Looking ahead to better days

Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book, write a good one

Brad Paisley

At our Smutlancer video call last weekend Molly said something really important – that you don’t have to start everything on 1st Jan. In fact there is merit in starting a new project at any time. 365 days of a year don’t need to end on 31st Dec.

But there is definitely something about a new year that gets me motivated. In a way that May, June and September don’t. Anyway it’s January right now so this is what you are getting. I guess this post is a kind of continuation of my last post about my 2021 goals. But looking ahead in a more focused and personal way.

Lockdown blues

It’s happened again. We are in a strict lockdown (whatever that means). I was a bit fed when the announcement came and so had an extra glass of wine or two. Just when I was stopping that kind of thing on weeknights. But actually you’d have to be stupid not to see benefits in staying home this time (if able to do so). The covid numbers look to be peaking around 29th Dec (unless serious new year party stupidity throws something else up). With children staying off school now and vaccinations beginning in earnest progress can be made. So if I was a betting person I’d put money on significant improvements by Easter. Meanwhile I’ll do my bit. I’m most miffed by the stupidity of those in charge who keep chopping and changing by the day. A little leadership wouldn’t go amiss in these dark days.

Lighter days

It’s early days yet of course, but daylight will stretch out now. So that means an afternoon walk doesn’t have to be done by 4 to get home in daylight. The worst thing is not being able to see other people indoors. The weather isn’t always conducive to meeting outdoors and being unable to share food and drink isn’t the way us social animals like to live. I’ve discovered a brisk walk can do me the world of good. The difficulty seems to be getting as far as the front door, but once I’m out, it’s all good. I’ll be walking a bit more soon as I’ll be commuting.

Work

It’s ironic that I am about to start to go to work in person to a hospital just as we get locked down again. It remains to be seen how much they will allow me to do from home. But when I go in at least the roads and public transport should be quiet. Actually though I’m quite excited for a new project. Something to see me through the next few months to spring. Plus, as I said in my last post. There will be money that I can spend when the world is a more normal place.

I’ll be sticking with test and trace, but just a few hours a week. I’ve met an amazing group of people doing this job and we all believe we can make a difference. When I say met – it is of course virtual for now. But we have great plans for when we can get together. It will be some party.

Dealing with negativity

Last year I felt restricted creatively by the negativity that surrounded me. I worried (as I often do) about what other people think of me. That I can’t keep everyone happy. Absenting myself from the blog and from social media for a while has helped. I can see that keeping negativity around me like a heavy weight around my neck just makes me sad and wears me out. Time to move on. To engage with my people about the things that matter to me. Out with the gloom and into the light (as it were). That doesn’t mean being unrealistic but it does mean putting myself and those I love and am friends with first.

As to the others, well that’s their loss!

Writing

I’m loving that as well as the existing memes like Quote Quest, No True Way, Kink of the Week and Erotic Journal Challenge there are some new ones on the block. Love Yourself is the brainchild of Nikki from Love is a fetish. This is my first post and there will definitely be more. Lustitude is starting on 15th Jan and will be run by E.L Byrne. I’m looking forward to that. Plus Boobday is back and will now be run and hosted by Violet Fawkes. I’ll definitely be looking out some images to share there. Plus no doubt there will be new ones. There seems to be no end to her energy and talents too, given she is also running LIFE and January Jumpstart.

Finally a plug for my own meme, over on my Food, Fitness and Health site – the January prompt is up and can be found here.

These projects should give ample opportunity to write some new content this year. I felt that I ran out of ideas in the second half of last year. So this many memes can only be a help!

Reading

I’ve recently rediscovered my love of reading and have been somewhat immersing myself in books. This was a great antidote to having nothing to write about (or not feeling like doing it). So over the coming months I’ll be looking to balancing the two. Recently I’ve enjoyed two of Graham Norton’s books as well as the best seller by Richard Osman. A group of us have formed a book club, which has led to me reading a whole bunch of books I wouldn’t normally. I ought to write more about books, perhaps on my other site, since they tend not to be kink related.

As you can see, on the whole I’m trying to be as positive as I can about this new year. Things aren’t as we want them, but we have to make the best of a bad job and keep looking ahead. That’s what I am going to try to do!