Tag: new year resolutions

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Typically I’d schedule things for Thursday, but… it’s New Years! I’ve had some time to reflect.

Daily Breakdowns are listed on the official KuchuQwanzaa website.

Umoja/Imani

I keep in my heart the person that passed away earlier this (last) year. They were so bright and radiant for others and our community. I remember their words, their presence in the teahouse as they bathed the rooms with sound. I remember their smile.

I drink a glass of chilled mint water in contemplative silence.

When it is warmer, I will stroll along the greenway later today.

Afya

Same as it ever was– eat more veggies, work out more. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m just feeling Down at the moment, but I feel like I haven’t improved much. I’ve still my health issues, but… I did trek up and down a few mountains in Costa Rica (exaggerating for effect) and felt winded, but good. I even climbed a tree! I can be proud of that.

Today, I’d like to take another walk. Or have a nice (but healthy!) snack after trying out a class that you can work out with a stick. Or some pilates. And stretches.

But the most important thing for me is rest and read. If that is all I end up doing, that is okay.

Also: join my local queer-owned gym and start taking classes, for camaraderie, accountability– and to support a queer Black-owned business!

Nyumba

I have a Discord group that is currently observing KuchuQwanzaa as a server-wide group event.

I’ve been getting back in contact with extended family members; we’re bad at keeping touch (mostly me, to be fair). But since Facebook is getting yeeted I need to put in more effort. And lemme call my cousin!

At Pride this year, there was a booth with some information about Pauli Murray. I will read some of her poetry today, from Dark Testament and Other Poems.

At the Harvey B. Gantt museum, I participated in some Kwanzaa celebrations for Ujima. There was dancing, discussion, art– and community.There was acknowledgment of all of our different paths, and the need to support each other: intersectionality.

In between events I roamed the art exhibits and saw the work of one Darryl Deangelo Terrell, who was "exploring queerness and desire by way of a ‘fat Black femme non-binary alter-ego’ named Dion," along with wanting ourselves released from the white gaze.

A series of black and white photos in black frame, a Black femme body dancing in a white skirt can be seen from the waist down.

Elimu

Still on the whole Old Web / Web 2.0 / IndieWeb thing, so I’m definitely looking into server administration– I’m rusty. Once I complete a project or two I may tackle a sort of forum adminning. Or something like Instagram.

But how would I want to grow in 2025? Perhaps I can be better at helping people, and be more involved.

I’ve also got a bee in my bonnet about self-defense. The first weekend of 2025 I will have my first shooting lesson in a long while. I also plan to take additional classes with my friends and partners. And lastly, I got a nice solid wooden walking stick that I can do some Cane-Fu with.

Nia

WIZARD: Keeper of knowledge. It’s critical that you protect our histories and use that information to not only educate others but fight against aggressors with wisdom.Tawny Fritz

I found myself in this role, post-election. Whether it’s online spaces, resources, or communication lines– I aim to archive everything that I can while being involved with our queer community.

The official site also suggests that I take the day off work in honor of this principle, and it just so happens that I am at home– I’m not on the inventory team at work. Lovely!

Kuumba

You know what…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYlHuaTMWIQ

On a more serious note, I have been greatly enjoying Kelela, Tyla, and Lil Nas X.Tyla’s "Water," especially, has been really popular for drag performances. And I saw Janelle Monae live in Raleigh earlier this year! It was so powerful to witness their I Stand With You speech, and I greatly appreciate their visibility as a non-binary person. And how am I just now discovering Doechii?!

Doechii sits on a chair, facing the camera and holding an albino alligator. Behind her is a dark green wall.
AND FROM FLORIDA

For other creative feats, I really need to further establish my VTubing. I fell to the wayside near the end of the year and dropped my schedule. What is my angle going to be? Do I need a simpler model? What lore can I work on? I will take January off to figure that out, and resume streaming again just in time for Black History Month. Representation matters. Fortunately, I have been bumping around The Melanin Mafia so at least I have a solid support group.

I signed up for Get Your Words Out again, this year. I crushed the Habit goal of at 195 Days! But this time around I’m going for the number of words. Let’s see how that shakes out! There are a ton of blogging and writing challenges out there, so I can’t say I’d be bored. And… you know… all those WIPs…

Dhidi Chuki, Kiasiasa Utambulisho

The Call to Action because my ass ain’t goin’ nowhere. What else can I really say?

But remember. We will have each other. Remember mutual aid, community, helping one another.

And with that, here is the new year. Strap the fuck in because shit’s gonna be wild AF.

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When this posts, it’ll be a couple of days before the New Year, and we’ll be halfway through Kuchuqwanzaa, just about.

Or I can just post it right now! It’s been on my mind.

Next year, I’ll be the big ol’ Four Oh. 40. And when I’m 44, this blog would have existed for a decade. That’s ancient in computer times, right?

