Let me tell you all what, 2024 was emotionally exhausting. I’m not saying this was necessarily a bad year, but I’m definitely not saying it was a good one either. It was just a lot and you know what, that’s okay, not every year is going to be the best year ever. Some years are going to be tough and suffice it to say, 2024 was a beast. Like I learned from Kelly Clarkson though, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and by the strength of Britney Spears, now I’m stronger than yesterday.
Right out the gate January delivered a one, two punch with Melissa’s surgery. The morning of the 26th we thought Melissa had fewer than twelve months to live, but by that very evening she was completely in the clear. It was the worst emotional rollercoaster of my life. Again, I cannot thank all of our family and friends enough who helped us navigate those uncharted and stormy waters. It was because of all of you that we were able to make it through the rain.
You all already know that nobody can hold us down because essentially one month later, we were back to basics with a trip to Las Vegas to see two of our absolute favorites, Madonna and Christina Aguilera. While admittedly that trip may have been too much too soon for Melissa, we will always cherish the thought of that windy weekend.
April saw me leaving behind my place of work of three and a half years. While I was admittedly thrilled to do so at the time, it did take quite a toll on me emotionally. I didn’t necessarily love the place, but I loved so many of the people. Some of the best friends I’ve ever known were because of that building and I’ll forever be thankful that it introduced these beautiful people to my life. April also gave me the opportunity to travel internationally again for the first time since 2010! If it weren’t for certain steps I’m taking now to better my life, I’d be traveling abroad again this April, but that European trip will have to be postponed to another spring.
In May I traded in my beloved Dodge Avenger for a brand new 2024 vehicle! I was so excited to upgrade, but oh my goodness! I got so sad at the tail end of that transaction! I had driven that Avenger all across this country, putting nearly 180,000 miles on it over the course of those ten years! It was as happy of a moment as it was sad, which was right on par with the year. This month also saw me return to my beloved day trips with a thrilling adventure to Metropolis, Illinois to experience the home of Superman!
Summertime is always my favorite time of the year and thankfully this summer maintained that. Melissa, Nancy, Erin, and I were able to take a trip to The Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland, where we met up with several of our California friends and family. Those annual visits to Disney always fuel my soul more than nearly anything else. Not to sound dramatic, but I legit think I need them to survive. I also received my first invite to an event ever as a Social Media Influencer for the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Jingle in July. This invitation marked the first of four that I got right in a row making this summer one that I’ll never forget! It was truly an honor to be invited to all these places for just merely doing what I love.
Speaking of great honors, September saw me as a groomsman in some of my best friend’s wedding. Michael and Jenna both played truly intricate parts in mine and Melissa’s wedding with Jenna being there during the proposal and Michael being one of my own groomsmen, so it was an absolute joy to be a part of their special day. September also saw me giving up soda for the month, a tradition that I hope to do now each and every year, so stay tuned for that…
I’ve taken some extraordinary vacations in my life. Many of which I think of and refer to often and the one Melissa, Nancy, and I took to Michigan this October certainly ranks high amongst them. It was just perfect from start to finish. I definitely think I found a place I want to return to time and time again in Mackinac Island. It truly was simply the best.
This may alienate some of you, but that’s totally fine. November gave me an absolute gut punch with the undesirable results of the election. I was so optimistic and joyful about how things would go, but they didn’t go that way. This delivered me a level of sadness and depression that I truly haven’t been able to shake off just yet. I have plenty of thoughts and views on this, but I’ll refrain from deep diving into those here, however, I do anticipate dark times lie on the horizon.
December is never my favorite month of the year. I (currently) work in retail, so enough said about that. Plus, I don’t really care about Christmas. I love some Christmas music and lights and such, I’m no Grinch, but the holiday itself feels like such a forced farce to me. I just don’t care about it, but with that being said, this year’s Christmas was totally good and fine. I had an absolutely lovely time celebrating the holiday with my family and from the seasonal hires at work, I know I made some friendships that will inevitably last a lifetime. So, all in all, I found plenty to be thankful and grateful for this holiday season.
So, to sum it all up, like I said, this year was heavy. Plus, I didn’t even hint at until this very moment the loss I experienced this year of someone that was essentially the entirety of my 2023, but like so much else, that’s another story for another time. Here’s hoping 2025 comes alive in all the best ways and much of the stress and sadness of before stays in 2024.
It of course wouldn’t be an annual roundup of mine without showcasing my musical tastings of the year. Although similar each year, I do still obsess over the rankings and placing of my beloveds.
As always, THANK YOU for your continued support! I hope you had THE BEST 2024 and wish you the same for 2025! Please feel free to leave a comment below as I love reading and responding to them! I’ll return soon with another all-new post, so until then, I wish you all, all the best!
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