It was good to read this, and I started to write my list—big things and moments that brought me joy, like finding in the freezer a little bit of the peach ice cream my wife made in July. It was so delicious!
My husband and I traveled 63 days in 2023. We added 3 new states to our total visited, only 4 more until we’ve visited all 50, and 6 new National Parks. And I published my first book, with two more nearly ready to go!
Adopting our fur babies, Moo-Shu (the naughtiest, affectionate, softest, velvety black kitty) and Penny (the sweetest, chirpiest, most playful, little fairy kitty) has been transformative for our family. They came home in January and have brought so much joy and also humorous and ineffectual cursing (almost entirely directed at Moo Shu). Cheers to everyone and thanks for sharing your list, Austin. I’ve started my own this year!
Loved your list and have taken that motivation to start mine several years in a row. Will start this morning for 2023.....but it’s like trying to winnow down photo albums or toss old magazines....I’m soon lost in memories and am enjoying the walk thru many events. So even if one only makes it to item #67 or less, well, it is an exercise worth doing. Thanks for that.
The best thing of 2023 was GETTING A PUPPY. When my husband suggested it, I thought he was crazy. He had been a workaholic in his previous life, and missed out on the puppyhoods of our previous dogs. Last week, we took Comet (now 9 months old) on a trip to a beach area off the Atlantic coast, and let her run off leash. Her joy, exuberance, happiness was toxic. I never knew traveling with a dog could be so fun! What would our lives be like if we had decided to forego this canine adventure? HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!
Dear Austin, I simply like to thank you. I have been reading your newsletter for I don’t know how long now - probably since I saw you talk at the MIT scratch conference some years ago. Even if I don’t feel like being part of the scenius you creating here with these threads (mainly to do with my being French, and not an artist in the place), I just want to say that you have been a great inspiration for me. I have been stealing many of the quotes you share, with the pleasure of an absolute clear conscience, and many more ideas I guess. So please, Keep going.
When I was a teen I came up with a character that felt like a spiritual extension of myself (a little deer in a space suit), I made a few comic strips with it and then for some reason I got paralyzed by my lack of writing skills and abandoned it completely.
It’s been 8 or so years since I made this character and I never managed to think of another character that meant as much to me, so I’ve always been sad that I never did more with it.
Part of me felt like I had no right to that character any more, it belonged to a dead teenage version of myself.
But then the second half of 2023 I got real mortal dread for the first time in my life (I’m 27) and started to think about things I want to have done before I die. Having drawn comics about this character was on the list. So I stole my character from myself, changed it a bit and made it mine again. If teenage-me steps out of a time machine with an attorney I’ll take that fight.
It was a serious year, fraught with one dilemma after another. Culminating with the holiday season. Your blog helped...cause creative endeavor is essential. And the owl cam was fun to see. And, I agree that biking is awesome. The sunrise always helps me feel hopeful...esp. after the illness I got thru in Sept. Christmas brought much stress and a good bit of creativity. The best part of the holidays was watching the Kennedy Center Honors with my nieces, their mom and my mother. Sharing that with them was wonderful. I look forward to it every year. Apart from a few precious moments the best of 2023 is that its behind us. Happy New Year!!!
Inspired by your very lengthy list here is my "List of useful things and ideas gleaned from 2023 sketch books and journals."
Art - I found that my nieces are my drawing peeps - we played “Finish the drawing” at family functions, did Inktober together, and my youngest niece challenged me to an Advent drawing challenge.
A teacher friend said that she encourages her students to doodle during class if they want to mainly because she sees that I do it and it helps me focus and process information.
I learned how to make my own journals because the ones I ordered were way too big.
I repainted and redecorated both my classroom and my condo using my lino prints and photos that my husband and I took.
Life works better if I sit in the studio chair before I sit on the couch.
Family - Our son got engaged to a wonderful lady. I enjoyed making a lovely paper garland for his engagement party. I’m hoping to see it again at the wedding.
I spearheaded an organized effort to have the whole family deep clean my father’s house. I am so proud of them.
All of the older generation ladies in my family have died now, making me the oldest. Does that mean my role changes?
Teaching job - My relationship with my job as an educator of young children (30 years now) is complicated. I enjoy my job but am often stressed out and would like to try something new. My boss told me that my talents in art, music, and technology are a rare combination in our work. My willingness to share and utilize them is an asset to the school. So, I am working on the acceptance that God keeps putting me in education for good reason.
And then he gave me the job of teaching High School level Christian apologetics.
Two of my students were baptized this year.
I got to watch a former student star in the show “Wolf Pack”
Musical - I rang in two handbell choirs with my son. He and his friends also helped me to present a musical chapel.
Marched with Ukulele Soup in the May parade.
I love guitar lessons. I’ve learned about ii-V-I chord progressions and have learned various techniques through jazz and classical pieces.
The play about handbells starring “Henrietta Woodcox”. I only know about it because I volunteered to ring at the Great Christmas Ring.
