Beach in the Fiji Islands on a sunny day. There's a shadow outline of a palm tree over the water and sand.

Out the Door in 2024!

Beach in the Fiji Islands on a sunny day. There's a shadow outline of a palm tree over the water and sand.

Wheels up, hurtling through the sky, 2024 landed on a bingo card marked “strap in.” Didn’t think I’d see that day, but there it was!!! Yep. I went hard-core in 2024. I traveled THE WORLD.

Okay, so I only traveled to two places, but they were the longest trips I’ve ever taken—and I did them in the same year, which, for me, counts as “travel expert”—a goal I didn’t think I could cross off my list—until now. And I checked that goal off so hard.

In Fiji, Nate, Alex, some sea snakes, some fruit bats, and I created many memories. We definitely want to go back. In Hawaii, Nate and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, visiting the Monkeypod Kitchen and bar in Waikiki as many times as the management would let us in. It was wonderful. Alex did a solo trip to Florida to visit extended family. He learned some fly-fishing techniques and nearly passed for Daniel Radcliffe at the customs and immigration station in Fiji.

Other Things I Did:

–Wrote 52 short stories: I sent out 89 submissions and got 28 acceptances with 24 publications and 52 rejections. Lots of literary magazines went out of business or on permanent hiatus this year—right after I submitted. (“Dear Writer, thank you for this. After reading it carefully, we’ve decided to shut down.”)

–Celebrated three years working full time for Funko as a marketing writer.

–Continued to proofread for Flash Fiction Magazine.

 –Discovered the Falco radio station on Pandora—and will never be the same.

–Re-arranged the ol’ writing desk with inspirational knick-knacks at least sixty-five times this year. (Shout out to the new addition: the CUTEST mini desk lamp shaped like a pair of best friends: Potato & Shrimp Tempura in a bowl!)

Things I Was Supposed to Do:

–Wear more pink. DONE AND DONE!!!

–Write an outrageous LinkedIn profile and then take it down. I sort of did? Mostly, I re-did my LinkedIn profile a million times and then wrote this breathless/run-on sentence for my other portfolio online:

Write, edit, run, repeat: pop-culture stuff, scholarly stuff, funny stuff, haunted stuff:​

Hello Kitty meets Ready or Not meets a sourdough starter & a bottle of beer; copywriter, former educator, Ohio roots—but oh, how Mount Baker comes in clutch, outside my window, under the fog as a golden-topped dome—throwing light on all the stories in between.

So, that’s me in sixty words or less—I guess. (Was feeling cute, might take it down later.)

Goals for Next Year:

–I’ve always wanted a faux leather black skirt, but not one that rides up, bunches up, makes squeaking noises when I walk, poofs out on the sides (because of pockets, which I don’t want), or that’s got huge slits up the sides and back. Thoughts and prayers are welcome.

–Spend more quality time with the weighted blanket I bought during the pandemic. Actually, I have to find it first. I guess that’s the goal then: Find the weighted blanket I bought during the pandemic. Where did it wander off to?

–Strap on a fanny pack and crash-dive into 2025.

Your Turn: What did 2024 bring you?

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Published by ckennedy

Author of the DIY blog: Fixin' Leaks and Leeks. Paper/Rock Writing Consultation, Sole Proprietor.

21 thoughts on “Out the Door in 2024!”

  5. Love the bingo card comment and the thoughts and prayers on the skirt and the LinkedIn profile and run-on sentences. 😉 Glad you got the traveling in. Well done! Funny about nearly passing as Daniel Radcliffe.

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  6. I want to know more about the fruit bats! And I’m so impressed by how much you’ve written in a year. Me, all I’ve written is what’s on my blog. I don’t want to think back on my year, it makes me tired. But I think I’ve cooked a million meals!

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    1. The fruit bats were fun–they were very lively at night outside our door. And what you’ve written on your blog is so lovely! Cooking a million meals is quite the accomplishment as well! Cheers!

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