This year has been an interesting one. As with all others there have been some ups and downs and I’m sure there are so many things that I could mention that will get missed along the way. I’m not going to pretend it’s all been a bed of roses, because that wouldn’t do the year justice, but I know that with the bad I’ve been able to better appreciate the good. So here’s a run down of the points I want to make in no particular order.
We finally moved out of Yorkshire and to one of my favourite cities in the world and I couldn’t be happier for it. I feel alive again. I’ve lost weight, and I’m finally getting the healthcare that I deserve. Not saying that my old GP wasn’t fab, she was, but the other healthcare there was useless.
Moving out of that awful flat means that both my asthma and J’s have improved tenfold. That bathroom was awful and there was no sign of it being fixed before we left.
I published The Stolen Generation on Amazon and received some good reviews for it.
I made some amazing new friends through autistic activism and began to support Autistic Inclusive Meets with some of Redbubble profits.
My Patreon is slowly starting to make some headway and I’ve been publishing monthly stories for my patrons.
I started a short story series called the Intergalatic Miltary Series, two of which can be seen on the aforementioned Patreon.
I’ve also made and lost some friendships this year, and that’s been tough. Really tough. I learnt the hard way this year that sometimes people are just not what they seem. Sometimes helping someone leads to them stabbing you in the back and causing more drama than its worth, and quite frankly I’m tired of the high school attitudes that accompany that drama.
My heart has taken a beating in several ways this year. Friendship issues not being the only source of that pain. The loss of a dear friend who I had spent many long conversations with shook me to the bone. Clay Cross, a gentle giant of a man who came into my life through another mutual friend passed away on 11th December 2018. He was an absolute sweetheart with as open a mind as they come. He never judged, but he loved and protected fiercely, and the world is a sadder place without him, but the skies have gained another star.
As we head into 2019, there are so many things I hope for, but the one thing I want more than anything else is to remind myself that I am worthy of love, respect and dignity. That I deserve to be treated properly and that I’m not longer going to take any of the nastiness that people have decided to throw my way over the past.
In 2019, I have a list of goals that will be achieved and I intend to stick by them.
Writing wise:
- I will be publishing The Final Battle – the last in The Lunegosse Tales Trilogy.
- I’ll also be bringing out the trilogy in one book.
- I will be publishing a short story every month on my Patreon.
- I will be submitting more short stories to magazines and anthologies.
- I will be aiming to publish more than one book in the coming year. So watch this space as there are a few percolating in my mind right now.
Art wise
- I intend to make more #ActuallyAutistic designs on Redbubble and my other POD sites to support Autistic Inclusive Meets.
- I intend to work on producing new designs in general.
- I will be offering some existing sketches and some customised pieces for sale.
Personally:
- I’m going back to therapy, spending time working on myself, and looking after me. That means that if I need a break I’ll take it. This is my life and I’ll live it the way I choose to do so.
- I’m not going to live my life for anyone but myself.
- I’m going to focus on my health and doing what I can to make the best of my life.
- I’m getting a new wheelchair.
- I’ll be doing more social things.
Activism wise:
- I’ll be attending more protests
- I’ll be keeping my voice strong in the communities that I’m an activist for.
To those who have wronged me in 2018 – I forgive you.
To those who have harmed me in 2018 – I forgive you.
To those who have thought of doing either of the above in 2018 – I forgive you.
To those who have chosen to walk away from me in 2018 – thank you for being in my life as long as you were, if you choose to come back, you may find that you are welcome again, but trust may take some time to rebuild.
To those who I lost in 2018 – may your spirits soar, you will be thought of often.
nalebrun.com 