Another year has come to pass. And we are now taking another step towards the future... I have done so every year in this fandom going over my experiences with the previous year, and this one will be no different. With that said... 2023 was... not a good year. No. It goes beyond just being that. Now, it was not the worst year of my life by any means. 2008, 2014, and 2020 are still far and away the worst my life has seen. Huh... they're all in increments of 6... 2026, I will be looking at you with dread in my eyes. But that is another day. What I CAN say about 2023 is that it was the LEAST GOOD year of my life thus far. While I can't say it had the most bad, it certainly had the least number of notable good things to even make note of. Even the aforementioned worst of the worst had things I can say about them. This year though...? Not really. Thing is... what made this year even more of a nothing year than 2022 really boils down to just two things that plagued me all of 2023. One. My job and its incredibly hostile schedule towards my personal life. And two. My health was the worst it has ever been pretty much... ever. And my poor health was a part of what made 2008 suck lol! Oh god my health... That was the standout issue of 2023 for me. My stomach was just having barely any mercy at all... ESPECIALLY in the second half of the year. So... what WERE the good things of 2023? Even least does not mean nothing right? Of course. In 2023, I managed to go to my only second ever out of state convention in TFF. And then during Denfur, the only other convention I made it to (ya know, being local to it), I got to see a friend I have had for over a decade for the very first time in person. So that is awesome for me and
Cannot even lie. That is absolutely huge. But... ...to be honest... that's kind of it. And here is the kicker. Both conventions were mired by their own problems. During both conventions, my health issues were indeed present, and I was ill during both. Not severely enough to stop me from being around and doing stuff. But severe enough to hinder my enjoyment of both. Even today, I am still not in the best of shape, and being an American with shoddy and nonexistent insurance... ...yeah. That DOES bring up the point that does make 2023 an overall better year than say... 2021 for example, which was another shitshow for its complete and utter collapse of my financial health-- 2023 was a decent year for me financially, taking 2022 and 23 to recover from what the hell 21 was. So yeah... I am not about to jeopardize two years of progress for the sake of my health, when my health issues aren't even severe enough to justify it. My issues are at average... uncomfortable and limiting, but not outright threatening to my well-being. I HAVE been doing better now than back in the summer though. And unfortunately, all these problems have also been worsening my mental health as well. I have not been in good shape all year, barely being productive in... just about everything. I know that I MUST be doing better beyond all the new characters and rebranding I did throughout this year. I acknowledge that I need to act upon my fursona's symbolism no matter how little I feel it IRL. I need to get off my lazy and depressed ass and figure out how I can turn this ship around. I can only hope 2024 will bring in the improvements I need to make a better year. After all there are just three problems to fix now, and if I can fix them, then... honestly speaking...? I CAN see 2024 being a good year. I CAN see it. But I need my health to get better. I need to get a better job situation. I need to fix my mental health and productivity. I feel that if those can change... 2024 is promising. Even despite the world around me looking as dark and bleak as ever... To be the light in the infinite void of darkness... that is what I as the Photon Phox aspire to be. And so I shall be, if I have any hope to continue ever onwards towards the future...
