glories, Oakland-based musician, composer, and producer Chuck Johnson explores themes of time, memory, and illusion through his unique blend of pedal steel, synths, organs, strings, and drums. Johnson has released music on labels such as Kompakt, Thrill Jockey, All Saints, and Three Lobed, with Sun Glories being released by Western Vinyl on August 16th.

Check out the first single "Teleos," which explores the linear and cyclical qualities of time itself through episodic sections and motifs. These evoke the bittersweet relief and nostalgia that flood the senses with the arrival of the first warm and sunny day after a long, dark, and rainy stretch of winter. 

According to Johnson, the piece "took a surprising turn when I started adding guitar textures that recall the music I played and listened to when I was much younger." Evocative fields of guitars and pedal steel conspire to spark an intoxicating palimpsest of memories, before being ushered forward by an improvisatory and propulsive drum performance from Ryan Jewell.

The guitar-based "Sylvanshine" captures a moment between improvisation and nascent composition, elevated by a radiant glissandi performance by electro-acoustic saxophonist Cole Pulice. "This track is an appreciative nod to Rachika Nayar, whose recent works have re-opened the electric guitar for me and inspired me to play that instrument again after a hiatus of several years," explains Johnson.

On "Ground Wave" Johnson revisits the composition technique of weaving a small string ensemble into clouds of pedal steel, similar to his approach on "Red Branch Bell' from his 2021 LP The Cinder Grove. "When the pedal steel solo comes in at about 3:30, I wanted to make it feel like the ground suddenly disappearing from under the listener’s feet." To achieve his vision for this piece, Johnson work with cellist Clarice Jensen (who Johnson has worked with on film scores and in live performances), and violinist Emily Packard (who Johnson knew from his time at Mills College), both of whom layered multiple parts to create a virtual chamber ensemble.

The album concludes with "Broken Spectre," a play on a term describing a ghostly optical illusion caused by sunlight bending over a mountain covered in mist or clouds. Once again Johnson's gorgeous pedal steel melodies build into a hypnotic swirl, which develops an epic sense of grandeur with the addition of Ryan Jewell's anthemic drumming. As the mist clears and the sun breaks through, this final track leaves the listener with a feeling of hope and resolution.

[thisislizheather]

2021 Resolutions Revisited

Making resolutions in 2021? What a concept. Even though we’re still in the middle of a global pandemic, I managed to do a couple of notable things last year. I started out the year in Canada since I tested positive and had to stay put, so I spent most of those days watching the snow fall and never missing an episode of Jeopardy with my Dad. I kept making my seasonal lists (spring, summer, autumn, winter). I did Nathan’s podcast eight times:

#1: “Internet Closed on Sundays”

#2: ”Great Companies”

#3: “Accountant Part Two“

#4: “Accountant Part Three“

#5: ”What’s A Rat King”

#6: “Are We Controlled By Companies“

#7: “Girl Guides For Life“

#8: “Ten Years in NYC“

I got fully vaccinated and got a booster too, I took Baby Dog to Coney Island, I worked as a hostess on the Upper East Side for a few months (where I seated Woody Allen and then quit the next day), I went strawberry picking in Connecticut and ended up eating at Mystic Pizza, I went to two beautiful summer weddings, Nathan & I celebrated twelve years together, I started working part time as a literary agent, I saw so many Broadway plays (Wicked, Aladdin, To Kill A Mockingbird, Dear Evan Hansen, Girl From The North Country), my niece Layla came to NYC for the first time, I started taking online classes to help make my site better, I went to Salem in October, I got fake nails four times and look how gorgeous.

I finally saw the pumpkin float in Central Park, I took tours of gorgeous old mansions upstate, we all dressed up for Halloween, Nathan drove my parents to Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia while they were visiting, I wrote about my very favourite Thanksgiving recipes, I went blonde, I compiled my favourites of 2021, my parents met Nathan’s mom for the first time, I spent Christmas with my whole family for the first time in two years, and I found my favourite photos of the year. My two biggest failures of the year? Trying to eat these A-Z foods and my attempt at wardrobe challenge. Here’s how my 2021 resolutions went.

1. Read at least one book per season.

Winter: The Answer Is… Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek

Spring: Enter Talking by Joan Rivers

Summer: The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Archor and The 5 Buckets: A Framework For Living With Intention by Bobby Dysart

Autumn: Okay so here’s the thing, I was so bored by Charles Grodin’s book that I didn’t even think about reading for months. I blame the Grod.

