Saying Goodbye (And Thanks!) to 2013

30 wasn’t an easy birthday for me. At that point in my life, I had a few drafts of novels that were in no way ready to be shown around, no acting career to speak of, no writing career (aside from the day job, which I’m eternally grateful for), and I was feeling pretty down on myself. I had this idea about what I should reasonably have accomplished by the age of 30 (which hadn’t changed since I was a teenager)—and it was pretty much everything.

And I wasn’t down on myself just because I’d failed to tick off all the important boxes by this age. I was upset because I just didn’t see myself actually being the person I wanted to be. The person who set a goal and rocked it. At that point in my life, there was pretty much zero rocking of things going on.

A good friend of mine who’s in his 40’s told me that your thirties is the decade where you become that person you kept trying to be in your 20’s. I didn’t feel that optimistic about that back then. 2013 was the first year where I finally started to feel like he might be right.

This was a great year for me. My acting career is moving—I got a ton of work last year, finally (!!) after struggling for years. Nothing big and high-profile, but all stuff I’m proud of and excited about. (Plus, I finally have an acting website I’m psyched about).

Even better, though, I finally have an agent-ready novel. (Well, mostly ready. I still have to rewrite a couple scenes and tweak the ending and GAHHH THE WORK IS NEVER DONE!!!). But I’m making final tweaks and getting it out by the end of January. I’ve already sent out a few preliminary emails and got a full manuscript request. (Eek + Woot!!)

Most of my goals for the new year involve novels: I want to get a second novel agent-ready and write a first draft of a new one by the end of the year, in addition to trying to land an agent for the first. Acting is going strong; I’d like to book more work and get involved in some fun creative projects. And poetry! I want to finally write those two chapbooks I keep promising.

Plus, there’s the little issue of that half-marathon my drunk self committed me to before my sober self could have any say.

So it’ll be a busy year. Hopefully one full of creative fulfillment, success, friends and family.

Happy New Year!