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fredbassettHappy New Year, folks!
Before sitting down to write this year's review, I took a quick look back on previous new year posts on here. I seem to have done one every year since I started on LJ. What surprised - and depressed me a bit, to be honest - was how few of them seem to have recorded a really good year. Sure, there have been good bits to all of them, but some pretty dire years too, and it's certainly the case that 2018 has been no exception to that rule.
The year started OK, but then in early April, Mr FB had a health scare that meant he had to have some tests. The NHS swung into action quickly, and within a fortnight, he'd had the first ones, which all came up clear, much to our relief, but the next set involved a CT scan, the results of which could take up to a month. And then in a double whammy, he went down with a bad bladder infection as a result of the first set of investigations. The CT scan took a full month to come back, and by then we were both nervous wrecks. Thankfully everything was clear, but it had taken a toll on both of us.
Both my depression and anxiety have been very bad this year. The anxiety in particular has been in overdrive throughout the year, fuelled by the constant worry of Brexit and what it will mean for us and our ability to travel to France with our dogs. In November DEFRA finally issued some guidance, which has effectively set the clock back 10 years to when it used to be necessary, in addition to the rabies vaccination, to have a blood test done to prove they have the relevant antibodies. Then there's a three month period that has to elapse before they can travel. The tests were very expensive and we only got the results last week. To our relief, they both passed. We now just have to wait to see what happens when the UK hurtles like a lemming off the Brexit cliff.
The cumulative effect of a lot of stress and mental health problems has been that my writing has taken a sharp nosedive. My total fiction word count for the year has been 58,345, my lowest figure since I started writing fanfic in 2017. In fact this was less than half my previous lowest word count, which is pretty depressing. And despite my early plans, I did no work at all on my original fic.
So, what of the coming year? I would like to write more. Fandom and writing is one of the things that helps me relax and helps keep the demons at bay. I'm going to continue with the drabble prompts at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
primeval100 and tolkien100 and will aim for a weekly goal of 2,000 words. That's worked well for me in the past. I'd like to try to write something for each of the character months we're going to run on primeval_denial. That looks a manageable set of goals.
Thank you to all my LJ friends who have stuck with me through the past year. I value the friendship and support I've had from you all enormously, both on LJ and off it.
Here's to better times for all of us in 2019!
Before sitting down to write this year's review, I took a quick look back on previous new year posts on here. I seem to have done one every year since I started on LJ. What surprised - and depressed me a bit, to be honest - was how few of them seem to have recorded a really good year. Sure, there have been good bits to all of them, but some pretty dire years too, and it's certainly the case that 2018 has been no exception to that rule.
The year started OK, but then in early April, Mr FB had a health scare that meant he had to have some tests. The NHS swung into action quickly, and within a fortnight, he'd had the first ones, which all came up clear, much to our relief, but the next set involved a CT scan, the results of which could take up to a month. And then in a double whammy, he went down with a bad bladder infection as a result of the first set of investigations. The CT scan took a full month to come back, and by then we were both nervous wrecks. Thankfully everything was clear, but it had taken a toll on both of us.
Both my depression and anxiety have been very bad this year. The anxiety in particular has been in overdrive throughout the year, fuelled by the constant worry of Brexit and what it will mean for us and our ability to travel to France with our dogs. In November DEFRA finally issued some guidance, which has effectively set the clock back 10 years to when it used to be necessary, in addition to the rabies vaccination, to have a blood test done to prove they have the relevant antibodies. Then there's a three month period that has to elapse before they can travel. The tests were very expensive and we only got the results last week. To our relief, they both passed. We now just have to wait to see what happens when the UK hurtles like a lemming off the Brexit cliff.
The cumulative effect of a lot of stress and mental health problems has been that my writing has taken a sharp nosedive. My total fiction word count for the year has been 58,345, my lowest figure since I started writing fanfic in 2017. In fact this was less than half my previous lowest word count, which is pretty depressing. And despite my early plans, I did no work at all on my original fic.
So, what of the coming year? I would like to write more. Fandom and writing is one of the things that helps me relax and helps keep the demons at bay. I'm going to continue with the drabble prompts at
primeval100 and tolkien100 and will aim for a weekly goal of 2,000 words. That's worked well for me in the past. I'd like to try to write something for each of the character months we're going to run on primeval_denial. That looks a manageable set of goals.Thank you to all my LJ friends who have stuck with me through the past year. I value the friendship and support I've had from you all enormously, both on LJ and off it.
Here's to better times for all of us in 2019!
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no subject
Date: 2019-01-01 04:39 pm (UTC)I think sodding Brexit has everyone's anxiety in knots. Even the most non-anxious of us has a feeling in the pits of our stomach.
I have a pile of fics in my inbox to catch up on once I get back to a routine. Once I am back at work and have some free time to myself while hubby is at work I will have a catch up.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-01 05:01 pm (UTC)I'm at the stage that I just don't know where to turn with all the sodding anxiety now, and no amount of medication in the world is enough to keep it at bay, so all I can hope to do is keep the pills to a sensible level and not turn into a zombie.
I think I'm going to retreat into fandom and stay there!
no subject
Date: 2019-01-01 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-01 09:11 pm (UTC)So do I! In the spirit of trying to be positive, I've just spent all evening getting my fic masterlists up to date.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-01 06:52 pm (UTC)Good the doggies past the tests.
*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2019-01-01 09:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-01 07:00 pm (UTC)Good to hear Mr FB's health is OK, but all the waiting sounds horrible, no wonder it took a toll on you both. Give Mr FB a hug from me too.
I was awol a long time due to exams (and later because of work crap) so I probably missed a lot of what was going on. I certainly missed being around lj so the plan for this year is not letting that happen again. BTW, I have just sent a request for joining primeval100 so I can try the P100 this year ^_^
no subject
Date: 2019-01-01 09:12 pm (UTC)That's fab! So great you'll be joining us in the drabbles!
no subject
Date: 2019-01-01 11:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-02 07:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-02 12:45 am (UTC)It was wonderful meeting you in London this past year. I hope we can all get together again!
HUGS
no subject
Date: 2019-01-02 07:37 pm (UTC)Yes, lovely to meet you! That was a great evening out.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-02 08:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-02 07:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-02 06:49 pm (UTC)Good luck with the writing!
no subject
Date: 2019-01-02 07:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-03 06:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-03 07:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-03 03:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-03 11:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-01-04 08:46 pm (UTC)May 2019 be happier and settled for you, despite the upcoming drama. I hope you can ride above it and find your own happy place.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-04 08:52 pm (UTC)