It is time for me to revisit 2023. Why? Because I firmly believe that the good, the bad, and the ugly all contribute to who I am, what I have done, and where I am going. So, I will revisit my 2023 and share.
The process is simple. First, revisit my journals/notes, emails, apps, websites, calendars, etc. Second, capture events, numbers, dates, or whatever sticks out. Third, minimize filtering and pre-optimization (if possible) when sharing.
The following is in no particular order.
- I completed my degree after 30 years and walked down the aisle to receive my diploma! I captured that story back in January. #proud
- I was released from my position at Calabrio at the beginning of June.
- I applied to countless positions. I am still unemployed and searching. Books will be written about what happened in the labor markets this year.
- I volunteered with the Inclusive Product Management Accelerator and had a blast. I met so many great people transitioning into product management. I hope I get to do that again,
- I completed a course on Solutions Focused coaching and started coaching others. I am progressing nicely to my ICF credentials. Stay tuned in 2024!
- Magpie With a Bow Tie (MWABT) was formalized as a business. Stay tuned in 2024 for more!
- I started the MWABT newsletter on August 20, 2023. The newsletter has 233 subscribers and will end the year with 17 editions.
- I created the Official Adventure Buddy sticker. I have yet to sell any.
- I told my poster artist story. I even had a few people reach out and purchase posters. The world is fantastic! #gratitude
- I had to say goodbye to Ophelia. #heartbroken
- I only made two updates to waltmink.com. I should change that. I've got all sorts of new Walt Mink goodness to share. #futureGoals
- I actually increased my Instagram activity this year. Is that because I reinstalled the app on my phone?!
- My niece got engaged. I am so happy for her. I am a fan of the Christmas Eve proposals.
- My oldest child started college. Holy crap, that's amazing! My youngest got their letterman jacket. I am jealous. I never got one.
- My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. I also observed a "big" birthday. #math
- The windshield on the Subaru finally cracked enough for a replacement.
- The family had a lovely vacation in Northern California. Santa Cruz is always fun.
- I played a lot of Wingspan. Just as I was about to get 100% of the achievements, they released the Oceania expansion. Ack. My Steam year in review.
- Netflix. I watched more serial programming than movies this year. Some programs stuck out in my Netflix history: "Waco: American Apocalypse," "Inside Man," "Suits," "Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators," "How to Become a Cult Leader," "Running with the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee," "Scouts Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America," The Deer Hunter, "Dear Child," "Ordinary Men: The Forgotten Holocaust," "Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal," "The Valhalla Murders," "Katla," "The Chestnut Man," "Close to Home: Murder in the Coalfield," "Equinox," What Happened, Miss Simone?, "Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul," "Monique Olivier: Accessory to Evil," "The Fall of the House of Usher," "Till Murder Do Us Part: Soering vs. Haysom," "Escaping Twin Flames," "Exposed: The Ghost Train Fire," American Symphony, The Batman, "Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche," "Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife," "Dig Deeper: The Disappearance of Birgit Meier," and "The Keepers." Wow. That is a lot.
- I finally got rid of the massive pile of books in the basement. #pandemicHobbies
I set a smaller reading goal for 2023--10 books vs. 20 in 2022--but still crushed it.
- The Man From the Train by Bill James and Rachel McCarthy James
- The Fall by Albert Camus
- Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin by Megan Rosenbloom
- The Situation Is Hopeless But Not Serious: The Pursuit of Unhappiness by Paul Watzlawick
- The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
- One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
- How to Grow Old: Ancient Wisdom for the Second Half of Life by Marcus Tullius Cicero
- The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
- Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
- Dispatches by Michael Herr
- Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife by Irene Spencer
- Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
- The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson
- Don't Call It a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of NXIVM by Sarah Berman
- I opted to stop reading The Chickenshit Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives by Jesse Eisinger. I read half. I get it.
- I will continue reading Room to Dream by David Lynch in 2024.
This wrap-up was brought to you by my Apple Music 2023 Replay. Nina Simone and Tycho were new additions this year. My 2022 listening habits were almost 100% centered on Joe Satriani and Loscil. I am not surprised that Joe is still on the list. His music is a constant in my soundtrack.
Mentally, this year was pretty fucking brutal. No doubt. I am optimistic about 2024 and beyond, though. There has been an internal change... something I can't quite explain. LET'S GO 2024!
I write this newsletter to share my compassionate and slightly cynical view of the world. I plan on sharing original content and content from those I admire and respect. Magpie With a Bow Tie will grow and evolve.
Please invite your friends and colleagues to read and participate.
You should send questions, comments, and concerns to magpiewithabowtie@gmail.com.
