#year end recap

[something-tofightfor]

2023 Year End Summary

I usually use this post as a way to wrap up my year, and this one's no different.

See beneath the cut for some of the highlights of my year - and some thank you notes.

First story post of 2023: Competing For Christmas 6.2 - Let It Snow (The Scavenger Hunt)

Last story post of 2023: The Epilogue of Snow and Mistletoe (which will be posted later tonight)

Most Surprising Thing I Wrote in 2023: Wing Pit Daniel. Who the hell thought this would be a thing? Certainly not me.

Daniel + Vacation /First and 10  / Daniel + Beer / Daniel - Distracting Kiss / Smutsgiving: Sweet Potato Casserole

Something I never thought I'd write in 2023: Sex Pollen for Marcus Pike.

Things I'm proud of writing in 2023:

Tim Rockford Headcanons and the resulting Black Days

Liminality

Joel Miller: NSFW ABC's / All I Ever Needed / Everybody's Waiting For The Next Surprise 1 + 2

Over the course of the year, I wrote just under 434k words on a total of 23 series/stories/events.

This is 65k below where I wanted to be - but I definitely got sidetracked during a few months - including a few where I took vacations or my mental health was in the toilet.

My goal for next year will be 500k words again, but I'm going to set some specific goals for my writing, including finishing a few things that I've neglected for far too long. That includes:

Slopeside

Buried

Locked Down

Caught On

It's Dangerous To Fall In Love

Nightingale

I'm also going to finally release Baseball Jack in his entirety on you in 2024... get ready. I'm not going to lie - 2023 was disheartening from a writing standpoint for a lot of reasons.

Engagement was way down, the same small group of authors and stories seemed to be the only ones getting any sort of traction in the Pedro fandom, plotlines and characterization that I have no interest in writing or reading were the craze - especially for Joel, and actual feedback on things was almost nonexistent.

But that doesn't mean that I'm not proud of what I wrote, how I wrote it or why I wrote it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I'd rather have smaller numbers overall and be absolutely happy with what I've put out and how long it took me to do so than rush things to hop in on current popularity or hope for instant success with a story.

My writing process hasn't changed - and while I appreciate and have respect for people that can and do post things without editing or rereading or sitting on their work and letting it settle, I've never done that, and I never will. I'll also never hold my stories 'hostage' or threaten to keep new chapters under wraps until engagement improves or I hit a certain number of likes/followers/etc. That's unfair - and for something that's supposed to be fun for both writers and readers, it's baffling to me when people do this.

And now on to the fun part: I read some amazing work from some amazing authors this year. The list includes but is not limited to:

@the-blind-assassin-12 @oonajaeadira @littlemisspascal @wildemaven @trulybetty @morallyinept @prolix-yuy @tessa-quayle @grogusmum @whataperfectwasteoftime @keldabe-kriff @katareyoudrilling @undercoverpena ... and so many more. You're able to do things with words and storylines that is SO impressive. We're all lucky to see and read your work. If I didn't include you, please know it's not on purpose. And it's not only writing: it's art, too. @stealyourblorbos @valkblue @thekawaiifruitworld @versatileginger @saminadorazahi @be-an-echo ... your talent is endless. thank you for sharing.

There are so many talented people in this fandom that I wish I had more time to read and admire their work. That's one of my goals for 2024: to consume more content from people on tumblr and A03 and share it. I know I need to do better with this. I know I've been slacking. I don't want to do that anymore. My goal for 2024 is also to make some new friends on here, because to be truthful, I feel a little on the outskirts of so many friend groups, and that's no fun. So if you'd like to message me or say hello or interact, please feel free to do so. I'm also on Discord - somethingtofightfor is my username there. If we've interacted in any way throughout this year, please know that I appreciate you. I thank you for taking the time to read my work or reach out to me. I see all of the comments and messages even if I don't reply right away (something else I'm going to work on getting better about in 2024!!!) Happy New Year to all of you - I hope 2024 is bright and warm and filled with love and support. You deserve it.

[vampryn]

some highlights of my year: -got to see some of my all-time favourite bands; solar fake and depeche mode. i went to solar fake alone (and had a fabulous time) and went to depeche mode with my (now) ex who was very cranky and kind of made the night less special. but i ignored him and danced anyway lmao (i paid like $170 per ticket and he sat through the whole thing.. like ok) -i ended up breaking up with him a bit later in the year, which made me feel a sense of freedom to the point where i decided to shave all of my hair off (because he would constantly tell me not to). it was amazing and i dont regret it at all. -i had the most special birthday ive ever had, not only did i get to see other people on my birthday, but my friends went out of their way to make the day special for me. we went to the island and did lots of really fun things id never done before!! ive never had a birthday like that before and it meant so much to me -i got really close with one of my best friends this year, and then she decided shes leaving to live in texas with a man she met a couple of months ago. its been very hard for me, but im happy we got to spend so much time together this year. im going to miss her so much -i got my dream blackwork tattoo sleeve started AND finished, i only have 1 touch-up session left and then its completely finito! -i quit my job that id been at for 7 years, my boss was being really awful to me so i decided not to take it anymore and left. it was scary but i needed to leave and im glad i did -did my very first year of scare-acting, it was taxing and tiring, but it was also so much fun. if i can manage i'll probably do it again next year - i got a new job at a better store where my boss respects me and is not hostile to the employees. my coworkers are incredible and so sweet!! -i taught myself how to crochet -ive worked a lot more on my youtube channel and its been a ton of fun, im not a huge youtuber or anything but making videos has been a really great creative outlet for me!! a lot of terrible things have happened at the end of this year too, but im going to try to not focus on them because im honestly having a very very stressful time and kind of want to crawl in a hole and cry for a year straight.. hopefully next year brings me lots of good fortune!!

