Hello, 2021!

Happy New Year, my friends! 2020 took so much out of us, so I hope you welcomed 2021 with happy and hopeful hearts. As for me, I am feeling somber but hopeful. Neil Gaiman said it best:

There's nobody in 2020 who hasn't been hurt by something in it. Our stories may be unique to us, but none of us is unique in our misery or our pain.

I only got to read two books last year. Unbelievable and pitiful. I do not want to be too hard on myself yet I am hoping to break that record so I set a mere three book-goal in Goodreads this time. 

New reads for the New Year: Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh, Becoming Better Grownups by Brad Montague, and Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory by Raphael Bob-Waksberg (I liked this so much that I also got it in trade paperback even though I already have it in both hardback and Kindle editions)

Aside from a proverbial clean slate, I am excited for new years because it means new planners. This year, I am using a Disc-bound Belle de Jour Power Planner for my daily planner, a medium Quest Journal as my DIY 5 Year-Journal, and a Rouge Everyday Planner (that it still on its way to me) as my everyday work to-do list tracker.

Buying notebooks and using them are two different hobbies, so I am extra proud of myself for utilizing my Quest Journal as my 5 Year-Journal. The 5 Year-Journal I wanted to get ran out of stocks, and I didn't want to wait until the middle part of January to write in one. I actually didn't know what use it for at first, I just liked the color of the cover so I got it, and now I will be writing on it every day for the next five years! I am turning 35 this year so I figured this would be a nice way to chronicle my being 35 to 40 years old.

I can't believe I am turning 35 this year @_@

Ending this blog post with Neil Gaiman's wishes for this year.

For this year... I hope we all get to walk freely in the world once more. To see our loved ones, and hold them once again.

I hope the year ahead is kind to us, and that we will be kind to each other, even if the year isn't.

Small acts of generosity, of speech, of reaching out, can mean more to those receiving them than the people doing them can ever know. Do what you can. Receive the kindnesses of others with grace.

Hold on. Hang on, by the skin of your teeth if you have to. Make art -- or whatever you make -- if you can make it. But if all you can manage is to get out of bed in the morning, then do that and be proud of what you've managed, not frustrated by what you haven't.

Remember, you aren't alone, no matter how much it feels like it some times.

And never forget that, sometimes, it's only when it gets really dark that we can see the stars.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Happy New Year, friends! *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Wear your masks, wash your hands, and keep healthy and safe!