2022 Recap and 2023 Goals

Goals, goals, goals! It’s that time of year, the perfect day for it.

I was reading my 2021 recap, and damn was it filled with success and optimism. There was so much hope for 2022. Boy, it the feeling different this year .

In 2022, I flopped on a lot of my endeavors:

1. I started and stopped on my chicken business
2. I pivoted, went on hiatus, came back, and fizzled again on my IG
3. I spiked in my board game YT, then completely lost steam
4. I launched another short-lived youtube, and that’s stopped

But there were some nice other developments in 2022:

1. Deepened my relation with Roy (nice trips, we both said we love each other)
2. Got an offer/idea that can increase my income
3. Went to 10 year reunion: found love of live jazz/funk music, connected with a gaysian couple who have surrogate children
4. Went to LGBT professional pool party: made new friends (Lindsey, Asaf, Eddy; sort of Michael and Joe).
5. Went to all the board game conventions in my area (3) — made new board game friends (Nico and Duckie).
6. Deepened my relationship with Sam H.
7. Started my jewelry idea (on a downhill trajectory lol)
8. Continued my gay Youtube (fizzling, but steady pace with animator)
9. Deepened my relationship with David (DnD, they moved here, games, etc)
10. Discovered newfound “interest” in musical improv.

I guess 2022 has been about deepening relationships (which might also be true for every year tbh) and iterating through home-friendly projects that ended up amounting to nothing. I guess they are still good “at least I tried and now I know I don’t love it enough” endeavors, right? Yes. lol.

Here are April 2022 goals I had written (time to revisit):

1. Grow my YouTube
2. Create and sell 1 game
3. Build finances to have surrogate twins (or separate) in 5–7 years ($250-$350K).

I sort of did 1, then stopped. I did NOT do 2. I had the idea, but motivation wasn’t strong enough, and I’ve abandoned this. LOL. 3 is ongoing, and I think I’m doubling down on this a bit.

OKKK it’s time for 2023 goals! This part is a challenge because 2022 has been about realizing what doesn’t tickle my pickle, but I need to discover would does.

1. Discover new exciting endeavors to explore
2. Deepen relationship with Roy and more DTR (need to talk about future)
3. Travel (plan 1 exciting, unexpected international trip; PUSH for that PTO; consider national park trips)
4. Make new comp projects a source of excitement to explore/learn (don’t feel obligated to stay on them; just say no if you want)
5. Determine things you “want to do” before having kids, and do them
6. Keep up with fitness (focus is on health rather than aesthetics)
7. Try to retire early with enough money to raise kids? (this is too dream-like)

Nixed goal: Research (and perhaps find/pick) an egg donor; freeze embryos ($500-$1500 per year to store I think? Might be worth?). Actually might not be. Let’s at least deepen and solidify romance first.

I should also re-evaluate what I “want”. I’ve been doing that a lot this year. Here’s a summary of what I said in Nov 2022:

1. I want to retire early (I don’t want to work)
2. I want to raise kids in a loving family
3. I want a loving partner who will stay together with me
4. I want to explore my random interests
5. I want to travel and explore different things in this world
6. I want to create something that leaves a mark in this world that is meaningful to me

I’ve been working on 1–4 here and there. 5 has been a challenge with covid and physical frailty. 6 has been a challenge due to existentialism and not knowing what that thing is.

Here are additional “I want” statements from Aug 2022:

1. I want to enjoy nature more
2. I want to find a way to be healthy that is fun/enjoyable
3. I want to find the kind of love I had with my mom again
4. I want to feel free
5. I want to feel a sense of adventure everyday

I experimented with 2 and am exploring 3 with Roy. 4 and 5 have gone backwards. And 1 is non-existent. I think I should do more national parks for 1, 5 might be just a mentality, and 4 means slower financial growth now or is plainly something not possible until I completely retire.