Thoughts on 2025

I've been sick and bored as all hell this week, and if it weren't for Dominion Online (https://dominion.games) who knows if I'd have even talked to anyone for at least a couple of days. I wanted to get a quick thing out for the end of the year even if it's not good writing at all or particularly well planned out, because this has been a very important year in my life.

Good year overall. In rough order of relevance: got engaged to my favourite person. Made some new friends. Learned some things about myself and how others view me. Got a good raise. Had a super cute nibling. Found community at a real-life video store. Read a bunch of books, including a re-read of ASOAIF. Watched women's hockey. No drama with existing friends now that the T. saga has ended.

Fun things I did for the first time

Does getting engaged count? Because that's probably the main thing.

I'd also never really been axe throwing.

And I started playing air drums. They're like VR drums? it's weird as hell but it makes me happy.

I went to the theatre to see Come From Away again (I'd never paid for the same show twice within six weeks), went to see Jesus Christ Superstar, went to see Beetlejuice, and went to see We Will Rock You.

I have also now been at my job longer than I've ever stayed anywhere, so that's a milestone that I'm proud to have reached. I probably actually reached it last year but I got an options refresh this year so I'm rounding up.

Movie nights with G. to watch all the Skywalker movies were great. I will miss that after my move, the ritual of it all was nice. Movie picked up from Bay Street Video, takeout indian food or sushi or burritos, rockets for dessert, walking home in the cool and the dark...

Fun things I'd done before

The Dragon Age Origins replay project was super fun. I won't say I'll do it again next year because there's nothing new to revisit, but I'm glad I did it. And maybe one day I WILL write the post about it.

This week I also rewatched The Fellowship of the Ring. I used to do this every year! I don't know what changed, but unlike DAO this is something I will bring back. What a beautiful movie. The only good thing that came of my being sick this week is I watched it twice. The other movies are fine and I'll probably watch them after the holidays, but Fellowship is where it's at. TRULY DISTURBING to think this movie premiered on my 14th birthday lmao

Things to do in 2026

overhaul this blog

The publishing system I devised is frankly deranged and I've found it somewhat discouraging. I have posts in the works (that at this point may never get published) about immigrating to Canada, about having played Dragon Age: Origins, about my homelab... But it's such a hassle to write and post that I just don't.

At the same time, this is on some level scratching the same itch for me that social media used to way back when, even without posting much. From that perspective, that bit of friction is meaningless, since I am getting out of this exactly what I wanted to.

meet real people in fake London

love 2 move to a place where i don't know anyone

get a real (e-)drumkit

if I'm going to live in a whole house I want the Whole House Experience, and that means making music (or noise, depending on one's perspective)

enter a competition

powerlifting?? me?? maybe?? my bench is surprisingly good. I wouldn't win anything but I wouldn't make a fool of myself either.

read Dracula again

it's been at least a couple of years.

be really good about physio exercises

see the bit about entering a competition above. can't compete if my calf is useless

oh yeah - get married

:)