END o YEAR in Book Eleven: Whatever Will Be Will Be 2024

It is exceedingly humorous. I go into my DRAFTS folder and the number of drafts is large indeed. But only a few drafts above where “2024 End Year Survey” was.... I saw “2023 End Year Survey” which makes me think I never did the 2023 but always intended to.

Did you keep your 2024 Resolutions?
I… don’t think I made any resolutions. Didn’t name any dragons; didn’t earmark any folders; didn’t have a specific plan in mind for what 2024 could or might even want to be.

What was the most important lesson you learned in 2024?
Damn fine question. I suspect many on here and many in my family would suggest something along the lines of “It is okay to walk away from a situation that isn’t working” but, though I did have a lesson in that this year… shouldn’t that be a lesson learned from 2019?

What cities/countries did you visit this year?
I did not visit anywhere for the first time; but I did have a wonderful weekend in Chicago and Minneapolis this year.

What was your biggest achievement?
Tragically, I would guess that it was the success of The Book Club Play considered one of my best performances yet… or the success of Beauty and the Beast one of only 2 musicals ever attempted as an adult.

What was your biggest failure?
I honestly feel split by this. Because I think there is strong, compassionate, and intelligent argument to say that neither of these are failures but… they rather feel like failures. It would be either: My Job- getting behind and staying there in epic and extreme ways; or My Relationship- walking away from a relationship because, once again, the theme of the relationship was FAR LESS mutual relationship and was ONCE AGAIN how much can Chris do for others?

Did you get injured or sick?
Nothing terribly serious but for some throat struggles in February and November

What was something you were grateful for?
1. Nala. Ups or Downs, I’m glad she’s in my life
2. A roof over my head. Despite it’s complications, it serves as more than adequate shelter every day
3. Having a job where, though I work all the time, I am not in a job where I am required to produce all the time. I don’t have to produce clients, or billable hours, or even trial wins. That is something to appreciate.
4. The comfort that comes with knowing I won’t starve or have nowhere to go no matter how poorly things turn out.

What useful resources did you discover this year?
1. More internet sites with verified information and legitimate assistance
2. That I can stand alone more easily now than even when I first had to in 2019

What surprised you the most?
Tragically, the American Election. I was rather certain the numbers would be close and there would be arguments, and hang wringing, and pearl clutching, and.... instead… if what SHOULD be one of the more educated countries in the world… we saw a lot of people vote with no idea how or why. People who voted for him then looked up Tariffs? People who voted for him because he said he’d lower grocery prices? Even people who voted for him thinking he would actually shut down ALL forms of immigration? You were all taken in and easily duped.

What do you wish you’d done more of?
Honestly, spent time with friends. Found more “my people”. Eaten better and exercised more. My life in 2024 was not filled with wonderfully healthy things and… I’m running out of time to have a life that includes healthy things. If I can find them, center them, live them.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
I genuinely wish I’d done less “desperately considering.” Spending so much time trying to be considerate to the unhinged at work and in my relationship… it costs me a lot in energy and mental health and does not yield positive results.

What did you get really, really excited about?
I was really excited for Randy Feltface before it got cancelled. And I was excited about The Book Club Play and Beauty and the Beast until I was punished for being in them. I am really excited for “Much Ado About Nothing” next year.

Compared to this time last year are you:
- Happer/Sadder: Sadder
- Richer/Poorer: Poorer but that’s because of how much got put into the house

What would you like to have in 2025 that you lacked in 2024?
1. The ability to do my job in a manner where things are finished; not just constantly “The To Do List Never Decreases”
2. The ability to live a more complete life

What did you want and get in 2024?
I suppose I could either write “a sex life” or “remained gainfully employed while doing theater”

What did you want and NOT get in 2024?
Much much more of the house done; stability in my personal life

What was your favorite movie and series from 2024?
I was not as keyed in this year to things. I suppose back to a wall- my favorite movie would be Deadpool & Wolverine and my favorite Series would be… What We Do In The Shadows?

What was your favorite book?
I didn’t read enough FOR FUN this year, which tracks as my FOR FUN reading is almost always ON VACATION. One of the many things Hermia didn’t understand when she gave me 10 books for my birthday and was then upset all year that I hadn’t read them. When would I have had time? Honestly, when?

How old did you turn, and what did you do for your birthday?
I turned 40 and honestly did have a wonderful birthday because of Hermia. The idea to take a trip to Chicago and do Drunk Shakespeare was epic. Though, even in that, it highlighted a certain loneliness. I didn’t celebrate my birthday with my friends. I didn’t celebrate my birthday with my family. It was… just me and her. And that push, I think, speaks directly to some of the issues in our world. It was a lovely birthday experience. Just… not one that was shared with many people.

What one thing made your year more satisfying?
Honestly, getting the yard to where it is. Not having a rotting deck over dust and dirt.... but a nice deck with actual grass.

Who is your best friend? Did anything memorable happen between you?
Tragically, this is one year where MBFITWW and I spent less time together. I really do wish I knew what was going on. We live closer than ever (since Law School) and we see so little of each other.

What lessons have you learned about relationships?
- If you fight about the same thing multiple times, take that as an admission that the problem isn’t going away nor will it.
- If someone views your good news as a reason to be upset with you, investigate why but don’t accept “understanding” to excuse foul behavior
- Having a spine and reinforcing boundaries may appear selfish and mean; but it is necessary for healthy relationships
- Consider STRONGLY if the relationship is one-sided and find ways to address that. If, once addressed, your partner doesn’t work with you to solve it- walk away

Who provided the strongest support?
Prosebox. Sadly, every year it seems like this space is more where my friends are than anywhere else

How would you rate your mental health at the moment?
Poor but steady. I wish I were around friends, I wish my job didn’t suck the life out of me, I wish I had a decent prospect in the dating world, and I wish it didn’t now seem impossible that I would ever have a child. But… that stuff rather remains from day to day, so a certain stability to it.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept this year?
Dealing with the dwindling number of intact suits I still retain

What kept you sane?
Prosebox, Nala, Playstation, Streaming Services

Are you happy with what you’ve achieved professionally?
Not really, no. I was making more money and managing less cases before. Granted, that was Special Victims so the stress level was still super bloody high but.... it just feels like my role here is to keep the ship from entirely sinking. But I’m bailing water as fast as I can and the water keeps rising.

Where did most of your money go?
In order: The House Projects, Trips and Other Expenses regarding The Relationship, Mortgage

What was your best financial decision?
Frankly… it might be ending things with Hermia. Either that or the decision to undertake nothing more after getting the yard “done”

What was your worst financial decision?
Considering that Hermia and Brad’s schedules were more important than me eating a healthy or frugal meal

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nobody close to me.

Did anyone close to you die?
Not terribly close to me but my father’s best friend died and that was a rather large death. In fact, both of my brother’s Godparents died this year.

How did you spend New Year 2024?
Honestly can’t remember everything. I remember a party at Hermia’s friends’ place that we left early. That’s… about it.

How would you sum up your 2024 in a few sentences.
Thus ends another chapter in a simple, complicated, struggle of a life.

What advice would you give Yourself from last year?
I know how hard you want to work to make things work. You don’t have to. Listen to your gut, protect yourself, turn to your friends.

What are your resolutions for 2025?
Now that is an excellent and important question… and the kind of thing that should START a new book. Not end an old one!