As the year comes to a close, it's time to look back and think about how things went. I had a pretty good year. I have had some health issues to contend with, and this year, like every year had its ups and downs, but a lot of positive things have happened. Here are some of them:
1. I got a laptop. Having this allowed me a lot more freedom, and is the reason that several other items on this list were possible.
2. In June, I started editing a book for a friend of my dad's. The project has grown bigger since then, and I'm still working on it! It has been a great experience that I have learned a lot from. It is also really great to be making money doing some thing I really enjoy.
3. I started this blog! Blogging has been a great experience, and it's something I plan on doing as long as possible.
4. I went to the Write On! Teen Writing Conference this summer. This was a really great way to connect with other teens who love writing, and I learned a lot from all the great presenters.
5. I won NaNoWriMo for the third year in a row! It's a lot of work, but it's so worth it. This year was particularly tough because I was really sick for a lot of November, and I was pretty sure I wasn't going to make 50k. But I pushed through and made it!
6. I went to a John Mayer concert this summer. It was a great experience, and a very enjoyable evening. It was the first major concert I've ever been to, and I loved it.
7. I've realized how many really great friends I have. This year, I've been doing less with our homeschool group at large, and more and more with the group that many call the "Usual Suspects." I'm not sure who first coined the term, but we all use it now to refer to the group of six families who do everything together. In that group, there are thirteen of us kids. I've always been friends with everyone to some extent, but in the last year, I feel like we've become much closer as a group, and as a result, I have much closer friendships with everyone.
The end of the year isn't just a time to look back, it's also a time to look forward. I'm not a huge fan of New Year's Resolutions, but I think the New Year is a good time to reflect a little and make some goals. Here are a few of my thoughts for 2014.
I want to find a balance between school and the rest of my life. I feel like there is a constant tug of war going on, and in the end, no one wins. I want to read more. This year, I read less that I have for many, many years. I've been busy, yes, but I've also spent too much time doing other useless things. Both of these things are things I need to think about, and slowly change my patterns.
I don't want to load too much onto my plate just yet, but I have a few plans of things I want to do this year that I'm really excited about. I don't want to talk about them yet, in case they don't pan out, but don't worry, you'll be hearing more about them in the next six months or so.
My final goal for 2014 is to enjoy it more. I sometimes feel like life is going by so fast, and while the thought of going to college, and figuring out my life are exciting, they are also terrifying. I want to enjoy being 15 as much as I can, and try not to worry too much about the future.
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