2023 Year-end Wrap-up

2023 is almost over. So, in commemoration, wow. What a year! I started at an extremely low place in life, and on January 2nd, a switch flicked — I jumped into a hypomanic episode. Through the year I got diagnosed with Bipolar 2, autism, and ADHD, I went through a bunch of meds (and found stuff that works!), I had a successful Spring semester of college, I visited my grandma in Minnesota twice, I made this website, I went down to Houston over the summer to see friends, I moved into an apartment, I had an unsuccessful-yet-eventful Fall semester of college, I did front of house security for a drag show, and then I visited Houston again over the holidays to see friends. I furthered many close friendships, fell out with a few friends along the way, and am now on the other side of 2023 markedly different, yet still me. "Despite everything, it's still you."

Now, for the media I consumed! Some favorites from 2023 include:

Disco Elysium — Kinography. Life-changing. I made a blog post about this one. Go read it!

Pikmin 4 — Masterful game I've personally waited a decade for. I made multiple blog posts about this one. Go read them!

Suspiria (2018) — I first watched this in January, so, yeah, this is a 2023 thing. A deeply complex and masterful movie. I think about it constantly, and have rewatched it many times. It's a work of art, I say. A work of art!

The Southern Reach Trilogy — A really, really effective and phenomenal book trilogy. John "Control" Rodriguez, from the second book Authority, is my Fictional Character of the Year™. God, I love John Control.

Honourable Mentions:

• TES III: Morrowind — Hoooooooo boy!

• Gunpla (the concept) — Too much money spent!

• Bloons TD 6 — I played this game a shitton, IDK what else to say.

• Fifty Shades Darker (movie) — Kinography. Life-changing.

• The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We (album) — Probably my new favorite Mitski work.

• What We Do In The Shadows (TV series) — Great 😌

• The Glow, Pt. 2 (album) — First time I listened to it, it knocked me out of a panic attack.

• 30 Rock (TV series) — Very funny show do recommend!

• Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139… — currently playing. Game of All Time material.

• Control (video game) — replayed. Very good!

Now, I'll ring in the New Year in due time. 'Till then, I'll think about time, and life, and mortality, and the strands of friendship and love that bind me with all those I know. But that's deeply personal — too personal to blog about. Shoutouts to life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. I'm terrified yet exuberant to see what 2024 has to offer. See you on the other side.