Health - The never-ending battle to keep my middle-aged body functioning
The slow process of eliminating alcohol, sugar, gluten, and gluttony from my daily life.
Useful quotes - The helpful truth in the idea of “I found that things got a lot easier when I no longer expected to win” Leonard Cohen.
From the book “Toward Holy Ground”, “If you know what you want to do and you do it, that is the work of a craftsman. If you begin with a question and use it to guide an adventure of discovery, that is the work of an artist. The surprises along the way can expand your work and even the art form itself.” My question is usually, “What will happen if…”
The power of three: every day do three things toward my goals. It is less stressful to just do three things, whatever seems doable on that day.
Discovering the idea that “if you really don’t enjoy it, don’t do it” which is related to my quitting a handbell group and my bailing on an outing that I thought I should do, but didn’t want to do. It was freeing to make both of those decisions,
Austin’s quote that a lot of things are “just me throwing stuff at the wall to see what will stick.” That is my life.
Story - I realized that most of my favorite things tell a story in some way, i.e.. books, TV shows, movies, music, and newsletters. I loved the podcast Midst and I read sixty-four books this year.
Connections - This amazing quote, “Success isn’t a zero-sum game, your greatest asset (and joy) will be a network of people whose lives you have positively impacted.”
The truth of that hit home when an old acquaintance invited me to go Christmas caroling for the sick daughter of another old acquaintance.
The heartfelt goodbyes when I left the handbell group. Perhaps I did positively impact people.
Many people told me that I am a welcome calm influence in their lives and a good listener. These are new attributes that I am amazed about.
I have a weird connection with a little plastic turtle that sits at the table where I journal.
Pastor voluntold me to facilitate a Rooted group (a sort of Bible study). I didn’t have the time and I didn’t want to do it. It turned out that all of the participants also didn’t have the time and didn’t want to do it. I dubbed us the Reluctantly Rooted. Now we are all so grateful that we did do it and we are connected in a deep spiritual way. I look forward to seeing where all that leads.
A different new friend group that we dubbed “Ladies Who Do Things” is actually willing to both hike and try ukulele with me. Of course, I have to go to a princess show with them, but still great ladies.
The college-aged girls at my favorite eatery told me that I’m their favorite regular because I’m interesting, always drawing, and kind, plus, I order uncomplicated dishes.
Reading your list made me smile… love your insight
It was good to read this, and I started to write my list—big things and moments that brought me joy, like finding in the freezer a little bit of the peach ice cream my wife made in July. It was so delicious!
My husband and I traveled 63 days in 2023. We added 3 new states to our total visited, only 4 more until we’ve visited all 50, and 6 new National Parks. And I published my first book, with two more nearly ready to go!
2024 looks scary AF to me.
Adopting our fur babies, Moo-Shu (the naughtiest, affectionate, softest, velvety black kitty) and Penny (the sweetest, chirpiest, most playful, little fairy kitty) has been transformative for our family. They came home in January and have brought so much joy and also humorous and ineffectual cursing (almost entirely directed at Moo Shu). Cheers to everyone and thanks for sharing your list, Austin. I’ve started my own this year!
Loved your list and have taken that motivation to start mine several years in a row. Will start this morning for 2023.....but it’s like trying to winnow down photo albums or toss old magazines....I’m soon lost in memories and am enjoying the walk thru many events. So even if one only makes it to item #67 or less, well, it is an exercise worth doing. Thanks for that.
93 and 53... in that order!
What a treat to read so much of your overfill life! I will steal several elements. Where is my bicycle?
I think I'll do 10 or 20 & shoot for 100 next time
I think I'll do 10 or 20 & shoot for 100 next time
I saw a pocket gopher for the first time.
The best thing of 2023 was GETTING A PUPPY. When my husband suggested it, I thought he was crazy. He had been a workaholic in his previous life, and missed out on the puppyhoods of our previous dogs. Last week, we took Comet (now 9 months old) on a trip to a beach area off the Atlantic coast, and let her run off leash. Her joy, exuberance, happiness was toxic. I never knew traveling with a dog could be so fun! What would our lives be like if we had decided to forego this canine adventure? HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!
Very happy for you and I really hope Meg doesn’t read this 😂😂😂
Dear Austin, I simply like to thank you. I have been reading your newsletter for I don’t know how long now - probably since I saw you talk at the MIT scratch conference some years ago. Even if I don’t feel like being part of the scenius you creating here with these threads (mainly to do with my being French, and not an artist in the place), I just want to say that you have been a great inspiration for me. I have been stealing many of the quotes you share, with the pleasure of an absolute clear conscience, and many more ideas I guess. So please, Keep going.
When I was a teen I came up with a character that felt like a spiritual extension of myself (a little deer in a space suit), I made a few comic strips with it and then for some reason I got paralyzed by my lack of writing skills and abandoned it completely.
It’s been 8 or so years since I made this character and I never managed to think of another character that meant as much to me, so I’ve always been sad that I never did more with it.
