Goodbye, 2025!

2025 was a lot. I told 2025 (or asked...let's go with asked) to be kind. But it...was a lot. 2025 had more changes that I wasn't prepared for. Though, this year wasn't as harsh or as dramatic or as unkind to me. It was busy as hell, and there were a lot of 'fun' turns (unexpected, unexpected turns--some were actually fun and some where stressful). 

Positives: Visited my sister and brother-in-law and dog-in-law three times; once in January and once in December with the whole family, and once in October for the Jonas Brothers concert. Saw the Jonas Brothers twice, once with my sister in Tampa and once by myself in Pittsburgh. Cleaned my Bubba's a lot. Babysat a few times. One of my best friends had the cutest, naughtiest little nugget of a baby boy. Got promoted to Children's Programing Coordinated in January; got promoted to Assistant Children's Manager in August; got promoted to Book Fair Manager in October. Several raises, which also meant/means rebuilding up my savings account. My cousin got married. My best friend turned 30. Lots of dinners and hang out with both of my best friends throughout the year. Saw Peter Pan the musical. Saw Wicked: For Good. My sister was in town this summer. Lots of day naps, lots of hot cocoa, looots of books. 

Negatives: My favorite coworker slash mentor retired, very very last minute. Work got really, really stressful for a while. Got a new manager/mentor, and she quit a few weeks later, making work even more stressful. Got promoted again (yay), but there wasn't a ton of transparency through the whole process of losing managers and becoming one myself. Tons of don't-want-to-leave-the-house days. Nothing in terms of eating better or working out. Quite a lot of overstimulation and anxiety. Did I mention the stress? The summer was ungodly hot. The winter is already proving to be ungodly cold. Seriously fucked up sleep-schedules. 

2025 Resolutions:
     (1) Don't stop reading
            (b) Complete Monthly Reading Challenge(s)
     (2) Make memories
     (3) Share love of books/reading
     (4) Be kinder to myself

(1) Book's Read This Year: 560 (might get one more in there before midnight though).

    (b) Monthly Reading Challenge(s). A-Z Challenges. ARCs. Beat The Backlog.

(2) 2025 Memories: See above Positive/Negatives as well as below. Though there felt like there was more positives than negatives this year. 

(3) Posts this year (including this one & the next): 437.

(4) I said this year might be the year of physical health...that didn't happen. Though my mental health was steady. Of course there were bad moments, bad days, bad weeks. But these were significantly shorter and lighter than last year. I still had moments of imposter syndrome and feelings of staleness and tiny bits of mental breakdown overall depression/anxiety 'fun' times. I'd like to say this year was a lot brighter and sunshiny-er. Continuing to heal and be kind to myself, even if that last part continues to be a work in progress, a constant work in progress. I'm not perfect and outside stressors aren't helpful, but I'm working on it, on myself. I'm strong, and I'm a badass. Even when it feels like I'm a hot mess. 

Anyone still holding onto their resolutions from last year?
What are your resolutions for this year?

Any existing 2026 reads?
Anything I should check out?

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