2. Juice at least five times a month.

I feel like I was a completely different person at the beginning of 2021 and all the prior years before that? Juicing is not the answer, honey. I did start out the year still doing them, but like, what a weird thing to track each time…? Eating disorder much? I’m not stating how many times it happened and I promise it won’t be on this year’s list. I’m sorry to anyone I’ve ever triggered any time I’ve talked about juicing.

3. Take Baby Dog on an adventure at least twice a season.

Winter: we took her to Canada for four months, so I think that counts for at least two adventures.

Spring: one trip to Central Park and one to Coney Island.

Summer: took her to New Jersey for a wedding and then to upstate New York for another wedding.

Autumn: took her to Canada for Thanksgiving & then to Central Park to see the fall foliage.

4. Get Nathan to take more photos of me.

Okay, I need to amend this one to include more people than just Nathan, especially since 99% of men I know have zero idea how to take a flattering photo.

5. Try at least one new restaurant each month.

January: Old Bagel House (woof, bagels should be illegal outside of New York, come at me)

February: <the whole month I either had COVID or was recovering>

March: Bar Primi (great spot, dim lighting, you can’t go wrong)

April: Bar Dalia (wonderful, intimate)

May: Dame (absolutely stellar fish and chips), Vicolina (oddly subpar, overpriced Italian)

June: dell'anima (very okay, but not worth the trek to 11th Avenue), Forsythia (one of my favourite new Italian places), Mystic Pizza (wildly average, but very cool to be there because of the movie)

July: Mimi Cheng’s (great dumplings), Spunto’s (great pizza), Marks Off Madison (crazy good turkey club sandwich)

August: Society Cafe (decent!), Ten Bells (very cute, even for Brooklyn), Vic’s (perfectly okay, but don’t think I’d return), Ruta (best new Mexican place I’ve tried in a long time)

September: Amylos Tavern (pretty good!)

October: Minton’s Playhouse (decent for a venue)

November: Red Hat on the River (incredible mussels), Di Fara’s (great but not worth the trek)

December: Carbone (thoughts over here), Via Carota (so so good), Dolly Varden (great food and cocktails)

6. Submit pieces to publications at least five times each month.

It’s better if I don’t tell you how little I did this. I didn’t do zero per month, but I definitely didn’t do five.

7. Save $50 every Monday to use for travel spending money.

I did this for the first half of the year and then lord only knows what happened.

8. Buy nothing from Amazon or Wal-Mart, or at least limit it to once per month.

All right so I went nuts with the Wal-Mart shopping anytime I was in Canada. And you don’t want to see my Amazon orders from November and December. I want to stop, but I guess I’ll just have to come to terms with being a terrible person.

9. Cook A-Z new things.

This one really fell off the rails. I’m not against finishing the list, but this feels more of a within-a-decade kind of goal…? Haha?

10. Stop being so afraid.

Truthfully, I’m still pretty afraid. But this is a baby steps kind of resolution. I’d never have even dreamed of dying my hair blonde even a year ago, so that’s big for me. I’m also getting better at communicating boundaries in my relationships, so that’s also big.

One thing that I’ve very pleased to have kept up with? My monthly roundup posts. They’re my favourite to write, so I’m grateful that anyone wants to read them. Here are the links to the last twelve months of them: December 2021, November 2021, October 2021, September 2021, August 2021, July 2021, June 2021, May 2021, April 2021, March 2021, February 2021 & January 2021.

And here are all the best tweets posts from 2021 as well: January tweets, February tweets, March tweets, April tweets, May (part one) tweets & May (part two) tweets, June (part one) tweets & June (part two) tweets, July (part one) tweets & July (part two) tweets, August (part one) tweets & August (part two) tweets, September (part one) tweets & September (part two) tweets, October (part one) tweets & October (part two) tweets, November (part one) tweets & November (part two) tweets, December (part one) tweets & December (part two) tweets.

2022 resolutions coming tomorrow!

