Come at me, 2019!
Hey look, it’s that time of year again--2019 is looming on the horizon. Let’s see what’s on the ol’ resolution list this time:
1) Tarot of Brass & Steam: I finally got it out--that alone made 2018 a banner year! I haven’t done gangbuster business with it, but at this point I’m selling at least a few copies a week off Amazon, which is nice. In 2019 though I need to work on ways to sell more, as well as look for other ways to merchandise the art. I’ll be traveling out of state to some shows/conventions (and looking for more local ones), and I may run a second Kickstarter this spring for a book that collects all the artwork (used and unused, drafts, artist notes, etc).
2) Writing: I wrote a little over 15k words in the last bit of 2018--trashy stuff that most of you will never, ever see (though I’ll have to find /someone/ to be my smut editor if I intend to use that pen name I created!), but writing, nonetheless. In 2019, I need to do more of this--I have way too many ideas (not just smutty ones :p), and I’ve run out of excuses for not putting them down (as practice if nothing else). I have some ambitious goals for the coming year--let’s just say I shouldn’t have to wait until November to pound out enough words to fill a novel--or two. Or three. Or…?
3) Tabletop gaming: Much like writing, I need to run games again because, (again, much like writing), I have too many ideas to just sit on. Plus I miss the socializing, and how it made me think on my feet. /Plus/ I have too much cool DM gear (including a fancy new bag to hold it in) to not be running anything! Whether this means renting space at Card Kingdom or finding a friend’s house to run games at (or both!), this needs to happen. Probably more one-shots or short-term campaigns for now though, rather than the multi-year efforts of the past.
4) Health: I’m making it to the gym on a semi-regular basis--turns out picking the gym a block away from the place I have to go to every day anyway was the secret all along! Next step is expanding my routine and sticking to a better diet-I was on my way to getting below 300 before Christmas when I fell off the wagon. :p I’ll start 2019 somewhere between 315 and 320 lbs--like most everything else on this list, I know I can do better, so it’s time to stop talking about it and “just do it”, for both my health, and vanity.
5) Travel: I’m only anticipating a couple Disneyland trips this year, and that more to see friends than any strong need to get to the parks (though I may renew my Knott's Berry Farm annual pass while the price is low). Instead I’ll hopefully be going to at least Portland and San Francisco to hawk the deck, Indianapolis for Gen Con, and back to Portland for the HPL Film Festival (after a few years away). Plus my usual twice-yearly trips to Florida to see family. As for the UK or Disneyland Paris or the long-discussed Disney World trip…well, that will depend on the last item on the list.
6) Money: Like most people, I need to make more of it to do everything I want: grander travel, buying a house (for Peg and I to nest in like we did in the last place!), etc. To do that I need to be better about my spending (and saving), and conscientious with items 1 and 2 on this list to generate additional revenue. In a perfect world, I’d love to quit my day job and work on my own stuff full-time (who wouldn’t?), but for now, I just want to raise enough extra money to help pay down my debt so I can use my Amazon stock for something else whenever it vests.
So yeah, the goal for 2019 is to live up to my potential. And if anyone notices that sounds awfully similar to what I said this time last year: You’re very smart. Now shut up.