End of the Year Thoughts

It’s almost 2018. I’ve been unemployed since May, so I’m hoping that changes soon. I’ve been sending out a lot of resumes and applications. I’m overqualified for most things, though. That tends to frighten off employers. All I know for certain anymore is that I don’t want to have to stand at a counter all day, and I don’t want to make anyone food.

I hope things get better in the new year.

Last year, I cobbled together a few end-of-the-year favorites to commemorate the shift of years. So, let’s do that again this year:

BOOKS first: My favorite books of this year were TYRANT’S THRONE by Sebastien de Castell and KINGS OF THE WYLD by Nicholas Eames. I highly recommend both.

MOVIES: THE BIG SICK. Kumail Nanjiani has been a favorite comedian for a long time, and this movie had heart and soul–something so frequently missing from Hollywood blockbusters. My biggest disappointment was either THE LAST JEDI or THE DARK TOWER. Probably TDT. I left that theater angry that I’d bought a ticket.

NEW TV: I was really impressed by THE ORVILLE. It was easily my favorite new show. It was everything I missed about Star Trek: The Next Generation. I also really liked BROCKMIRE–Hank Azaria is one of the most underrated actors out there. I also really liked THE PUNISHER on Netflix. Jon Bernthal needs an Emmy for his portrayal of Frank Castle.

MUSIC: I haven’t listened to a lot of new music this year, sadly. None of the bands I really like put out new music. I listened to a lot of Frightened Rabbit’s “Painting of a Panic Attack” (which came out in 2016), Ghost’s “Melioria” (also, 2016), and Marillion’s FEAR (2016 again). Those three records got the most rotation in my CD player this year. I also liked the new Foo Fighter’s record, but I haven’t listened to it a lot.

COMEDY: As far as comedy goes, I really enjoyed both Russell Howard’s and Judd Apatow’s new stand-up specials, which both came out in the last three weeks. The best stand-up specials of the year go to Maria Bamford’s “Old Baby” and Neal Brennan’s “3 Mics.” Both of those specials went to a level where you realize you’re watching something beyond stand-up. Bammer, especially, really did something unique. Honorable mention for Patton Oswalt dealing with his wife’s passing in “Annihilation.”

PERSONAL EVENTS: Made it out to New Jersey for a family reunion for my dad’s side of the family–really, my paternal grandmother’s side. Didn’t tell my parents I was attending, so it was nice to haul the kid out there and surprise them. My Aunt Cynthia was murdered in early May, only about three weeks after I saw her at the reunion. It made me very glad I went to the reunion.

I lost 108 pounds since last November thanks primarily to a Ketogenic diet. It wasn’t easy, but it worked. While I’m still a fat guy, it’s nice to step on a scale and see a “2” where there used to be a “3.”

My daughter is now a teenager. Only three more years until the potential for her to be licensed driver. Please help me.

I released LORD BOBBINS AND THE ROMANIAN RUCKUS. While the sales for that book have been poor, it was still a fun book to write.

FOR THE COMING YEAR: I will be releasing LONG EMPTY ROADS, the long-awaited sequel to AFTER EVERYONE DIED, and hopefully a second book in the Lord Bobbins series, LORD BOBBINS AND THE DOME OF LIGHT. I think Paige Krogwold might even have the cover for LER done soon.

I hope to lose more weight. Ideally, another 100 lbs. After that, we’ll see.

I hope to find a job. Any job will do at this point (provided it’s not food service or selling paint). I have a couple resumes out there right now for jobs I’d really enjoy, but I haven’t heard from yet. Given the time of year, I haven’t expected to hear from them. At some point after the New Year, I imagine everything will go back to the regular grind.

I’m looking forward to reading the new Maddy Hunter book, SAY NO MOOR, and the new Tufa novel THE FAIRIES OF SADIEVILLE by Alex Bledsoe. I also believe there will be a new Mark Lawrence book out, as well as a new Lincoln and Child book. Craig Johnson will kick out a new Longmire book at some point this year, as well. I’ll get around to all of them, I’m sure. Raymond E. Feist has a new series starting this year, too.

Also, if Patrick Rothfuss and GRRM ever finish their next books, I’m sure I’ll be reading them as well.

In the meantime, I’ll keep writing my own stuff, and we’ll see what happens along the way.

Stay tuned.

Happy New Year, friends.

–Sean