simpleek

On the final day of the year, as we prepare to usher in a brand new one, we often get a bit reflective. We review the good, the bad, and maybe the very worst the past year has brought many of us. Like any year it will have its ups and downs, and while I take stock in everything that has come before, I like to move into the new year with a measure of optimism. As we count down the hours until 2019 on this New Year’s Eve, here’s an overview of the past year and what I’m hoping for in 2019.

The year hasn’t been all bad personally, but there were some tough months in the beginning of 2018 concerning a private family matter. The crisis has been averted and we can all breathe easier. At least here’s hoping there won’t be any more of those situations in the coming new year.

The past year has been a good one for travel, going to places like the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Disney World. The biggest travel highlight of the year for me is Hawaii. I’ve always dreamed of going there and I finally got my wish. It’s everything I hoped for and more. 2018 will always have a special place in my heart because of the opportunity I had to see this island paradise in person for the first time in my life.

Gaming in 2018 has taken a bit of a hit. My video game challenge continues to stay shelved for the time being as I figure out how I want to approach my backlog. I still don’t want to say I’m abandoning the challenges, but I do prefer having some of the pressure to finish one game in a month (or two) taken off of me. Gaming started becoming less fun for me, and as much as I want to finish the last Phoenix Wright game that came out, I don’t feel ready to resume that game. I’m not sure if it’s because it has been closely tied to the last (and failed) video game challenge I attempted to do before taking my break from the challenges, or if it’s because I’m simply not in the mood for that kind of game. Whatever it is, I’m hoping a surge in determination and excitement will come back for Spirit of Justice in 2019.

While I haven’t played or completed too many major games in 2018, it has been a big year for TV/movie watching. Anime like How To Keep A Mummy, Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, and Steins;Gate 0 have kept me busy for much of the year. I admit that my anime viewing has gone down as adulting took over in the last few years. So to have three new major series to keep anime in my regular viewing rotation alongside the usual fall shows I watch is a big deal. And who can forget that the past year has been a big win for diversity in films, both on the big and small screen, like Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians, and To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. I can only hope we’ll have more notable shows and movies to watch in 2019.

For the upcoming 2019 year, I have some personal goals I’d like to meet. Among the major goals I have is to do more reading. I’ve gotten pretty bad at finishing one book I’m currently reading. My attention span and time are stretched at its maximum and it has been a struggle to figure out how to do everything I want to do without spending more time on one leisure activity over the other. Writing my novel has also fallen on the wayside in 2018 and I’m hoping to correct that as well.

As for gaming, it’s a bit tricky to know how I’ll be approaching what I’ll be playing in the new year. I’m still playing NieR: Automata fairly consistently. But with the addition of a Nintendo Switch, there will be plenty of games I’ll be buying up and playing. I recently added Super Smash Bros Ultimate to my Switch library, thanks in part to my cousin for generously gifting it to me for Christmas. There will probably be a future review or write up about Ultimate in the very near future to look forward to in 2019.

My hopes for the new year are small, but like any year, I’d like to take each one as they come with a wish that everyone is happy, healthy, and doing well.

I wish you all a Happy New Year! Thank you for reading my blog and see you in 2019!