Tonight's Poet Corner: Introspection
Welp. It may already be 2020, but it's time to get introspective about 2019.
To begin, this was not an easy year. Not in the slightest. I made a lot of serious mistakes, took several steps back mentally, and wound up having to rebuild a lot of my confidence and self-esteem. I know that growth is not an endless incline, but I felt like I wound up with a lot of metaphorical scrapes, bruises, and scars. Even though I'd like to think I've improved as a person because of these misadventures, I certainly wish I didn't have to go through the pain, questioning, and anxiety in order to be "enlightened."
It's safe to say that the first half of this year was an absolute trial that I had to overcome, and the second half of the year was the recovery phase. I took a huge step forward as a writer, started a new chapter in my teaching journey, and made sure I had the proper resources to help me heal. I'm not afraid to share this on my blog (heck, I've told my students about this so they know they aren't alone), but this was the year I officially restarted therapy and started taking anti-depressants. Being able to regulate my anxiety and getting support from a professional has been an absolute godsend, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be able to both access and afford these treatments. My wife, of course, has been my rock, and my family has reminded me repeatedly of how supportive and loving they really are.
So from the bottom of my heart, I thank the following people for, honestly, saving my life this year:
My wife Arden,
my mom Barbara,
my dad Steve,
my sister Jocelyn,
my brother Eric,
my mother-in-law Bethany,
my father-in-law Paul,
my brother-in-law Kit,
my friend José,
my friend Daniel and his fiancée Nicole,
my online nerdy friends - Ben, Tyler, Theresa, Jeff, Sean, Rachel, Julius, Kelly, and Noel, to name a smattering of them,
my new colleagues at the high school I work at now,
my current and former students - you know who you are,
and other relatives and friends.
Thank you. I owe you my gratitude, my happiness, and my stability.
So! Let's get to the part you few readers have all been waiting for (or not! Whatevs): What did I accomplish in the year 2019?
1. I finished my second and final yearbook as adviser, and I have never looked back.
2. I wrote a one act play that I plan to submit to a local theater for potential staging consideration.
3. My wife and I adopted a cat! You've all seen him: He is Binx and he is the best.
4. I officially finished my induction program and cleared my teaching credential, making me super official.
5. I completed my second official year of public school teaching and started my third, making me, technically, a fifth year teacher if you count my time working at Fusion Academy.
6. I unfortunately dropped off a bit in terms of diet and fitness, but I did make an effort to frequently go to the gym.
7. I got hired at a new school and absolutely love working there.
8. With the help of my wife, I officially self-published my novel, [Insert Self-Discovery Here], just as I had hoped. If you still haven't read it, you can click right here for either a paperback or e-reader version of it. One of our friends also just completed the first run of the audiobook for it, and we plan to release a polished second edition this summer (2020).
9. I returned to voice acting, having been cast in a good friend and former coworker's podcast series. No spoilers!
10. I successfully won National Novel Writing Month by writing over 60,000 words of a new novel over the month of November, and I intend to finish the first draft by the end of this year.
11. I got to witness the third ever impeachment of a United States president! May the orange maggot rot before we wind up in another war!
12. I got the help I needed and reforged a lot of friendships and connections that have made me a stronger and healthier person.
13. I. Turned. Thirty. What the what.
Ahem. Anyway. That's a hell of a year. And now, on to another decade. Call it the Roaring 20's all you want; I just don't want another massive stock market crash and Great Depression, okay?
Have a great night and a great weekend, everyone.
To begin, this was not an easy year. Not in the slightest. I made a lot of serious mistakes, took several steps back mentally, and wound up having to rebuild a lot of my confidence and self-esteem. I know that growth is not an endless incline, but I felt like I wound up with a lot of metaphorical scrapes, bruises, and scars. Even though I'd like to think I've improved as a person because of these misadventures, I certainly wish I didn't have to go through the pain, questioning, and anxiety in order to be "enlightened."
It's safe to say that the first half of this year was an absolute trial that I had to overcome, and the second half of the year was the recovery phase. I took a huge step forward as a writer, started a new chapter in my teaching journey, and made sure I had the proper resources to help me heal. I'm not afraid to share this on my blog (heck, I've told my students about this so they know they aren't alone), but this was the year I officially restarted therapy and started taking anti-depressants. Being able to regulate my anxiety and getting support from a professional has been an absolute godsend, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be able to both access and afford these treatments. My wife, of course, has been my rock, and my family has reminded me repeatedly of how supportive and loving they really are.
So from the bottom of my heart, I thank the following people for, honestly, saving my life this year:
My wife Arden,
my mom Barbara,
my dad Steve,
my sister Jocelyn,
my brother Eric,
my mother-in-law Bethany,
my father-in-law Paul,
my brother-in-law Kit,
my friend José,
my friend Daniel and his fiancée Nicole,
my online nerdy friends - Ben, Tyler, Theresa, Jeff, Sean, Rachel, Julius, Kelly, and Noel, to name a smattering of them,
my new colleagues at the high school I work at now,
my current and former students - you know who you are,
and other relatives and friends.
Thank you. I owe you my gratitude, my happiness, and my stability.
So! Let's get to the part you few readers have all been waiting for (or not! Whatevs): What did I accomplish in the year 2019?
1. I finished my second and final yearbook as adviser, and I have never looked back.
2. I wrote a one act play that I plan to submit to a local theater for potential staging consideration.
3. My wife and I adopted a cat! You've all seen him: He is Binx and he is the best.
4. I officially finished my induction program and cleared my teaching credential, making me super official.
5. I completed my second official year of public school teaching and started my third, making me, technically, a fifth year teacher if you count my time working at Fusion Academy.
6. I unfortunately dropped off a bit in terms of diet and fitness, but I did make an effort to frequently go to the gym.
7. I got hired at a new school and absolutely love working there.
8. With the help of my wife, I officially self-published my novel, [Insert Self-Discovery Here], just as I had hoped. If you still haven't read it, you can click right here for either a paperback or e-reader version of it. One of our friends also just completed the first run of the audiobook for it, and we plan to release a polished second edition this summer (2020).
9. I returned to voice acting, having been cast in a good friend and former coworker's podcast series. No spoilers!
10. I successfully won National Novel Writing Month by writing over 60,000 words of a new novel over the month of November, and I intend to finish the first draft by the end of this year.
11. I got to witness the third ever impeachment of a United States president! May the orange maggot rot before we wind up in another war!
12. I got the help I needed and reforged a lot of friendships and connections that have made me a stronger and healthier person.
13. I. Turned. Thirty. What the what.
Ahem. Anyway. That's a hell of a year. And now, on to another decade. Call it the Roaring 20's all you want; I just don't want another massive stock market crash and Great Depression, okay?
Have a great night and a great weekend, everyone.
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