Closing the books on 2022
I forgot to write an end-of-the-year post for 2021. It’s fine, though, because it really just felt like a continuation of 2020. I pulled up the 2020 list and found that I didn’t write 2021 goals anyway. Since I have actually completed some of my 2020 items, I’ve decided to outline the things I accomplished (or survived) in 2021 & 2022:
Jan 2021: Emergency gallbladder surgery. It took me a couple of months to recover, but I felt much better mentally and physically afterward.
Jan 2021: My roof was destroyed during a windstorm, so I initiated the insurance process for its replacement.
Spring 2021: Further developed the garage remodel idea. I realized I needed someplace to store items currently in the garage, so I built a foundation and installed a small shed next to my house. I also finished installation of my front yard raised beds and flower gardens.
Summer 2021: I realized I need to build a room in my house for my younger son. The only space for this is where my smithing benches sit, so I decided to build a studio in my backyard. I spent all summer leveling and creating a foundation for a studio.
Aug 2021: Began talks with a local fashion house to provide customized accessories for their business.
Aug 2021: I returned to college to finish my degree, more than 22 years after I started working on it at age 15.
Autumn 2021: I needed to replace the back door stoop, so I built stairs. The studio materials were delayed until November, which meant I was not able to build it and had to store the materials all winter.
Feb 2022: Finally got my house and garage roofs replaced, over a year after my initial insurance claim.
May 2022: Received a significant promotion which helped pay off debt and enhance my savings.
June 2022: My jewelry hit the town with the launch of the fashion house’s first collection.
Summer–Autumn 2022: Built the studio from the ground up. I am extremely proud of myself for this, because I did everything from the foundation to the roofing. My oldest kid got his driver’s license, relieving me of many driving duties and allowing more free time for homework and jewelry creation.
Autumn 2022: Took a week-long solo trip to Scandinavia. I visited: Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. It was wonderful.
All in all, I am looking toward 2023 with optimism. This is something of a miracle and a strong indicator that I have changed a lot in the past few years. I’ll start the new year with a few grand events, including a cruise to Mexico and a trip to New York to see The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. I’ll finish my degree in April 2023. I’ll move my smithing equipment out to the studio and build a room for my youngest kid. I’ll install rainwater collection systems for all buildings on my property. I plan to restructure my handicrafts business, to learn 3D modeling, and improve my welding skills. I’d like to restart the garage renovation, with the end-goal of creating an apartment for my mom. My oldest kid will start college in Autumn 2023. I will decide whether to continue my education to obtain an advanced degree.
My goal for 2023 is to embrace the continued improvement of my life and circumstances.
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