Ah, New Year’s. That magical time when everything changes. Twelve sucky months behind us, twelve fresh, untouched months of opportunities and new beginnings ahead. One click of the minute hand past midnight and we’re primed and ready to become thinner, richer, happier, healthier, more successful and less constipated (for us older resolution-makers). Most of the resolutions won’t last beyond a week or so, but at least we’ll still have around fifty weeks of possibilities ahead.
I hope so, because I’m one of those unfortunate folks who got the sucky 2023.
If you recall, I was going to write a book a month this year. That didn’t happen for various reasons, chiefly depression and my video game addiction. One tends to lead to the other, I’m never quite sure what triggers which. All I know is that both together gave me a crippling writer’s block. Recently, though, I got a handle on both and have started writing again. January 1 sounds like the perfect day to reclaim the mantel of writer.
Indeed, I pretty much have to, due to the other reason 2023 sucked so badly for me.
The year started out fine, with me feeling upbeat and ambitious and truly stoked over challenging myself to write a book a month for an entire year. (Keep in mind we’re talking romance e-books here, where anything over 25-30K words can count as a “book.” Even if you only write a thousand words a day, you’ll have a draft by the end of the month. I didn’t say it had to be a completed, polished, ready-for-subbing book. But a draft is far better than nothing.) Financially I was in a good spot. The paid assignments had fallen off, but I could still meet my monthly expenses. I had savings in the bank and Social Security every month. But having a little extra income never hurts, which is why I turned to the writing. I asked myself, “What can I do to bring in some extra cash?” and since I’d always wanted to be a writer and now had plenty of time, having aged out of the job market and all, I decided to give it a go.
Then, beginning in March, everything went to shit.
First it was the unexpectedly high ($700) tax bill. Then my one tooth got infected and needed a root canal. Then I started bleeding from my lady parts, almost twenty years after Aunt Flo ceased her monthly visits. Trust me, ladies and gents (especially ladies), that’s never a good thing. Something went wrong with my right eye, causing mild double vision which made driving an adventure. And let’s not forget the $200 to have a guy come out and trap the groundhog that moved in under my mobile home. Skunks are fine, but groundhogs burrow. They also chew through wires, putting my electricity, plumbing and especially my gas heating system at risk. Yeah, Chucky had to go.
So went 2023: one expense after another, with no warning and no letup. I dealt with the tooth, then learned I needed surgery to stop the vajayjay bleeding, which had tested positive for cancer. (I’m fine now, by the way.) Then I had the car in the shop twice, once for a new timer (that one needed the tow truck), then to fix a loose connection that was draining my battery. I discovered that one when I got in to drive to the eye doctor and the car wouldn’t start. I had to reschedule; when I did get in, over a week later, I learned part of the gelatinous mass in my eye had detached, causing the double vision. An expensive operation would fix it, but there’s no guarantee it wouldn’t recur. It’s got a slowly-growing cataract anyway. I can live with it, but I’ll need new glasses. I put that off until next spring. I also canceled a dental checkup to save money (they want to do expensive x-rays Medicare won’t cover). So it’s eyes and teeth again next April. I haven’t even started getting the hospital’s charges for the operation yet.
Meanwhile, the number of paid assignments keeps dwindling, while my basic expenses keep rising. If you were wondering why I got depressed and turned to video games and stopped writing for several months, wonder no further.
But all is not lost. The hysterectomy may have finally shaken me out of my complacency. I went cold turkey on the games and started moving around more (doctor’s orders in that case) and eating better (lack of money there; I only have so much to spend, so junk food had to go). My bank was stupid enough to send me an offer for a Visa card, with no interest charged for eighteen months. Even more foolishly, they approved my application. Now I can splurge on stuff like lot rent and utilities and groceries while waiting for the big bills to come in.
I have a reprieve, for the moment. There are still expenses a’comin’, but I can plan ahead. And now that I’m writing again, I can pick up where I left off last year, and write a book a month. This time I intend to go through with it because I’m running low on options. I have to be careful taking outside jobs because I’m only allowed to earn so much before Social Security starts penalizing me. Luckily writing’s an iffy profession, with payments spaced out over months or even years sometimes. If I get even a trickle of extra income, great; every little bit helps. If I hit it big, Social Security isn’t going to matter. I have other stuff I can do, like clean out the Book Room and sell the comic collection. If I can get cash, I don’t have to declare it on my taxes. With the Visa card to tide me over, I might just pull this off.
So here we go again, folks. I’m going to write and sub books. This time I really mean it. It’s a matter of life or financial ruin. And anyway, an article on Yahoo said 2024 will be a lucky year for Capricorns because gloomy proto-planet Pluto is finally moving out of our sign. Normally I don’t put much stock in astrology, except when I want to believe in it. After this shitpile of a year, I need a break, so I say Yahoo and the stars aren’t lying and it’s all turning around. Starting right at midnight tonight, there’s nowhere to go but up.
Although the fridge has been making weird noises…and so has the furnace…and Marvel Comics killed off my favorite character and is showing no signs of bringing him back. But I’ve got ideas and I’m definitely motivated. You’ll be seeing me here on a weekly basis as I chronicle my journey back to financial solvency. Unless, of course, the laptop crashes. Yeesh. Is it midnight yet? Happy New Year, everybody!