[ausdemakoerbchen]

NEW BLOG POST!!! just like last year I'm ending the year on the blog with looking back on my new years resolutions. spoiler: a lot of things didn't go as planned and I didn't really achieve any of my goals. read it here: https://bit.ly/32hgJsh

[sketchingtons]

Happy New Year 2023!! 🥳🎉🎊🍾🥂🎈🎇🎆✨

Happy New Year everybody, I hope 2023 is treating you well so far-and I’m sending you all as many good vibes as I can in hopes that it continues to be a good year for us all as it progresses! 🥳

If you’ve been following me for the past handful of years, you may have noticed that I started-and have continued-to draw/update/revamp an illustration I did of a fireworks themed character I created in 2021 to celebrate the beginning of the New year; this has now become a little tradition that I like to keep going to ring in the New Year each time!

I’ve grown attached to this particular character and it brings me a lot of joy to revisit them each year and give them a redesign based on my current design sensibilities/techniques-we all know how much I love a character/costume redesign-plus, since I’m redoing the same illustration each time, it also provides a nice benchmark I can look back on to see how my style has changed/improved over the course of the year as well! (I’ve provided the previous years iterations of this illustration for y’all to look at as well to see how my work has changed!)

As it is the New Year, I know a lot of people are starting on their New Years resolutions; have y’all picked anything in particular to work on/towards this year? Have you already started? Let me know! For me, I really want to start utilizing my Patreon and Ko-fi more, as well as create more content for my shop, and branch out more into streaming and posting on YouTube!

See y’all next year for the next installment of this illustration-well wishes to you all until then 🎆 🎇✨💕

[tenebrare]

Deus Ex- Sarif's attack dog (revisited) + Post about how and why this revisit came to be aka some self-reflect (warning: long, ... OMG too long)

During Inktober2022, when I was forced to (as its part of the challenge) post daily, in some point I took a look of my 2022 postings in general. I found that I have taken my blogs title "Sketchbook and doodles" too literal. Almost all my works posted were... are... 1-2 day quick scribbles and clearly unfinished. Except 3. 2 of which were done in 2021 and still fit the 1-2 day filling and one work which I had done while recovering serious health related issue and was forced to focus only on recovery and I kept working on a singular piece the time without thinking about completing the piece itself (as my goal was just to fill the time I was awake and give my brain something else than health to think about) nor being stressed by war, bills, work. And out of those 3 remaining works that last is only one I wouldn’t know how to change, when I open its original file now. Also the other remotely almost passable as closer to complete works were done before war and illness. Why I have rushed like this – where was I hurrying to? Did I believe I improve better if I do more? Yet my best fan-work of 2022 is one I did, when I was physically so weak I was barely able to hold any objects like my pen (even eating and holding a spoon exhausted me to the point I slept hours afterwards), but just invested more time on doing something. Inktober was like a sum of the same – out of the 31 works I did, the best one in my opinion is the one I failed at original day and did bit by bit on other remaining days. Where am I running to? I should sit the f*** down. 2022 is trying to tell me something and I should listen. It 1st broke my graphics card few days in. Started a war close enough month after. Got me ill and almost killed me next month after that and then heatwaved me to heat-sickness soon as I started to do some recovery few months down. Canceled all my long planned events and activities for august and changed what-and-how in September. Only thing it did not cancel was me seeing my favorite band in July (in fact ‘universe’ in particular delayed the gig to be in 2022 from 2020). Maybe by November I should take the darn hint? … I finally sat down after Inktober. Meditated a few days, sitting back against almost ice cold-radiator in a 12C room (the machinery in basement shut itself off again and it was 12C outside as well). So I went back and took one the unfinished works and gave myself no time limits - „It is done, when it is done.” I told myself - “I am not running anywhere, no one gave me deadline. I do this because I love doing stuff like this. Do it like you just hired yourself and want your moneys worth. And above all – have fun. I must have fun again, like when I was 2 and scribbled believing I am greatest painter in the world and for my family I was.” Uh, and the widget in the basement started working after I had found calm in self as well worked on this piece a few days and is stable 21C now. If I’d believe in paranormal, I’d say this house is alive and is catching up my moods. But thanks, house, for the widget being back online. The gas company found no fault in the widget and its systems. Not in spring, when it stopped working 1st time after being just installed, nor this falls … Well… in this region we believe that old houses have their own spirits and personalities after all. Here’s “Sarif’s Attack Dog” as I wanted it to be 8 months ago. Just spent 5 times more time on it. Viewer, who wants, does find flaws in it and could argue about ‘its done, when its done’ part, but it is not about if someone else can do it better, likes it or does not like it or any other 100 problems, but its about how I wanted it to look-like in given moment and gave myself time to do it. Maybe it should be my 2023 years resolution? “Sit the f-down and take my sweet time on all things I do – including fan-art?” Provided 2023 doesn’t try to kill me again, like 2022 did… tehehe? PS! That lone fully completed 2022 fan-art of mine was Francis Pritchard hacking Adams computer in Prague

[felassan]

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (MET remaster) CONFIRMED - TRAILER LINK (YouTube link)

A new Mass Effect game is also officially confirmed to be in development!!!

