~Apollo

Like I mentioned in my last journal I put up a second ago about my experience with NaNo, 2018 was a giant blur for me. I was going to do my year in review and resolutions for 2019 in that journal but it got really long 😂

So! Something I accomplished in 2018: I successfully paid off my credit card! The 2017-2018 holiday season and just 2018 in general put my financial balls in a vice to the tune of a couple thousand dollars. In August, I finished paying all of that off by working like a goddamn dog. Six days a week, 11 hour non-stop shift on Saturdays...I busted ass y’all. Which ended up working out nicely, because shortly after, I found this podcast called Listen Money Matters which features two guys closer to my age than Dave Ramsey, the more popular personal finance podcaster, and for that reason, I’ve really clicked with their content. For anyone curious, here’s my two favorite episodes from them:

https://www.listenmoneymatters.com/.....k-to-paycheck/
https://www.listenmoneymatters.com/.....-pay-off-debt/

In listening to these guys, I’ve learned a lot about personal finance, and have made myself a couple of financial-based goals that I’ll elaborate on later.

Another thing I accomplished this year: I ran a very successful charity car show! I didn’t really talk about this much last winter because I was dealing with it and a few other things, but I had a friend take their own life in December 2017. I have a little experience putting together small car show events, and his friends and I ended up making it the most successful show I’ve ever run. A bittersweet goal, but one I’m really proud of.

And, the only other thing I accomplished this year that I can remember...I beat Fallout 4 on Survival Mode, completionist style, including all of the DLCs. Which really isn’t that monumental sounding, but when you spend 2 years total, all spare time trying to get it done...damn did it feel good to put it down. Still, not really that important 😅

So, in all, didn’t really accomplish this much, probably because I was so focused on paying off that debt and generally getting my finances recovered and out of the gutter.


Some things that happened to me that wasn’t so good...to give a complete 180 from the credit card thing - there was a guy we hired that was a recovering drug addict. Long story short, I put some money into his life to help him get back on his feet...and then he just disappeared lol. Bosses told me he wasn’t coming back, he never answered my messages, but I know he’s doing fine, so. Out more than a few hundred bucks there, lesson learned. 🤷‍♂️

Only other bad thing...my parents told me and my siblings that they’re going through a trial separation. 😔 This could possibly lead to their divorce, and deep down I hope they work it out, but they’ve been married 26 years, and they’re much different people now than when they married, and the two people they are now just aren’t that compatible anymore. I’m really disappointed, because I always thought they were a great example of how they were able to work out their differences despite the high divorce rate in this country, but...ah well. Hopefully this all works out :/


So, me and life been trading punches all year, and I’m tired as a result. That’s without acknowledging the dumpster fire that is the political and social situation in America. Ugh.

Despite that, I’m encouraged going into 2019. I’m learning just how much work I can take on, what I can and can’t accomplish, and how to better utilize my time in a day. To that end, I’ve come up with some...not quite lofty? Not easily reachable, but achievable goals with this year coming up. And here they are!


-First and foremost, I want to write more. A minimum of 50 words a day of original content, towards material I can actually post and show others.
-I want to read more! Five pages a day, minimum.
-I want to start journaling, assuming something happened in my day worth journaling!
-I want to improve my cardiovascular performance, to the point that I can handle a full week’s work, four days of weightlifting and 7 days of cardio. Which means working on cardio every day! A five minute walk, at least.
-Start meditating every day!
-Pay off all of my student loans before the end of the year
-Move out of my parents house into my own apartment before the end of the year
-Upgrade my life in general.
-I want to build my own computer
-Get a new guitar and work on my music playing
-And I want finally build my Jeep - lift kit, tires, bumpers, LIGHTS. The whole shebang!
-Lastly...maybe a steady girlfriend? 😅 The dating scene around here’s kinda lame lmao
-Improve my mental health. Including seeing a mental health expert.
-More to that point - be a better friend. I get stressed out at work and it’s damaging my relationships
-Also, don’t let work stress me out so much!
-Lastly, take longer and more frequent vacations. I did not take off enough time this year, and I need to relax more.

Lots of goals, lots to do! To help me out with all of this, I’m going to use this app I was shown called Habitica, an RPG-based habit tracker and to-do list! https://habitica.com/ Check it out if you’re curious, it’s really neat.

2018 was a battle, but I’m looking forward to taking on 2019. But that’s all I got! How was your 2018? And what are your resolutions?