Hi friends,
Today is my 34th Birthday, or in the terms of Chicagoans it’s my Walter Payton year. Payton’s nickname was Sweetness and so I hope this year will have plenty of sweetness for me and my family. Last year right around this time I wrote a reflection about what year 32 had given me and what I hoped to do in 33. This seems like as good a time as any to reflect on that reflection and extend.
The things I hoped for in 33 (and reactions)
Less debt
Yeah… we’re getting there. Making steady progress but not where I want to be. Such is life.
The ability to live again full-time with Alison
We did it! Though I did not have suburban Boston on my bingo card I will take it.
More intentional time with the people I love
Yes! Being back in the Midwest last year was great for this because I could see so many more folks regularly. Also we took trips where we got to see many homies (Ft. Worth, SF, Seattle, Australia, Upstate NY, Western Mass, Ann Arbor, plus the NYC trip where we… made a baby lol)
More reading (I want to get back excited about poetry books again)
Partial yes! I definitely read more poems but not many poetry books. But rebuilding a reading practice is happening! It’s like 2 to 1 audiobooks to physical but I count it all! I do need to get back to poetry books though.
Less noise (emotionally/intellectually not like… actual volume)
Yes-ish. Being on fellowship has given me a lot of headspace back but preparing for a kid is… not the most relaxing thing I’ve ever done. It’s joyful though.
More fitness
Yes! I did OrangeTheory through the school year until mid-summer and now I’m focusing on taking long walks and I’ve joined a boxing gym. I have some fitness goals now which mostly revolve around wanting to keep up with kid activities and also wanting to dominate all the children in my life in sports for as long as possible. :)
1 new piece of clothing or accessory for every credit card I pay off
I paid off 1 but I didn’t really buy new things, which is fine. Living away a year makes it important to try to not accumulate too much.
More raps (maybe even something that could see the light of day)
Resounding yes. Dropped a song this year with my homies and Alison and maybe… some more dropping soon.
Maybe more writing
Also a yes! I wrote poems! I need to put them together in a file to figure out the next book! I started a secret nonfiction thing! It’s fun to think about!
More rest (this really number 1 on the list)
I think so? This was definitely not true for most of year 33 during the school year when I was learning a new place, teaching full time, trying to move in and then move out of multiple apartments, and traveling a lot for work and to see Alison. But now as the time for baby nears things have definitely slowed and I’m savoring that.
So what do I want in 34?
More focus
A joyous spirit to meet new adventures (new baby, moving to Madison with a family, teaching graduate students, etc.)
Even more raps! Even more writing!
Pay off at least one credit card.
Stay consistent with health and fitness goals.
Read more poetry books.
Let hard things be hard without self-sabatoge or stressing so they become harder.
Be a better communicator.
Be better at asking for help.
I’m sure there’s more but this is what I got so far. As ever if you have tips, tricks, concerns, complaints, etc. hit me with a comment or message me privately.
Peace,
Nate
PS. In the spirit of getting better at asking for help here’s our baby registry. Making and sharing it with our family was weird/hard for me because I am bad at asking for things but here it is. If you feel like blessing us it is deeply appreciated.
We bless God for this new year of life. May 34 bring focus in abundance.