I ended my 2022 year in review post by saying that in 2023, I wanted to ”…prioritise myself and cultivate healthy connections.” If those were the grading parameters for my year I would say it was a great one. As promised here is my concise record of the things that were important to me for 2023 (even if nobody other than me reads it).
Highlights
- Passing the JLPT
- Moving on from the JET Programme
- Starting Graduate School
- Remained Debt Free
- Great physical health and improving mental health
Lowlights
- The transitional period between leaving JET and settling into Graduate School
- No full-time employment for the 1st time in 20 years
Most valuable lessons
- Show up for yourself before expecting others to
- Stop Ruing the past and do not hyperfixate on the future. Live in the present
- Some people will always intentionally/falsely frame you as a villain in their story. Leave them to time
Multilayered transitional transformations
I went home again in 2023 and it was as challenging as in 2022 but this time I was stronger mentally. I prioritized important people and things and kept so many promises I made to myself earlier in the year. My time as an English Teacher on a remote island in Japan came to an amicable end and I started a new chapter as a graduate student. There wasn’t much travelling for “fun” in 2023 but I did enjoy revisiting Kyoto.
Hobbies – Figures and Games
Even though I was busy saving every possible dime I still managed to build a few affordable figures and enjoy a few video games. I built the Chibi Gundam Aerial and the HG Demi Trainer – two kits that should totally be on my desk in my graduate student office, right?
As for games, it was all mostly about Hades, Pikmin 4, Into the Breach and the flaming pile of garbage Fire Emblem Engage turned out to be. ooh yea! I almost forgot Last Train Home – buggy as hell and save scrummed the crap out of it but I will replay it (the right way) once it is properly patched.
I did become a Twitch affiliate and streamed a lot in 2023. I plan to kick it up a notch in 2024 and get back on the Youtubes as well so check me out and support my streams and content.
Japanese
I passed the JLPT N4 and was so buzzed I made plans to do N3 this summer then life was like slow down there young grasshopper so the plan is to take N3 in December of this year. My listening and speaking continue to improve while I still sound like a toddler when reading up to elementary 3rd-grade story books and refuse to write anything by hand in Kanji even if you held a gun to my head.
No Work is life
I stopped working in July and nobody told me how hard that would be mentally lol. I felt prepared for most other things but getting off the 9 to 5 paid once-a-month hamster wheel did something to my brain that I think I need to go to therapy for.
Health and Wellness
So many of my set routines were disrupted last year due to moving, job changes, travelling etc. Buuutttt! I did great despite the circumstances bbuuuuuut I hope to improve this year. Now that I am settled again I wanna start prepping my meals again, I am trying to find a new table tennis joint near my house/university and a mountain and/or riding trail or two shall be seeing me in 2024.
Coding
I am not even going to try to make any excuses. I wrote less than 10 decent lines of code towards my coding projects this year but I did a lot of teaching and infected quite a few people burning urge to code things – of that I am proud. However, Kantanji and Life Logger will LIIIVVVVVEEEE in 2024 – I pr o miss?!?
2023 Year in Review – Let’s do our best in 2024
Like last year, In 2023 I WILL continue to prioritise myself and cultivate healthy connections. Last year was big on transitions but this year I just want to shine my brightest and do my best. If you read this far? Thank You! Let’s make 2024 a good one.