I began blogging when I was 34 years old, in 2019. That’s…

  • 3 years into tRump’s first presidential election
  • I’m about to move in with my partners-at-the-time
  • My favorite queer-owned sober third space shut down
  • still on OKC (and got my hopes dashed pretty bad, twice)

And this would be my second (or third?) iteration of having a WordPress blog specifically. The previous ones sputtered out and were deleted, but this time… it stuck. I still can’t put my finger on as to why, other than finally finding a groove and voice that I like. But, it’s always been about trying to get into– and stay in– the habit of writing. Letting go, grieving, and figuring things out. I’d have long lulls, but I’d be back. I’m happy to see that I have returned, and it looks much more permanent this time.

It’s been a fun year for this blog. I ragequit my dot-wordpress-dot-com and moved to my own space, dusting off all the cobwebs from my server administration days (and being eternally grateful for the customer service I received when I broke things). I had headaches, but I had fun too! ClassicPress has been great to use so far. This space feels more like "mine," and having more control certainly helped in that. I’ve migrated twice with minimal explosions, and proud of the smaller things like IndieWebRing and ActivityPub integration.

The only thing that appears to be holding me back is the lack of "spontaneous" and "not polished" works– I need to do more of those! What a convenient New Years Resolution!

Bloganuary is next month (next year), and on top of that sometimes I need to just Write The Thing. I write for you, and my friends, and folx that come across it, and so on– but primarily, I’m writing for me. So next year, I’ll work on that. Not everything has to be 500 word SAT essay, or have a point (or be educational).

WritingMonth doesn’t have to be November.

And there’s so many themes like this one I just searched for.

And, uh, I should probably start giving a shit about SEO…? The plugin says I should.

…

POST!

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You know what they say, “New Year, New Me!” I’ve stopped knocking people that say that, but I feel like that doesn’t fit me, personally. I like declaring “New Year, Same Me– with Improvements!” Or something equally corny.


And I figure it’s a good time as any to update my blog, yeah?


Queer Qwanzaa Reflection


I did not do a big ol’ post like I did last year– it’s very turned inward, in contrast, but it does incorporate into my New Year goals quite a bit.


I strive to improve on most common goals people set for this year: I really do need to work out more, and eat more vegetables; in general, improve my health especially in light of new chronic illnesses. And I’d like to cook more, especially! I have a few cookbooks with my name on them. And most of them are plant-based or vegetarian.


As for educational and career aspiration, I keep my skills sharp by practicing and keeping abreast on the new hot things like 11ty. For fun, I’m still on Glitch, and I’ve set up an obligatory Github account (but since design is my strength, I should look into something else?). Lately I’ve had the nostalgic urge to really kick it old school, so I finally dusted off my NeoCities account. One of the many personal projects I’m considering would definitely be a redesign of my current Link-in-Bio.


And oh, boy: this is also an election year. I’m prepared to call out misinformation and fascism. And I must be visible so people know that not only do I exist, but that it is possible to exist like this.


Social House


A friend of mine made a very poignant statement last month:


My resolution is to not be waiting at the door for people that’ll never arrive.

“J.J.”


I do need to start showing up for the people that value me as a person and worthy of their time, not ruminating over those that haven’t otherwise expressed interest in my life. I’ve talked about this before, and I’ve made note of the exceptions, but that is my biggest goal for this year.


That can get lonely. And, well, it is. But that is what community is for. I need to be more active in the safer spaces I am a member of. If I have the bandwidth, maybe find others to partake in.


The Fun Stuff


Meme Template from The Good Place.First Panel: a shaken Chidi saying, "I... I just saw... a trillion... different realities folding... onto each other like thin sheets of metal forming... a single blade..."Next panel is Michael dismissively stating "Yeah, yeah, the WIP FOLDER, we've all seen it."
I got my work cut out for me.


I’m done a pretty good job journaling, but I can work on blog posts and telling y’all a little more about my life. I plan to utilize prompts a lot more! I am not terribly exciting most days (and, honestly, something I am grateful for) so I’ll need to be pointed in the write (ha ha ha ha) direction.


I’d like to improve my habit of doing writing things. I’ve signed up to Get Your Words Out this year, and I plan on participating in National Poetry Writing Month in April. 750 Words also has monthly challenges that I can consider.


But it’s not just outward voice bloggy posts. I’d like to work on more fiction. To get myself primed I’ve been dragging fanfiction out of the WIP folders and working on them. I’ve even cleaned up and ported some ancient stuff! Additionally additionally, maybe even put together a poetry book (Can you believe the thing I’m stuck on the most is having a freaking title!?).


Wanna write good? Read a lot.

A lot of writers, famous and otherwise


I want to be a better writer. So I’m making more time to read. I rediscovered my joy of just getting lost in books, and want to keep that feeling. With 200 books and stories between my eReader and To-Read pile on The Storygraph, I won’t have a shortage of material. It’s only a matter of what to read next.


And oh, to return to streaming and vtubing. I fell off near the end of last year, and I was just shy of the coveted 100 Followers on Twitch. I’ve received some additional stressors to my life, to put it simply, and had to take an unofficial hiatus. I am fine, and I will be fine, I just needed time to regroup. I’m trying not to beat myself up over it.


The Short of It


My goals aren’t the most lofty, but they mean a lot to me. While I’m doubling down on the Stuff I Need To Do, the mindfulness to not neglect hobbys and career advancement will keep me sane. Well, so I hope.


And, you know, be gay, throw bricks. Always. <3