Part of me felt like I had no right to that character any more, it belonged to a dead teenage version of myself.
But then the second half of 2023 I got real mortal dread for the first time in my life (I’m 27) and started to think about things I want to have done before I die. Having drawn comics about this character was on the list. So I stole my character from myself, changed it a bit and made it mine again. If teenage-me steps out of a time machine with an attorney I’ll take that fight.
It was a serious year, fraught with one dilemma after another. Culminating with the holiday season. Your blog helped...cause creative endeavor is essential. And the owl cam was fun to see. And, I agree that biking is awesome. The sunrise always helps me feel hopeful...esp. after the illness I got thru in Sept. Christmas brought much stress and a good bit of creativity. The best part of the holidays was watching the Kennedy Center Honors with my nieces, their mom and my mother. Sharing that with them was wonderful. I look forward to it every year. Apart from a few precious moments the best of 2023 is that its behind us. Happy New Year!!!
Inspired by your very lengthy list here is my "List of useful things and ideas gleaned from 2023 sketch books and journals."
Art - I found that my nieces are my drawing peeps - we played “Finish the drawing” at family functions, did Inktober together, and my youngest niece challenged me to an Advent drawing challenge.
A teacher friend said that she encourages her students to doodle during class if they want to mainly because she sees that I do it and it helps me focus and process information.
I learned how to make my own journals because the ones I ordered were way too big.
I repainted and redecorated both my classroom and my condo using my lino prints and photos that my husband and I took.
Life works better if I sit in the studio chair before I sit on the couch.
Family - Our son got engaged to a wonderful lady. I enjoyed making a lovely paper garland for his engagement party. I’m hoping to see it again at the wedding.
I spearheaded an organized effort to have the whole family deep clean my father’s house. I am so proud of them.
All of the older generation ladies in my family have died now, making me the oldest. Does that mean my role changes?
Teaching job - My relationship with my job as an educator of young children (30 years now) is complicated. I enjoy my job but am often stressed out and would like to try something new. My boss told me that my talents in art, music, and technology are a rare combination in our work. My willingness to share and utilize them is an asset to the school. So, I am working on the acceptance that God keeps putting me in education for good reason.
And then he gave me the job of teaching High School level Christian apologetics.
Two of my students were baptized this year.
I got to watch a former student star in the show “Wolf Pack”
Musical - I rang in two handbell choirs with my son. He and his friends also helped me to present a musical chapel.
Marched with Ukulele Soup in the May parade.
I love guitar lessons. I’ve learned about ii-V-I chord progressions and have learned various techniques through jazz and classical pieces.
The play about handbells starring “Henrietta Woodcox”. I only know about it because I volunteered to ring at the Great Christmas Ring.
Health - The never-ending battle to keep my middle-aged body functioning
The slow process of eliminating alcohol, sugar, gluten, and gluttony from my daily life.
Useful quotes - The helpful truth in the idea of “I found that things got a lot easier when I no longer expected to win” Leonard Cohen.
From the book “Toward Holy Ground”, “If you know what you want to do and you do it, that is the work of a craftsman. If you begin with a question and use it to guide an adventure of discovery, that is the work of an artist. The surprises along the way can expand your work and even the art form itself.” My question is usually, “What will happen if…”
The power of three: every day do three things toward my goals. It is less stressful to just do three things, whatever seems doable on that day.
Discovering the idea that “if you really don’t enjoy it, don’t do it” which is related to my quitting a handbell group and my bailing on an outing that I thought I should do, but didn’t want to do. It was freeing to make both of those decisions,
Austin’s quote that a lot of things are “just me throwing stuff at the wall to see what will stick.” That is my life.
Story - I realized that most of my favorite things tell a story in some way, i.e.. books, TV shows, movies, music, and newsletters. I loved the podcast Midst and I read sixty-four books this year.
Connections - This amazing quote, “Success isn’t a zero-sum game, your greatest asset (and joy) will be a network of people whose lives you have positively impacted.”
The truth of that hit home when an old acquaintance invited me to go Christmas caroling for the sick daughter of another old acquaintance.
The heartfelt goodbyes when I left the handbell group. Perhaps I did positively impact people.
Many people told me that I am a welcome calm influence in their lives and a good listener. These are new attributes that I am amazed about.
I have a weird connection with a little plastic turtle that sits at the table where I journal.
Pastor voluntold me to facilitate a Rooted group (a sort of Bible study). I didn’t have the time and I didn’t want to do it. It turned out that all of the participants also didn’t have the time and didn’t want to do it. I dubbed us the Reluctantly Rooted. Now we are all so grateful that we did do it and we are connected in a deep spiritual way. I look forward to seeing where all that leads.
A different new friend group that we dubbed “Ladies Who Do Things” is actually willing to both hike and try ukulele with me. Of course, I have to go to a princess show with them, but still great ladies.
The college-aged girls at my favorite eatery told me that I’m their favorite regular because I’m interesting, always drawing, and kind, plus, I order uncomplicated dishes.