2015 in review

This is my last regular post of 2015.

(There is a band review tomorrow, and you will never guess whom. Well, maybe if you check my Spotify.)

There are a lot of series of posts that I could start, but this feels like a time for endings and looking back. Plus, I have a lot of things I need to do today, so this is just a recap of some of the things that happened this year.

I wrote and published three books. They join the other two from the year before.

http://www.amazon.com/Gina-Harris/e/B00OC0N218/

They're not big sellers, but they are good. They have sold well enough that I should get a form 1099 this year, which is a step up from last year.

I went to Pennsylvania and Minnesota, and saw stuff. I was grateful for that. Even with the travel, I kept up my daily blogging. My camera also died on the trip, which is sad, but I am hoping to get one for my birthday.

I submitted more scripts to Amazon Studios. They were all rejected, but they are letting me know instead of letting the submission periods expire. I think that's progress. They could just be getting more organized. You know how I had that month of writing daily 6-page screenplays, and that month of reading a screenplay daily? The next month will be about reading through a project on Studios daily. I feel like my weakest skill is marketing myself, so I am going to spend some time observing how other people do it.

I didn't do as much reading, because the writing left less time, and because the emotional exhaustion has been pretty draining. Still, some of the books I did read have been really good, and there was recently a breakthrough with some of the family conflict that I think has improved things.

I am still poor. I think that will be the case until February. Honestly, if it doesn't go past February that will be pretty good.

I am getting more flack for having an opinion on the internet. It's still not a lot, but I've noticed. The primary lesson from this is learning when to let go. I guess it goes with setting boundaries. I will engage with you to this point, and then I will stop because my time is limited and I have to make good choices with it. This is important, because I am going to be sending out some strong opinions in 2016.

I can't swear that I've learned to value myself right yet, but I got a devastating glimpse of what not valuing myself does, and I am building up from that.

We picked up an additional cat when she showed up in our back yard, starving and scared. This  brings the total to three cats and one dog. It's not that long ago that it was the opposite, but we do still get both kinds of love.

I feel like curating the songs of the day has been more meaningful this year, and that my music knowledge is growing. I think playing the bass is going to become something really important to me.

Looking at the new year, I don't know what will happen. I can tell you that short term goals include writing and submitting two more screenplays. The next one will be a comedy, and I am excited about it. I have been wanting to pitch the Emo comic somewhere, and I am going to try Dark Horse because the have the easiest process for a writer without an artist. I don't think they will want this specific property, but I believe going through the process will still be good.

There should be two more books in the singles wards series (that needs a name), probably both out in 2016. There will be at least three more books in the Family Blood series, and I am not sure about the timeline. I had really meant to wait an entire year between completing Family Reunion and starting the next one, but I don't know if I will be able to stay away that long. I guess it depends on how busy the other projects keep me.

I will totally watch more movies from my Halloween list in October. At least one.

I hope to spend more time with friends. That's been the part that gets neglected the most, because I am trying to do so many other things that feel important, but spending time with your people is important.

My overall trajectory is trying to know myself better, trying to understand the world around me better, and trying to do good with that. That will not end.

And remember, once I get the new camera that will include daily selfies.