A Positive 2021 Retrospective

[Lizica]

Happy New Year’s Eve, everyone!! \ o /

I know this has been a rough year again, but I also know that there have been some bright spots even so. So, like we did for the past couple years, please share with us some good things that happened to you in 2021, if you want to! Big things, small things, anything that makes you happy when you think back on them. <3

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To start, once again, thank you for being here. <3 This forum and all of you have been so so great to be with. Thank you for being my friends. Please never forget how incredible you are and how much we love you. <33

My baby niece was born! I’ve gotten to visit her and my brother and sister-in-law a couple times this year, and they’re doing good (though slightly sleep-deprived). <3

My sister visited us, too! Good food and good times were had. =D

I started reading Gordon Korman books out loud to my parents, and it’s been so much fun. x3 So far, we’ve read five and a half books. I’ve definitely converted them. xP
(Tangent: When reading Restart again with them, I was struck by the names of the two bad news friend characters, Aaron and Bear. Now, I’m not saying that Korman read our Mafia 2, but if he hasn’t at least been on a Proboards forum where they joke about err bears, it’s a pretty funny coincidence. XDD)

I got to start tapering off a med I’ve been on since 2012, so that’s exciting. ^^

My mom and I started doing qi gong almost every evening! It's hard to say for sure exactly how much it's actually helping us stay healthy, of course, but like, absolute bare minimum, they're great stretches, it's nice quality time with Mom, and also I've used mindful breathing to get rid of hiccups at least three times already. Definitely a good thing, and hopefully it is helping us be a bit healthier. <3

I stumbled upon Webtoons, and as such, I read a whole bunch of really good webcomics in 2021!

How about you? =D Keep rocking, you all! Thanks for everything. <333

[June Scarlet]

I continue to have a pet bunny, and Cinnabun is just the sweetest. Old news, but still good news.

Picked up an old story idea and started adding to it. Jess and Taffy will get a story yet! Maybe set in the 1930s?

Learned Javascript and React. Will come in handy for future jobs, I'm sure.

In the meanwhile, I got a new part-time job that I find nice.

Had a lovely vacation in June, went to a campground lodge.

[Thorn]

*My friend started a new mini D&D campaign, through which I made some super cool new friends!

*I finally bought a switch! I've wanted one for a long time and I got some nice relaxing games for it too, which has been helpful (Coffee Talk, Animal Crossing and The Gardener and the Wild Vines 5eva!!!)

*My bestest friend and I decided to move in together! This happens next week and I'm super excited.

*I went to my first ever MTG pre-release! Turns out I don't actually enjoy them that much, but I'm glad I gave them a try. xD

*I went to Invercargill and Wellington! I hadn't travelled out of my hometown since returning to NZ in 2019, and they were both such lovely experiences. I went to a planetarium and rode a cable car in Wellington, it was the best! Possibly the highlight of my year.

*Finally saw a doctor about an issue that's plagued me for years...only for new issues to arise, but at least I'm making an attempt to look after myself better than in past!!! xP

*Started redrafting my space novel for the first time in three or four years!

[Twillie]

I "graduated" therapy in the latter half of the year, where both my therapist and I were in agreement that I was in a good enough place to no longer need regular appointments.

I discovered a number of new albums and bands that have become some of my new favorites.

Got to listen to the new Coldplay album, Music of the Spheres. Not the best album of theirs, but it still has more songs in it that I like than don't, and some of the songs (like Coloratura) goes right into S tier.

Started on and am slowly working on a new comic series that I'm hoping to make more progress on.

Due to new dietary restrictions, I've become much more aware of what I eat and how it can affect me, letting me make more informed decisions for my health and try a new variety of foods and recipes I might not have otherwise.

Made efforts to talk to long distance friends more, and my childhood best friend and I have regular video chats now.

Made good progress in Old School Runescape and fulfilled a number of childhood goals in it I never reached before. It's been a nice diversion activity or for when I feel physically/mentally unable to take care of other tasks, as it's still engaging without requiring too much energy, and it brings me plenty of nostalgic joy.

Got to finish the year watching the new movie Encanto, which I liked even more on rewatch and I think is turning into one of my new favorite Disney films.

[Celestial]

- After a lot of frustration, and a ton of rejection and dejection, I got a job!! In my field! Which pays decently! Better still, it is local, so I did not have to move and can save a ton of money, and while it's only for a year, it's excellent experience. I'm really hopeful this will propel my career. Plus it's a good job. The place is nice, the people are nice, and while the amount of responsibility I have is so much more than I have ever held before, I like to think I'm coping. Hopefully it all go well into the next year.

- My relationship with Thundy survived a six month long lockdown-induced separation, and so far, things are still lovely. We celebrated a few milestones, like our first anniversary, our first trip abroad, first time attending an event as a couple, and first NYE together. I cannot wait for more. <3

- Speaking of that trip abroad, I finally got out of my European bubble and visited a different continent for the first time in my life! Went to the United States, got to experience the land of cheeseburgers and bald eagles in all its glory.

- I actually saw a bald eagle! And a turkey! Even here across the pond, it's been a pretty good year for birding, as I made regular trips to the local hide while the weather was still good and saw some cool bird species there, as well as seals and otters.

- After a year of struggle and six months of waiting, I finally got an operation that I have been wanting for a long while. I am still healing, but hopefully things will be okay and I can fully enjoy the result of that soon.

- Game-wise, I finished Witcher 3 over the lockdown, and it was an incredible experience. After that, things dried up a bit, game-wise, but there were still a few I enjoyed: Papers Please was great, and I liked Cloudpunk (need to finish it though. I have also recently started Disco Elysium, and it has really grown on me. I'm enjoying it immesely.

- I found a new favourite book! The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath. It is set in the Warhammer 40k universe, but it is accessible to beginners. It's about two immortal metal skeletons feuding over millenia, and it is. So. Incredibly. Funny. Because they are both petty and focused on one-upping each other.

- D&D is still a ton of fun and I am enjoying it. Seems like things are heading to a climax very soon in the current EuroAtlantis story arc, and I utterly cannot wait.

- These are just the things that stand out in my memory or thoughts. I'm sure there were a ton of small moments that made me happy over the past year. Delicious foods, wonderful pets (I met so many dogs and cats!!), beautiful views, all the things that make life worth living.