[fatgirlgetsfitatlast]

End of Year 2023 Summary

I have never in my life had such slow weight loss when I've been sincerely working hard and not cheating. I basically plateaued from March until Sept, going up and down and actually gaining back some weight, DESPITE really trying. To start the loss again, I had to add in walking almost every day, at least 2 miles, often 3, to get to 10k steps as often as possible, and I had to cut out some high-calorie (even though low carb) foods (heavy cream was the main one).

I've never had to do that before. Getting OLD SUCKS! Nothing works 'like it used to'!

I STILL have a plantar wart on the bottom of my big toe which gets treated with acid and freezing every 2-3 weeks. This has been going on FOR A YEAR. Most expensive wart IN HISTORY! There doesn't seem to be any optional treatment. I was told that surgery to remove it would leave scar tissue and be at least as painful as the wart. Every time I have it treated, I cannot get a shoe on and thus cannot effectively walk for 3-4 days after.

On the plus side, I saw improvements in my LIPID and Blood Sugar/A1C numbers and the doctor was pleased that both were nearly into the normal range last I had them checked, which was in August. I have another blood test in February. Unfortunately, I'm still on the blood pressure meds, which I'd hoped to be able to get off of. So that is still a goal for next year.

I participated in my first 'race' this year. That's kind of a joke because it was 1 mile and wasn't timed and I wasn't racing, but I got a t-shirt and a medal, so I guess it counts. I am not a runner and will never be a runner, but maybe next year I'll walk the 5k of this beach race, which is just down the street from me.

I'm regularly walking 5k now, several times a week, which is a huge improvement over where I restarted this journey, when I could barely walk a mile and my hips KILLED me the whole time. Now they only kill me after I get home and sit down and try to get back up again; they stiffen up. I'm telling you, GETTING OLD SUCKS.

But, what's the alternative, right? So, goals for next year are to keep getting older, but lose more weight, get more fit, and maybe not feel any older.

The numbers:

Loss since restart (April 2022 HW: 334): 50

Loss in 2023 : 30

[nightvaleofficial]

2023 we finished touring the haunting of night vale that we started right before the pandemic in March 2020. Finally closing a chapter after 3 years so we could move forward, rehearse and produce a new show! Touring The Attic has been exciting and we can’t wait for more in 2024 ! We head back on tour Jan 9 and we hope to see y’all on the road!!

[davidjrpalos]

some of my favorite artworks of mine from this year

[theminecraftbee]

[image ID: my twitch recap. it shows i watched 310 hours this year, visited 243 days, and sent 350 chats. my most watched channel was tangotek, with 133 hours watched and 47 chats sent. my other top channels were joehills, hypnotizd, zombiecleo, and rtgame. my most watched games were minecraft, persona 5, and phasmophobia. /end ID]

this year's twitch recap is EXTREMELY funny to me because you can see EXACTLY the impact that decked out had on my twitch watching habits by the fact that tango is my top stream and hypno is... on there at all. also the impact of the fact i fell off of joe's nightly streams because i started occasionally going to bed on time. that also,

[mail-me-a-snail]

✨🐌snail's art recap 2023🐌✨

1 year, 2 fandoms, and so, so much art and so many friends made along the way !! im so happy to have ended up in the cyberpunk fandom :3 you all have been very nice 2 me and for that. snif. THANK U

2023 was not a great year for me emotionally but it was a really, really good year for art . i drew as much as i could and enjoyed every bit of it, even if my shoulder is going 2 explode me one of these days!!

thank u all again for sticking around 2 see me go insane about two fictional gay bitches <33 heres 2 more in the future !

[matchasquid]

Tumblr Artists!!

I've been seeing a lot of people doing the trend where you show how your art evolved through the year by showing an illustration you did in each month.

I think this trend is very cool, but I've seen many artists with "blank spaces" talking about how "unproductive" they were this year or trying to justify themselves...

It's ok. You're not a machine. Everyone has their own pace ^^

And so, I thought about something else I'd like to do instead of it! If you'd like, you can do it too!

Show and talk about the three pieces you did this year that you're the most proud of!

Here, I'll start:

Commission for @trenchcoatofthelord

I'm very proud of this piece because I think the pose and overall flow came out great! It was one of my best attempts to adapt the Splatoon Art Style™ to something I'm more comfortable with, and it was also my first commission ever!!

