2023 Week 52: Thus Ends A Confusing Year

I can't seem to summarise 2023 into a neat little package. Last year I at least managed to come up with some standout moments to remember 2022 by. But 2023? It's been a string of big and amorphous events.

Let's see. Deaths. My grandma, Mel, and Kuromi all died within weeks of one another at the start of 2023. Grandma and bunny dying, I can deal. But Mel? I don't know. It's been a year and I still feel the pain of how brief and wasted her life had been. It scares me.

Then sickness. Both Eeyore and Miaou got sick this year, which worried me sick. And I spent many weeks of 2023 being sick - first with Covid, and later, I suspect, many Covid reinfections.

On the other hand, fixed some things about my body. Recovered from plantar fasciitis after more than a year of hobbling about - walking and running without foot pain is amazing. Also, got my eyes checked professionally and got the correct prescription.

Lost a lot of work and income from freelance writing, after a decent run of nearly 2 years. This was something I probably should have anticipated, but there was no way to prepare for it emotionally.

On the theme of ventures, some things I tried to varying degrees of success:

1. Writing editorial - just the one magazine and the one article - this was a new experience and I had no expectations
2. Sourcing and reselling used books, including at a flea market - process is enjoyable but I'm now facing platform (Carousell) limitations which I have no motivation to try and work around 
3. Working at bookstore - pleasant enough way to pass time and make a few bucks, but offers little personal career satisfaction
4. Bunny boarding and grooming - after an over-successful season I learnt this is a hustle that does not scale up well

My takeaway is that work, even if fun and commercially successful, does not necessarily lead to personal fulfillment. I can now see that success to me includes other vague idealistic things, like making a difference and a sense of distinction or even excellence.

The main highlight of 2023 is our UK trip, which isn't so much a holiday as a sort of cultural internship to find out how to live. The housesits and Workaways were some of the most valuable experiences of my life. See also: Jon's quiz, which we agreed represent our bitterness and irritation at returning to Singapore. Luckily that has mostly faded.

Reading and drawing became major hobbies in 2023. 

Home improvement, starting from this Kallax display shelf and ending with changing the doors and windows and buying a new washing machine.

JB shopping trips including to Ben's Independent Grocer and to Mercato and Giant.

Things for 2024!

Here's my initial reading list for 2024. I am trying to read more non-fiction classics, hence the Montaigne etc. And for fiction I might make this year all about Russian literature (Bulgakov, Chekhov, Gogol, maybe Vasily Grossman) and Chinese classics (just The Golden Lotus, though, hahhaa).

I got a yearly planner to help me visualise my year.

Some enrichment/entertainment for me and Jon. So far, the crossword book is much more pleasant than using the NYT Games app.

I bought 2 books that make me want to cook. I'm not sure if I actually will.

The final week of 2023

Monday: worked at the bookstore. I had to move the fantasy shelves and downsize the Neil Gaiman, Diana Gabaldon and Robin Hobb shelves to make room for newer and far shittier bestselling authors like Rebecca Yarros, Sarah J Maas, Olivie Blake. Enraged and depressed by this, I went to AMK to eat Christmas fried chicken with Jon.

Tuesday: worked; felt calmer. After work we claimed 1-for-1 tempura don, which was nuts, and collected bunny Jett.

Wednesday: NEW WASHING MACHINE arrived.

Thursday: Some bunnies arrived and some left, then I went to meet up with Van. We sat at the basketball court for ages catching up.

Friday: worked.

Saturday: had period cramps and stayed home, skipping both work and family Christmas party. Did a little decluttering.

Sunday: Dad came over with Christmas food and we had a leftover feast. More decluttering, made lasagna, and year-end dumpster diving...