Doctor T Designs

As I’ve traditionally done, I want to take the next few days to look back at the year and really create a reference point for myself and how things have been. While the remainder of my posts will be sewing-related, I usually try to include one post that is more personal and looks at the other aspects of my life. This year, I’ve done precious little sewing, but there have been a lot of other exciting things, and, despite the issues that are happening in the world around us, I’ve personally had quite an exciting and progressive year.

When I look back at my non-sewing wrap up of 2018, it was essentially a laundry list of goals for 2019, and, I’m really happy to say, I’ve made them all happen! I passed my judging exam in January, which has opened so many doors and given me so many opportunities in the world of roller skating. I am so grateful to be able to continue to participate in my new capacity, and will always cherish the new experiences and friends I have made this year on this crazy journey. Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m done; I still have a lot of learning and growing to do, but 2019 showed me that it could be done, and I hope to carry that attitude forward into 2020.

I also got a new job! It’s not a terribly high level job, but it certainly feels like a “start of a career path proper adulting” sort of job, rather than a “I’m doing a job just because I need money because I never figured out how to exist outside of school” sort of a job, which is cool. Also, health insurance and retirement benefits are nice, so, there’s that. And it’s sort of nice to have time set aside for work and time set aside for “not work.” Though I’m still kind of doing a lot of work in my “not work” time right now. Eventually I’m hoping to shift that more back to hobbies and “me time” (aka selfish sewing time) but right now it’s a sort of this long, drawn-out transitional phase of me still doing some of my self-employed work on my free time and my work work during work time.

I’m still strapping on skates occasionally, and fighting with glowing sticks, but my new job is a desk job, so I’m sitting a lot. Definitely think a good goal for 2020 will be to find more time to exercise because I’m not doing so great with such a sedentary lifestyle. I also feel like I need to rein in my dietary choices a bit; the shift to the new work schedule changed my eating patterns quite a bit, and that is something I need to re-configure in the next year.

As far as reading goes, I’ve almost reached my reading goal for the year; I should make it if I can finish a few of the books I’m currently reading in the next few days. I’ve been pretty happy with the amount I’ve been reading, but I do wish I had more time for it.

And that’s pretty much been the year! It’s been one of great change and transition, but aside from a few small tweaks, I’m so happy with where things are for me right now. Heading into the new year, I want to continue the things I’ve started, but with the goals of (1) finding more time to sew, (2) keep working on my skating commissions and skills as a judge and technical specialist, (3) eat better and exercise more, (4) learn new skills for my job, and (5) clean/organize/declutter my life. I know 2019 was supposed to be the year we all watched the Marie Kondo Netflix series and cut out the crap from our lives, but it’s taken me a while to get around to it. It feels like 2019 was really a new start for me in a lot of ways, and I think it’s finally time for me to remove the burdens of the past in a massive declutter. Of course, I will have a lot of sewing specific goals, but I’ll get around to looking at those as we get closer to the new year!