The remaster is coming Spring 2021 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC, with forward compatibility and targeted enhancements on Xbox Series X and PS5.

It isn’t a remake. It will feature updated textures, shaders, models, effects and technical features, as well as super-sharp resolution, faster framerates and beautiful visual enhancements. It will include single-player base content and DLC from Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3, plus promo weapons, armors, and packs, all remastered and optimized for 4k Ultra HD. More info to come in the new year.

The next game is being made by a veteran team. They’re currently in the early stages of the project and can’t say more just yet.

Full BioWare Blog update text under cut:

Happy N7 Day!

by Casey Hudson (VP, Studio GM of BioWare) - Posted November 7, 2020

It’s tough keeping a big secret (and we really struggled to keep this one a surprise) but now it’s official: today we announced the Mass Effect Legendary Edition! We’ve heard (for years!) your requests for a Mass Effect remaster, so we’re super happy to finally reveal that we’ve been working on a remastered edition of the Mass Effect trilogy.

For many months now, our team at BioWare has been hard at work updating the textures, shaders, models, effects, and technical features of three enormous games. Our goal was not to remake or reimagine the original games, but to modernize the experience so that fans and new players can experience the original work in its best possible form. It’s been amazing to see the adventures of Commander Shepard take on new life in super-sharp resolution, faster framerates, and beautiful visual enhancements. As game developers, we always hope that our games will transcend their original platforms. Having the opportunity to remaster the trilogy means that the fruits of a decade of our work will live on, and will be experienced better and clearer than ever before.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition will include single-player base content and DLC from Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3, plus promo weapons, armors, and packs – all remastered and optimized for 4k Ultra HD. It will be available in Spring 2021 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, with forward compatibility and targeted enhancements on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. More information to come in the new year!

Meanwhile here at BioWare, a veteran team has been hard at work envisioning the next chapter of the Mass Effect universe. We are in early stages on the project and can’t say any more just yet, but we’re looking forward to sharing our vision for where we’ll be going next.

For me personally, Mass Effect represents years of work and countless special memories, so every year I feel incredibly fortunate to celebrate N7 Day with players around the world. Thank you so much for supporting us over the years. I can’t wait to continue our adventure together – revisiting our favorite memories in the Mass Effect universe, and creating brand new ones!

Casey

[source]

[ahundredtimesover]

💌 2021 TUMBLR YEAR END FIC REVIEW GAME

tagged by: @parkdatjimin​ @cutechim​ @hamsterclaw​ @playmetheclassics​ @jimilter​ thank you, thank you! 🥰

rules: post the top 5 works you’re most proud of that you released this year (not necessarily your most popular), your top 4 current WIPs that you’re excited to release in the new year, your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year, your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year, and your number 1 favorite line you’ve written this year!

top 5 works that i am most proud of this year (all jjk x reader)

Please Love Me (arranged marriage au)

Can’t Be Without You (best friends au; underground fighter jk)

Inevitable (exes, parents au)

Fight for You (boydguard!jk x heiress!reader)

The Love After (werewolf!jk x human!reader)

top 4 current wips that i’m excited to release this year

A Still Day or a Hurricane | jjk (single mom!OC) - you’re a determined lawyer who’d just gotten pregnant (via artifical insemination) and a young pastry chef flirts his way into your life

TBA | jjk (single dad!jk; childhood friends and neighbors ft. Taehyung) - Jungkook comes home after years with a daughter in tow, and between reflecting how you both lost touch with your respective dreams and now figuring life on your own, you end up finding comfort in each other

TBA | jjk (boss!jk x assistant!reader) - Jungkook doesn’t seem to like you and he’s not exactly your favorite person either, but an incident causes you to see a side of him he doesn’t show to others and him to open up to you, until you say you’re resigning (lowkey WWWSK but not funny at all)

