2017 in review and looking forward to 2018

Some of the big things I did in 2017:

Helped a friend move

Met a girl that everyone thought liked me

Was at a surprise birthday party

Went to Silvercreek with friends

Made the decision to quit my job as an assistant teacher at an autism center

Got a tooth pulled

Was a production assistant for two shows with PRIME

Went to the zoo with the girl mentioned earlier

Commented on a thread about April the giraffe

Went to a Cards game

Saw a high school rendition of Little Shop of Horrors

Drove out and picked my cousin up after car trouble

Got a new job working as a theatre tech director at a Visual and Performing Arts high school

Had a songwriting weekend with an old friend

Went to a crazy rummage sale

Went to the biggest LOGfest Springfield has ever had

Enjoyed E3

Went to Comic Con

Created a 3D painting

Played and beat Horizon: Zero Dawn

Signed a contract that lasts a year

Hiked through Castlewood State Park

Queried several agents with my book

Played with my mom’s new puppy

Schmoozed with local artists at a fancy meeting

Viewed an amazing eclipse

Went to Halloween stores and an arcade with a girl I liked

Had a longtime pet, my sweet cat Minerva, die

Went to Archon

Moved into a new apartment in STL

Went to a cousin’s wedding

Ran a movie for 200 principals

Got a date with the girl

Saw Bodyguard at the Fox

Went to Creepyworld

Went on a date with the girl and KISSED HER!

Got a girlfriend J

Went to a Blues game (winner!)

Went to a Halloween Party dressed as Ron and Hermione

Went to my yearly Thanksgiving After Thanksgiving

Survived IKEA

Technical Directed a production of The Wiz

Helped my family through a trying time

Saw the Santa Parade

Saw a new Star Wars movie

Rode a carriage

Worked on a new music album

Went to my girlfriend’s family’s Christmas parties and she came to mine

Played Dungeons & Dragons for the first time since high school

Saw Elf the Musical at the Peabody Opera House

Spent New Years with my cousins, playing Joking Hazard  

2017 was a year of transitions. New job, new apartment, new girlfriend. The first half of my year was definitely different than my latter half. Such a big transition, although fun and good, also allowed me to drop off in doing my personal art, which is writing. Being the technical director for a huge musical really zapped my art brain. It was a huge challenge with many hurdles. I intend to get back to my personal art in 2018, no matter what. Working at an Arts school is great, but I’m an artist, not just a shepherd for other artists. I want to create something big and cool and amazing.

The best thing that happened to me was my girlfriend, Cari. She’s so fantastic, you guys. She’s such an awesome person that she inspires me to want to better myself more and more. I loved being single. People who know me know some of the bad things I went through... namely a divorce... and learning to like myself again was a great thing to come out of being single. But Cari only enhances that feeling. I want to be a man that deserves to be as happy as I am, with such an awesome girlfriend. I’ve enjoyed so many adventures with her, and I’m sooooo looking forward to what’s to come next with her!

I also have to give a shout out to my cousin, Denise. She’s mentioned several times in the list above. I helped her with her car trouble, yeah, but she was the spark that got me my new job, she had her wedding, and I rang in the New Year with her. What a wonderful woman she is, and I’m very proud of her (her new husband, Phil too! Great dude!).   

Always have something to look forward to is some of the best advice I've ever gotten, so I started last year by making a calendar of happy fun stuff upcoming in the year. Here's the new one:

 Things to look forward to in 2018 (updated as more comes):

Holidays and Days Off

Video Games
Movies and TV
Cool Events

Work 

Secret

January

2          Bowling PD  
13        Voldemort Fan Movie
15        MLK Day

February

2-3-4   Wizard World Comic Con

4          Superbowl

19        Valentine’s Day
19        Presidents’ Day

23        Brett Young Concert

March
  24-31        Spring Break

April

May

18-20   Art On The Square

28        Memorial Day

25        Last Day Of 2018 School Year 

            Star Wars Han Solo Movie

           

June

12-14   E3 Expo

July    

4          Independence Day

28-29   Pixelpop Game Festival 

August

20        Opening of Halloween Stores

September

Renaissance Festival

3          Labor Day

23        Autumn

25        My Birthday

October

12-14   Archon – sci fi con

31        Halloween

November

6          Election Day

12        Veteran’s Day

16        Fantastic Beasts 2

22        Thanksgiving

            Macy’s Parade

December

6          St. Nick’s Day

24        Christmas Eve

25        Christmas Day

31        New Year’s Eve

Without known dates:

Missouri Games Con
PRIME season 2

Strange Folk Festival

Red Dead Redemption 2

Snow Days