I feel overwhelmed about writing that piece for the past six months, is that a good thing or a bad thing? That so much seems to have happened, that I feel so much older and more mature, that cataloguing these progressions feels daunting?
I'll start with a year in travel again.
Some of my co-workers and friends here play Magic, which I used to do when I was a kid. They invited me to play one night and I thought, why not? I'll tell you why not: 14 months later I have around $1200 in cards and have traveled all around the country to play. Should have told past Willie about the investment he was about to make. Here are all the places I traveled in 2016 to play:
In a lot of these cities I had extra time to go out to bars or amazing restaurants. Spent a full 5 days in New York with Devin and had an absolute blast. The quest for the best meatloaf in every American city was born. I've made several friends playing and it's honestly been an amazing escape. I love strategy games and one-on-one competition.
Magic was just part of my travels, though. I also traveled to Oklahoma to see my beautiful nieces a few times, and for Thomas' baby shower for Mr. Oliver, my new nephew who I have not yet met. Gbenga's wedding was also in Oklahoma City and so I got to see a beautiful moment in a close high school friends life.
I traveled to a ski-resort in Denver with friends, and although I did no skiing I had a great experience. I love hot tubs in the snow. I also got to take a mental snapshot of Devin making an attempt to take a bite of a s'mores crepe in a restaurant, which was amazing.
I traveled to New Mexico for Robert's wedding, which is a story for another time. While I was there I also got to hear Elena speak about Mexican Folklore and specifically about an extremely interesting woman, Aurora Lucero-White, who history had mostly forgotten. I couldn't be more proud of Elena.
I celebrated my and Alicia's birthday at Jake's parent's lake house in Alabama. Peeps and tons of my friends were there, including Devin. It was a very eventful weekend as the lake house always is and I got to meet Tomo.
I also got to spend a day in Venice with my step-brother Michael (and have some delicious vietnamese Banh Me-at Loaf ha!). I really need to go visit him again, Venice is an awesome place. Just a day because it was a layover on my way to Ireland!
The initial plan for Ireland was to go with Touranne to a wedding. But some extremely unfortunate circumstances made that no longer a possibility, and so a solo trip it was. I ended up spending all my time in Dublin and had quite a bit of fun exploring the city alone, seeing art, eating ridiculously good food, and drinking. I ended up meeting up with some of the wedding goers at the end of my week there and had a great time with them going out.
Overall that's 20 different cities in 13 states and over 2 continents/countries. I take a lot for granted, but I'm eternally grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me.
This year also so the advent of me beginning to really feel myself creatively. I've gotten really into painting and writing poetry. You can check out a lot of the stuff I've created this year here.
Overall I finished 18 paintings with 2 in (slow) progress. I wrote (at least) 41 poems. And I recorded a rap song. I have a million more ideas for creative things and am hoping to take a sculpture class (if enough people register) in the Spring Semester. It's really been an incredible and intense year of discovery for me. I feel very raw going into the start of this next year. I have a lot of bad habits that I'm working on breaking down. I have a lot of the same ambition I've always have, but tempered in a way that I think can lead to me getting where I want to go.
My current 5 year goals involve an art studio that doubles as an event space that I can rent out, something modular and interesting. I just want to create and write full time. This year I read or partially read probably around 20 books, which feels really embarrassing, however, when I take into account all of the long form stories and articles I've read online this year, it was truly an excellent year in reading. My desire to write stories is through the roof. But writing is extremely daunting, and I already have bad habits and am not the best communicator.
My ability to speak any foreign languages or play any music has suffered greatly this year as I didn't tend to either of those things, like, at all. (I did buy some yet-to-be-read books on the topics, though).
I continued my foray into investing this year getting more and more reckless, which led to some big losing bets. Overall, that's ok. I learned a lot about several markets and the way a lot of finance I was previously unfamiliar with worked.
This year I tightened some friendships that I'm very glad I have. I've realized drinking could become a problem, even though it doesn't impact my life at all negatively right now, beside empty calories. I'm more conscious of when I'm doing it and how I'm spending my time and friendships around it now.
This year I consumed some of the best media I ever have, the music I've gotten to enjoy and connect with has been breathtaking. Some of the TV I've watched has been my favorite of all time (looking at you, Westworld.) And some of the movies I've watched have moved me deeply. All of this has made me think more critically about a myriad things in my life and our society. My growth this year in retrospect has been amazing.
I've managed to forgive a lot of people, even though I still struggle. I've created new walls in relationships as well, though.
More recently, mom has made a move to Salt Lake City, which I've still really yet to process. I need to go visit her. I really want to make sure she doesn't feel alone.
Just 2 days ago my Devon got engaged. I cried when he told me. I couldn't be happier.
When I lie the experiences of my year out this way, how could you say it's been anything but incredible? But despite my striving toward a better Willie it simultaneously feels like the world is collapsing. Like capitalism is being unmasked and insanity is appearing in the wake of that. People don't know what to believe or who to trust. Everyone feels as if we're being ruled by corporations, but no one knows what to do about that.
A myriad of artists died this year, and their losses were felt whole heartedly. I've been shocked actually, by the outpouring of love and empathy around these losses. It gives me hope.
But the events and tragedies this year and their publicity took a heavy toll on me psychologically. Mass shootings, the election of a clueless demagogue and an extremely conservative Senate and all the horrible shit that came and will come with that, AI advances, including a master being beaten by a machine in Go, countries falling under dictators and isolating themselves. An apparent folie à milions, in a lot of cases and just some frightening moves forward in technology in others. Not only in America but across the world. (N. Korea supposedly successfully tested a hydrogen bomb.)
The future will be scary, but I'm ready to take it head on. I'm ready to try my best to speak to people with art. I love you. Here's to an exciting and positive 2017.