TBA | knj (husband au) - married life with Namjoon hasn’t been the same, and a trip back home forces both of you to acknowledge the distance and face the feelings you hadn’t realized have been pulling you apart for years 

top 3 biggest improvements in your writing/blog this year

It was my first year of writing but I feel like with every story, I got better at bringing out the characters’ emotions more

I got comfortable writing series, which let me build the characterizations and pacing better

At least for the last one, I ventured outside my comfort zone by writing a fantasy fic

top 2 resolutions in terms of my writing/blog this year

So in 2021, I was going through a lot and feeling all these emotions that I poured into my writing (hence the angst fest) and honestly, much as I loved it, it also took so much out of me bc I had to revisit all those feelings as I wrote and edited (and they were all very personal) constantly. Perhaps this year, I’ll go a little easy on myself (and the emotions)! I’ll probably never not write angst but I’ll pace myself, at least 🤞🏽 (let’s hope) hehe

JK is so much fun and so easy to write and he will always be my muse but I’ve got outlines for other-member fics for this year and my goal is to not be too anxious to put them out 😬😬

number 1 favorite line you’ve written this year

Honestly, there are so many I can’t possibly choose 1, but since The Love After is the latest, here’s one about loss and grief that I reflected on:

Human beings are sacred like that - they let others live in them; no one ever really dies. 

tagging: @jiminrings @moon-write @holdinbacksecrets @joyfulhopelox @hueseok 🙂

[sitp-recs]

I’ve been tagged by some folks to join the 2022 fandom goals, thank you! I don’t have bullet points but I drafted some thoughts and decided to save it here so I can revisit later - or whenever I need a reminder:

It’s crazy to think it’s been two years since I got back into Drarry and joined the community with a more active role. I had no idea the blog would last this long, but it’s been quite a ride! This year was nothing like I had planned and I’m now moving past the bittersweetness of it all to start looking at what comes next. When I was still a lurker I used to wander between ships and fandoms, and the 2-year mark is when I’d naturally take a break and move towards something else; I can’t say whether or not that’s happening but while I’m still here I figured why not commit to at least one new year resolution?

2021 was full of adjustements as I saw the fandom flourish in so many incredible ways but ended up participating way less than I intended to. I had big expectations that never really came to life so I don’t wanna establish any rigid goals or ambitious numbers and set myself for disappointment.

I’m rather thinking of going back to the basics - meaning a bigger focus on my relationship with fanfic in general, and less on my relationship with fandom in particular. It’s time to accept that I can’t and don’t need to know or keep track of everything (a bad habit born out of making reclists on demand) and that putting too much pressure on myself or letting external factors dictate what and how I post in here is probably not a healthy way to go about something that I should be doing for fun.

After being quieter in my corner I realize that doing things in my own pace is the only way to move forward with the blog. It’s hard to honor this statement with so much going on around here so scaling down on both Discord (done) and Tumblr (planned) is probably a good start. I’m not setting goals beyond that because my job still sucks, time’s still an issue and inspiration comes and goes, so I just wanna be gentler to myself and set a low pressure environment at first. Hopefully that will translate into reading more rare pairs, writing more single recs and even occasional reclists if inspiration hits, and being a better friend to a few people. I don’t wanna limit myself but I don’t wanna embrace the world either. Next year I am letting go of things that are not my responsibility and redirect my time and energy to what really brings me joy and fulfillment 💜

… okay, so I lied. Here’s my second resolution: leave more comments!!! It’s embarrassing how terrible I am at giving feedback, time to change that 🙌 I’m not tagging anyone in particular but would love to hear from others, so if you feel like sharing yours goals feel free to join and @ me!

[ruabadfishtoo]

bihhhhh got any new year resolutions bihhhhhhhh

I have so many lolol

1. Respond to people quicker and be better at maintaining my friendships (I go hermit too often and then come up with silly excuses to defend it)

2. Start exercising again (basic, I know.) my brother and I are gonna start working out, doing healthy meals together, and motivating each other 💪

3. Work on my brain!!! I want to revisit some of my college stuff and re-teach myself a lot of the things I’ve forgotten. Also I just want to read more in general, even if it is just fun, light-hearted books sometimes

4. Delete mean/gross tumblr messages as soon as I get them so that I’m not constantly looking at them or feeling tempted to respond because I know it’s just people looking for attention, and I feed into it by responding.

I was so depressed in 2021 that in 2022 I kinda just gave into my comforts and desires to make sure I was happy. But now I feel happy and stable enough to set some good goals 🤩