Did you make any resolutions for this year ?

 

I've only recently learned how fast time flies for middle-aged folks. The science behind this is that our brain neurons fire much slower, so everything seems to move faster. I've started the habit of stopping myself from reading "useful" books every birthday month to at least catch up with fantasy writing and gaming trends, but this year, I could not read very much. 

For Japanese Literature, I read What You Are Looking For in the Library by Michiko Aoyama. It is a lovely, soothing book that discusses why people should read and how books can turn your life around. It should be given more attention in Singapore because adults read much less. The other book is Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi, which is not my style but forces us to ask questions about what day we would like to relive after we pass away.

This is the furthest I can go with serious literature. 

For fantasy literature, I finally started with the first book, Xenos of Eisenhorn Trilogy, by Dan Abnett, which is a page-turner and a great introduction to the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Then, I could cover 40% of the fourth book of Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archives, which feels more superhero than fantasy. Still, it's become compulsory reading for me lately as it spawned the most successful RPG kickstarted. 

Finally, I could complete just one large volume with games: Monster, Aliens and Holes of the Ground by Stu Horvath, which runs down different RPGs from the 1970s to 2010s. This is one crazy project that took a few weeks to complete.

That sums up my December, I could not binge-watch, and I now look forward to reading the more "useful" books again starting tomorrow. 

I was once again with a friend at his usual Japanese lounge and bar, and I was stunned when the hosts asked me what my resolutions were for 2025. I was so focused on processing what happened in 2024 that I forgot what I wanted in 2025. 

Last year, I did not dare to make any resolutions, but I hinted that I might start writing a new book or starting a content channel. Still, I did not do all that as my law lecturing workload increased by 300%, so I could be more over-employed as I juggled two freelance roles. The good thing coming out from all this was that 2023 bottomed out, and a quiet benefactor appeared in 2024 to make sure that, in the aggregate, I earned more than 2023 and may start paying taxes again in 2025 after a 4-year hiatus. The market performance, while muted, was still positive, but we will leave it to a Dr Wealth article I will have to start writing tomorrow. 

Overall, I ended 2024 in a slightly better state than 2023 - actually, 2024 was fun with class reunions and hanging out more with my secondary school and JC friends. Socially, my engagements have become more positive. Health-wise, there are no new health scares, and I've gotten used to my prism lenses. Juggling freelance work will never be as stable as regular employment or receiving dividends, so my only resolve is to manage these priorities well and not drop the ball in 2025.

I'm obviously looking at new collaborations. I'm also looking carefully at the kinds of professional conversion plans launched in 2025 and will not hesitate to pick up a considerable, solid skill like AI software development or even quantum computing. But these are iffy and random options, much like my failed attempt to become a professional GM. 

However, a post-financial independent life needs to have a string of beautiful failures and audacious moves because the consequences of failures are so small. Still, the impact on the ego continues to keep one humble.