2025: In With the New?

A lot less pressure with this entry than the last one. It’s a new year, we made it. 2025. Woo! A small window in time where it is permissible not to have accomplished anything major because you’re assured that it’s all on the horizon.

While I don’t do resolutions, I suppose I do have some goals, but I don’t start the year with them. I’m like the reverse of the stereotypical person who goes to the gym on January 1st, much to the ire of regular attendees, but then drops off within a month. I won’t declare anything now, but after a month or so to ruminate, I might have some goals for the coming year.

To be fair, let me just get past mid-month to see what’s what before I decide what moves this year will contain. Figuratively or literally.

I rang in the new year just fine. As predicted, the supplies of Prosecco, cured meats, cheeses, pretzels, hummus and crackers got me through… with one weird exception.

I was in the grocery store and since they were on sale, I decided to pick up some Town House crackers, and they did not live up to their reputation. Nearly every cracker was broken or crumbled, definitely not able to support cheese or a spread. I didn’t think much of it because I had other snacks, but today I got a wild hair to see if this was a “me” problem or not. It’s not.

So like many other snacks and candies I grew up with, they changed something, didn’t mention it, but the results are plain to see. Lesson learned.

Otherwise I might still be in Out With the Old mode for 2025 because I need to do some serious tidying up at home. Much of it is junk, so easily tossed. But less simple are things like swag and gifts, that are perfectly functioning, but that I do not need. I give away what I can, but I’m rapidly running out of space unless I buy more bookshelves (oof) or get rid of some books to make room (double oof).

I’m trying to determine what the limit is before I consider an external storage space. But that presents a problem in itself because if I’m not constantly checking on what’s in storage and also going through it, then I’ve got two spaces to worry about!

We had a winter storm blow through the region, which was nice, but also oddly unremarkable. I work 100% remote now, so there’s no commute to be waived, no “Snow Day” to be granted. And I don’t have a partner, pets, or kids here so my day was pretty much the usual, but with chillier toes and a change of scenery outside.

I have tried to get back to the gym now that I’m feeling as recovered from COVID as I can be. Hitting the treadmill for a few miles isn’t as fun as going outside for a walk, but when the temps are 20-30s outside, I’ll take it. We have a small fitness center in the building, so while I’m not bumping into “resolutioners,” there are still times when all the good equipment is occupied, and I’d rather come back later than try to get an old kinda-working treadmill to start up.

For leisure time, I’m trying to work through a Kindle reading list, a backlog of anime episodes, some movies from the past few years I’ve missed… and all of them are fighting for my time with video games. Part of being a video game streamer is that I insist on game time that’s just for me. And it’s a weird thing to come to terms with, but Destiny 2 is losing out to some others. I’m trying to finish Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but it’s struggling to keep my focus the way Marvel Rivals is.

I haven’t put a lot of hours into a hero shooter since Overwatch, and I can already see Rivals is going to be a problem, and with comic book characters officially in the game? I’m doomed, but in a good way. It’s also a game that I know others will play, so I’ve gotten some friend gaming time in. Something it usually takes an MMO to do, so that’s an accomplishment. (Now if we can only get around scheduling.)

So it’s the first full week of 2025, and things are going all right. I said that I survived 2024, and while true, I think thrive will be the keyword for 2025, and not just because it rhymes. Survival will still play a big role since the world seems like it’s constantly burning (some parts literally right now) but at the same time, if I don’t try to carve out some joy for myself and hopefully others… what am I doing beyond simply existing?

Que Sera, Sera, we’ll see what comes of the year. However… if anyone happens to shake a Magic 8 Ball and it says “Outlook Good” about 2025, let me know, I could use the reassurance. 💖