I'm very thankful to @trenchcoatofthelord for making my first commission experience be so pleasant and for being so understanding during the whole process, as I was still figuring out how to talk to clients and how to use Paypal lksajdfhaklh

2. Amiibo Inkling

This is one of the first Splatoon fanarts I did, and it's also the first illustration that people really liked here on Tumblr, which gave me a big boost of confidence by the start of the year!

Although I don't like the execution (style of it) anymore, it holds a special place in my heart (and nightmares) <3

3. Fanart of @fisheyezzz's Bocca Della Verita

This is a fanart I did of a fanfic written by @fisheyezzz, called Bocca Della Verita! Go read it, it's really good!!

I'm very proud of this piece because I used to only draw single characters doing poses or portraits, so drawing two characters dancing with each other was definitely out of my comfort zone. I also tried a different art style to the one I usually draw in with this one, and I really liked the result :3

[himbeaux-on-ice]

everything melts.

[inkblackorchid]

Love how this outtro contains both the biggest slap in the face the show has to offer as well as arguably my favourite shot of all outtros, full stop.

[littleevil0ne1]

🎨✨️ Art vs Artist 2023 ✨️🎨

[fearandhatred]

before the anniversary day ends (for ME!) let's recap ☝️ and yes because i am insane i have kept track

since i first watched the show in september last year i have:

actually started writing consistently for the first time ever !! i've written 42845 words—6 full fics, 5 of which are angst help?, 4 ficlets, and 4 poems (all but one 2k fic of which were written this year)

made 18 drawings (not counting some because... they were bad)

made 16 edits, 2 of which are video edits

made it to the top of the good omens tag and onto tumblr's official email during the godforsaken boopocalypse

honestly become more accepting of many things

turned 21...

made many friends that i love so much and some that i grew so much closer to than i ever thought i would?? like i am so bad at making friends so this was a surprise lol

anyway i love u all and i am going to be here and freaky and yapping until you are all SICK OF ME <3

[towns-end-bindery]

Books I bound in 2023

📚

(Or at least the ones I remembered to take pictures of)

TOTAL books bound: 27 books

STATS: Blank journals: 8 Coptic stitch: 2 Square back bradel: 15 Rounded spine: 2 3-piece bradel: 4 Really tiny books: 4 Letter Quarto: 6 Letter Folio: 9 My own typeset: 7 Other people’s typesets: 5 Rebinds: 7

I can see my own growth when comparing my latest books with the first few I made in the spring. It's pretty amazing to see.

[philosophiums]

i still don't understand how rika functions, exactly, but i did in fact call it

[milfzatannaz]

compiling my johnzee art from the last few months…..I rlly am their biggest shooter

[talesfrommedinastation]

2023: Writing, Art, and Medication

So, I need to preface this by admitting something.

January 2023 was when I started taking Wellbutrin. I have MDD and severe hypotension (low blood pressure).

Imagine rediscovering a favorite toy, game, or book that you've forgotten about. You find it, dust it off, and get lost in it again. And my, it is magical. You're so happy, you're giddy, you make up things to do to get further into it.

This isn't about me rediscovering fandom, or Star Wars. It's about re-discovering my emotions and my creativity. Because of medication.

I used to devour fantasy and sci-fi for fun. I wrote most of a series of silly novels in middle and high school. They were never published and put aside for academic or paid work. MDD crept up and strangled it, too.

Finally, I'm a working parent and spouse, and if it didn't have a spot on my CV or gave me money for completion, it wasn't going to get done.

Wellbutrin said fuck that noise, let's get CREATIVE. Let's have FUN FOR ONCE.

And low and behold, I start watching Star Wars cartoons with my youngest daughter in January 2023. She saw Tech on the screen with no helmet, screamed 'Dada!' and that's how I got yanked into The Bad Batch.

After watching two episodes with her, I wondered what it would be like if Tech met someone from The Expanse, maybe a female pilot. They'd chat, maybe hook up, and move on with their lives.

Wellbutrin also said fuck that noise, you wrote a dissertation and have multiple articles and short stories published, why not combine the two?

Wellbutrin also said you work in science communication, why not explore physics and biology from both angles?

And, while you're at it, why not have Tech and the Belter have a deeper relationship? What if they had a kid? What would happen to them, physically? Would the Empire view them as property? Would they be seen as a Belter? What are the cultural ramifications of this?

I didn't write an OC to fantasize about being with a fictional character: I wrote her, and even more OCs in the extended universe, to better understand both the worlds of The Expanse and Star Wars. It has been so, so, so fucking joyful to do so.

The longfic, which probably needs no introduction at this point, is Far Past the Ring. It was started in early February, began to be published in April, and finished in November. It is the length of a novel and thus, the most work came out of it. Most of my artwork is centered around it as well.

The art can be found here, but of all the pieces I myself have composed, I think the favorite is the one below. It was one of the first things I ever decided regarding their relationship...that something considered deviant, even on a natborn (receding hairline), is seen as personal, quirky, and wonderful.