Looking Back on 2021

[ermingarden]

In spite of, well...*waves vaguely at the world at large,* 2021 was a pretty good year for me personally.

My biggest accomplishment this year has nothing to do with either fandom or law school: After biting my nails since kindergarten, 2021 is the year I was finally able to quit! *\o/*

I got to go to my law school classes fully in person starting in the fall – and what a difference it makes! Interning in a DA's office this summer was a great experience as well, and I was able to confirm that working in local prosecution really is what I want to do with my life.

On the fannish side of things, I finally got up the courage to join the Silmarillion Writers' Guild (and the SWG Discord server) – and I'm so grateful to everyone who's been so welcoming! I also wrote my longest (and best) fic to date: my tolkienrsb fic, Letters from Himring. I know 5k isn't long at all by most writers' standards, but it was a milestone for me, and I'm very happy with how the fic turned out! A big thank you to my artist frog-in-a-pond for giving me the go-ahead to write weird academic pastiche, because if I'd tried to do a more traditional fic format I don't think I'd have been able to finish anything I'd be satisfied with.

As for the goals I set for 2021 in last year's Snowflake Challenge, I'm batting 500: My first goal was to do all of the assigned reading in advance of each lecture, and I didn't manage that. But my second was just "Write fic! Even if it's bad!", and at least I got that done!

The community on DW and the conversations I've had here have been such a wonderful part of my life in 2021, and it's been great getting to know many folks better. Happy New Year to all, and here's hoping for a more hopeful year ahead!

Comments

[elwendell]

That does sound like a good year and I'm happy to hear that you got involved with a lot of other Tolkien fans. I gave up nail biting when I was in my teens. No. I'm not bragging. It was entirely down to a school friend, who gave me a bottle of bitter stuff that you paint on.

[ermingarden]

Oh, I tried the bitter stuff (multiple times), the spicy stuff (also multiple times), press-on nails, acrylic tips...honestly, I had really started to believe there was no hope at this point!

[shirebound]

Congratulations on quitting biting your nails! I know what a huge and satisfying accomplishment that is.

Happy New Year!

[ermingarden]

Thank you!!

[dolorosa_12]

The community on DW and the conversations I've had here have been such a wonderful part of my life in 2021, and it's been great getting to know many folks better.

I want to echo that, and I'm glad to hear you've found a good community here. From the sound of things, 2021 has been a year of personal and professional success for you, and I hope for more of the same in 2022. Happy new year!

[ermingarden]

Thank you!

[pauraque]

Congratulations on achieving personal goals, and happy new year!

[ermingarden]

Thank you! Happy new year to you, too!

[nnozomi]

Brava for your law school, internship, and fic accomplishments in the past year! (Not to mention, you know, other things too!) Hoping the next year will go well too <3

[ermingarden]

Thank you!! <3

[chestnut_pod]

It's been lovely to get to know you so much better this year! Here's to a bright and happy 2022.

[ermingarden]

Same to you! <3

[ysilme]

Congratulations to quitting the habit! ***\O/*** I'm glad your year was a good one, too; it's good to hear that positive things also happened.

[ermingarden]

Thank you! <3