2023 In Review

🤔 Thought of the Week:

The end of the year is always a time of reflection and goal-setting. It is a time to hope for the future while critically looking to the past. 2023 has been an interesting year for me. It has been a year of wins and a year of stagnation. It has been a mixed bag, but what came out of 2023 is more understanding of my wants, needs, and desires. 

2023 Reflection:

As I did with 2022, I will break my reflection into three sections: wins, results, and alignment. I used Matt Ragland's Annual Review as a template, which you can find here.

(Not all of my) Wins:

• Read over 50 books
• Moved back to Georgia for a contract-focused job 
• Paid my portion for the 2024 family vacation 
• Saved over $15k and then paid for the move from ND without taking on debt
• Built savings after the move
• Went to see Seattle v. Lynx and saw Sue Bird and Sylvia Fowles play in their last season
• Strengthen relationships 
• Became Auntie Keira for the 2nd time after best friend gave birth to baby girl AJ

Results

• Faith: My faith was supposed to be my top priority in 2023; however, it wasn't in the way I anticipated. I did do a lot of thinking and talking about my faith. I have been examining what I believe and why I believe it. I want to know what beliefs may be guided by tradition, not the Bible. I want to understand the context better. World events since 2016 have prompted me to ask, "How do my beliefs inform how I think about the world?" 
• Health: I have not consistently worked out this year. I have had some health issues this year, but they are being addressed. Like other areas in my life, discipline will be key moving forward. 
• Finances: I don't feel like I'm living paycheck to paycheck. I feel comfortable with my finances. I worry about how student loan repayment will affect my financial health, but I have prepared the best I can. I will need to be more disciplined in 2024. 
• People: I think I've done a good job cultivating the relationships I have. I was able to spend the holidays with my family this year and was able to get to North Carolina a few times this year. 
• Mindset: I met my reading goal but did not read as much nonfiction as I wanted. I did read a couple of books outside of my usual genres. I did do some drawings on my iPad, but I want to continue doing creative activities. 

Alignment

In 2023, my actions and habits have somewhat aligned with the person I want to be. 2023 was about progress and not perfection. This year had a lot of ups and downs. I have learned a lot about myself. The main thing I learned is what my priorities are. I still need to be consistent and disciplined in certain areas of my life. 

💡 2024 Goals:

My focus in 2024 is to be disciplined and consistent. I will continue to have five categories with goals under each category. As usual, I will keep them broad unless they need to be specific. My theme for 2024 is to be a thinker and a writer. As a reminder, the five categories are God, health, finances, people, and mindset. While I won't get into all of the overall goals that I have, I will share my goals for January: 

• Read 1 nonfiction book
• Read 4 fiction books
• Stick to the budget
• Put out KWICK 6 weekly
• Complete a digital drawing 
• Recover

📚 2023 Favorites:

