It might not be as adventurous as getting there by TARDIS or Delorian, but tonight we enter a different place in time, a new year.
Only in the past few years have I started the ritual of assessing my year-gone-by and making actionable goals for the next. It’s helped me grow as a creative, as a business owner, and as a person, so I highly recommend adopting some similar practice if you haven’t already.
2018 was both an incredible and difficult year. Facing this year’s review with honesty is not easy. Let’s get the hard part over with first so we can move on to what I’m celebrating.
Aspects of my personal and social lives were shattered beyond measure. Some terrible, unresolved issues from 2017 carried over and reared their ugly heads. Some friends proved not to be friends, or even decent people at all. Some good people made some heartbreaking mistakes. I cried harder than I ever have before. I learned many lessons: the integrity of the people you surround yourself with matters; no friendship or relationship is perfect; all interpersonal relationships take work; beware of behavior patterns; depression hurts the people around you too.
But all was not lost. 2018 offered hope in my personal life as well. I became pregnant, which was great news considering the previous failure/loss of that contributed to the problems of 2017. I was forced to find healthier coping strategies to battle heartache and depression since alcohol was no longer in the picture. I felt an incomparable network of support, with so many friends stepping up to encourage and help me. My relationship grew stronger with more openness and renewed energy.
Wow, that was heavy. But it’s necessary to put the jokes aside for a moment and address these things. This is how we grow.
(Live performance photos not watermarked as NecroBlanca Photography or Sheridan Original Photography are shot by Fernie Renteria Photography/LFR Images. Spanksgiving Promo image shot by Wandering Photography.)
Now then… 2018 was great for my creative life! I became an instructor at the Austin Academy of Burlesque, hosted the pub trivia at the Greater Austin Comic Con, started writing much more (healthy coping!), found a great new home venue at Kick Butt Cafe for the Geekgasm Revue with Professor Argo, survived my 5th Other Worlds Austin film festival, grew my Frisky Business Burlesque family with a few new and awesome members, and made some costumes, cosplay, burlesque acts, and accessories I’m really proud of. I also have quite a few works in progress that aren’t ready for their public announcement just yet. But they are foundations for my work in the next year.
2019 is going to be my craziest year yet! My priorities have shifted. Everything I want to do, work on, and accomplish now has to happen around motherhood. My greatest challenge will be to maintain and grow my creative work as I focus on nourishing a new life. Finding the balance of keeping my creativity and identity alive while also being the best geeky mom ever and a great partner is almost a laughable goal, but a noble pursuit none the less. Oh, and I want to read more, obviously. Always try to read more.
May the new year bring us all good health, endless creativity, strong relationships, good books, transformative introspection, and all the geeky friends, fun, and film we can handle.
