The End of 2017

Time travel is confusing, even at the normal rate of sixty seconds per minute.

Think about it: in no less than one hour, it will be 2018. How did time go so fast? In a year, we'll still be thinking the same thing, because time will still be moving, and that's always confusing. So, before this year ends and a new one begins, I will post this little review of the past year. Not review as in a movie review, of course. Just looking back on a lot of things.

Firstly, Donald Trump became President of the United States of America. I know there are some people reading this blog not from America, so this may not be as big a deal to some of those people. But it has been a big win for us. The Wall isn't up yet, but a lot of other great things have been done. Just go on scifiwright.com and click the Not Tired Of Winning link on the side for a list.

(That's just a funny parody that the kids love listening to every night. Gives you an idea of things, for those who don't like clicking links.)

Now, on to personal matters. I started this blog! This is the 35th post I've done since June 30, which was when I started. (Also, let me apologize for not putting up a Mid-Week Music this past week. I mistook Wednesday for Tuesday, and we were all still sort of busy.) I have had so much fun writing these posts, and I am definitely looking forward to writing more in the coming year.

Things have also been happening in Newsom Hall. For example, I have a new baby brother named Ransom! He's the sweetest thing, and he loves the Christmas lights. (Yes, we've still got the Christmas Tree up, and there it'll stay until after Twelfth Night.) I get to hold him a lot now, even though I've still not gotten to see him smile as much as I'd like. But hey, I have a baby brother!

A lot of things happened this year. One of the scariest things was that I turned seventeen. (Enter overdramatic gasp.) We had an amazing vacation, discovered a lot of new bands and musical artists, read books, and basically did lots of things. We watched a couple of movies in the theatre this year, the best one being The Man Who Invented Christmas. There will likely be a review sometime in the coming year, because we definitely intend to see it in the theatre again with the whole family. Please go watch that film if you haven't.

I had wanted to finish my first novel this year, but I'm still in Chapter 8. Tsk. However, I have fully written and edited a novella for a writing contest (by Rooglewood Press), and--by the time this post has gone out--entered it as well. It's called Princess of the Seventh Star, and some of you may remember a post a while back with the first scene. That project took up most of my writing time, but I think it was worth it. I may not have done all the things I'd planned, but I have done things.

Speaking of which, a website I read called goteenwriters.com recently put up a writing exercise. It was to make a list of all the good things that happened to you, all the things you succeeded in, every win. Since I read that website more often than not, I made one. It's a bit too extensive for a single blog post, but that might be because I included smaller things. Ah well, I suppose it's mainly a list for oneself. Read the post, if you will.

There's the past year for you: hectic, filled to bursting, and wonderful. As for the present, we're enjoying one of our Christmas presents--gingerbread houses, or something else made of gingerbread--as we prepare for midnight. And the future? Well, I plan to finish my first novel, and begin work on the second. I'll likely be working on some radio scripts--both in way of recording and of writing. I hope to see one of my works published. But that's out of my hands now, I suppose. So we'll see. I'm also going to be putting up many more posts on this here blog. I may even get a driver's license.

You know, this is rather an odd time, New Year's Eve. Everyone reminisces about the past year, marvel at how quickly the present time has arrived, and make plans for the coming year. It's almost as if the past and the future meet and shake hands in the few moments before the year ends.

Whatever the past may have brought, whatever the future may hold, let us never forget He who is the Lord of all time--the One who is eternity. It is He whose birth we have all been celebrating in the past week, commemorating the day when eternity stepped into time in the person of Jesus Christ.

Of the Father's love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be
He is Alpha and Omega
He the Source, the ending He
Of the things that are
That have been
And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore

Happy New Year, everyone!