Books

• A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark
  • This story and its prequel short stories are set in an alternate version of Cairo where magical beings coexist with humans. The story follows Fatma el-Sha'arawi, a member of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. She is an eccentric woman who moves to her own beat. She investigates a series of murders linked to a mysterious artifact and discovers a conspiracy threatening to destabilize the magical order. The book explores themes of colonialism, identity, and power dynamics. I truly enjoyed this book. Not only was it fast-paced, it was intriguing. I would definitely reread this book and get lost in the world again. 
• The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by SA Chakraborty
  • This was my first book by this author, even though I own other books. This book intrigued me, so I decided to jump into it as soon as possible. The story follows Amina, who is narrating the story to a 3rd party. A rich mother comes and seeks Amina out to find her kidnapped granddaughter. Her son was a member of Amina's crew, and Amina seems to have some regrets about his death. I recommend listening to the audiobook (I listened and read simultaneously) because there are interruptions and mini-chapters that the audiobook makes more fun and easier to follow. This is a get the gang back together for a quest story. I laughed and enjoyed the twists. I am super excited to reread this book and continue the series. 
• Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka
  • This is an action, mystery thriller book that follows different perspectives. The characters are in a closed setting throughout the majority of the story. All the characters are distinct, and I got invested. Netflix adapted the book during the summer, and while the book and movie are quirky and action-packed, the book does a much better job of delving into the characters, their interactions, and their motivations. This was my first experience with translated work, so I was interested in the differences in storytelling. I thought the philosophical points were timely and relevant to the storyline. Be on the lookout for a more in-depth review in the future. 
• Sinful Vow by Asia Monique
  • This year, I read a lot of books using my Kindle Unlimited, and this was one of the books I read. This story focuses on an arranged marriage between two powerful mafia families and their growing romance. It has some funny parts. The lead female character is strong and sure of herself. It does have violence. This is a good weekend read. I also recommend book two as well. 
• Love in Color by Bolu Babalola
  • This book is a collection of myths reimagined from around the world. It is a very diverse collection in both inspiration and the type of love presented. I really enjoyed this collection and the themes woven through it. My favorites were Schcheranade and Naleli. All the stories didn't end with a happily ever after. I laughed, and I paused with sadness. But this story showed different variations of love. My only complaint, and the reason it is not at the top of the list, is that with many short story collections, some of the stories felt unfinished. This could be because I read a lot of series, but that is usually my experience with short story collections. 
• Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
  • This is my 3rd book from this author, and I want to dig further into his books. This quest-type story follows Tress as she tries to find her love, Charlie. This book very much has a Princess Bride vibe with lyrical and whimsical storytelling. The book is a part of the Cosmere, and I am sure I missed a lot of the references, but the story is strong enough to stand on its own without understanding the larger world. I will say that the type of humor in the book is not my cup of tea, but it did not take away from the story for me. There are places where the book dragged, and the "life lessons" weren't universal. But overall, I had a good time getting lost in the story. 
• The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon
  • When I read from this author, I usually enjoy her work, and this did not disappoint. This is the third book in The Boyfriend Project series, but they don't necessarily need to be read to enjoy it. I still have not read the first book in the series. The story follows London and Drew, who were high school rivals and reconnected at their high school reunion. I enjoyed both characters and thought the author did a good job developing their love while letting them develop individually. While this isn't a mind-blowing romance, it was enjoyable and lighthearted enough to finish on a weekend.
• Brown's Sugar by Marlee Rae
  • This was another Kindle Unlimited read for this year. This story follows Tonya and her high school crush Dre. Dre is a bachelor with no thoughts of settling down until he runs into Tonya. This is a love story between two grown people who know what they need and want. I enjoyed following the couple as they built a friendship and a relationship. The drama wasn't drawn out. 
• Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor
  • I have had this author on my to-be-read list for a while, and with the beautiful reprinting of this story and the new book coming out, I decided to give it a try. This story follows Ejii and is set on Earth following a nuclear war and a peace bomb that changes some humans and opens a rift to different worlds. This is a quest story and explores war versus peace. One complaint I have is it felt like the story just ended. It hinted at some turmoil in Ejii's village but was not resolved. Also, I did not understand the different powers or even how Ejii's shadow speaker powers worked. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will read the next one. 
• Reel by Kennedy Ryan
  • Lastly, Kindle Unlimited came through again for this romance novel. It is my first from this hyped author. This story follows the complicated relationship of Neevah, an actress, and Canon, a director, as they work together on a film project. The novel explores themes of love, fame, and the sacrifices required to achieve success in the entertainment industry. It also explores history and how that history can impact the lives in the present. 
• Octavia E. Butler: The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Melville House
  • This book is a collection of interviews in Butler's career at different intervals. Since this is a collection of interviews, the stories and insights became repetitive as I read. This collection highlighted her consistency in her beliefs, growth, and character. This book demonstrated Butler's understanding of human nature and how that is woven into her stories. I would recommend it to readers who are fans of Butler or are interested in her work. It is a great introduction to her themes and how they overlap in various stories. 
• Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
  • The author presents the history of the Christian right. She makes the argument that how white America viewed John Wayne as a strong, white man who got women and fought "the other" was what real manhood was. This "shift" eventually changed the view of Jesus as a warrior figure and America as a Christian country with God-given rights. Honestly, I think her history starts late. White American Christians have used religion to oppress and gather power since colonizers first stepped on this land; it didn't start in the 1900s. The focus just shifted to a more general protection of the status quo. Even with that criticism, I thought the book was done well and worth reading. 
• Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner's Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause by Ty Seidule
  • This is a memoir by a retired brigadier general in the United States Army and former head of the history department at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The book recounts Seidule's journey to understand and confront his personal and professional relationship with the legacy of Robert E. Lee. He weaved his story with the history he presented well. It made me look at places and systems around me more closely. The only thing that irritates me about the book is the repetitive nature of some things, but I understand why he did so. It highlights how Lee informed each formative step of his life and how it informed his reflection and change. 
• Allow Me to Retort by Elle Wright
  • This book takes a reader through the Constitution, its history, what people get wrong about it, and improvements that could be made. The author states that white enslavers are the authors of the Constitution; why, then, do we value everything they said as if they had everyone's interest in mind? The Constitution has been changed at various points in history; however, there is a strong shift in looking at the original meaning and preserving that. This book delves into why he disagrees with the interpretation of the Constitution. 

Podcast

• What a Day 
• If Books Could Kill 
• Strict Scrutiny

Instagram Pages I Actively Seek Out

• @donnellwrites
  • I have been following Donnell McLachlan's account for a few months. He has a M.A. in religious studies and is a writer, teacher, theologian, and a fantastic storyteller. He talks a lot about decolonizing your faith. Although, he is an academic, he presents information in a way that is understandable but also encouraging. He gives room for my own thoughts. 
• @maklelan
  • Dan McClellan has a Phd in theology and religion. He states he is online to help stop the spread of disinformation about the Bible. His approach is more academic and professor in tone. While some of it is hard to understand, I think he does a good job of finding relevant videos and breaking them down point by point. 

Conclusion 

2023 was an exciting year. It taught me a lot about myself and how I want my life to progress. I read great books, played great games, and enjoyed what I consumed. I hope 2024 will be better than 2023, and I look forward to the adventure. I hope you stick with me throughout the year and that I am a valuable resource to you. 

If you need some recommendations, check out my Goodreads or StoryGraph. Then, follow me on Instagram and Twitter. One of my favorite newsletters to read for current events is Morning Brew. Check it out.