Unexpected in 2021

Not flying anywhere
As clichéd as it may be, I am guilty of having previously listed “wanderlust” in my Instagram bio. Given everything that’s happened (or not) this year, it’s no surprise that I have not flown. I’m trying to think of the last year that went by prior to 2021 where I didn’t get away from this plagued island for a little bit. I understand this is coming from a position of enormous privilege and that traveling is pretty bad for my carbon footprint but it is something I get a lot from and that I have missed as I didn’t feel comfortable doing it when everything felt so understandably fraught with actual danger as well as red tape.
I’ll be sure to get back to it when it’s the right time for me.
We were able to spend a few days in the Forest of Dean which was wonderful, and I got to visit Edinburgh for a long weekend. If that’s what happens in 2022 then I’m all for it. There’s enough to see here too.

Buying a house
While the ball was rolling before 2021, it would continue to roll for another three months before we got into our house in March. Since then, we’ve had a myriad of work done and are continuing to look at ways to create our little calm place in the world, which apparently means more cushions. Again, it’s one from a position of huge privilege but the last two years (now) have shown how important being comfortable in your location is. If we’re locked down again then I feel fortunate to have a roof over my head and food in my belly.

The pandemic continuing to be a thing
Not really a personal thing but more of a situation we’ve all had to deal with and something that has polarised massively. I didn’t think I would be arguing with people about whether vaccines were a good idea or not but here we are.

Putting on weight on purpose
I’ve had real issues with food, more so as an adult than when I was younger, which from my understanding is the time period when such problems are likely to come to a head. As I got into my mid-to-late twenties, a number of different obsessive attitudes towards food appeared. While I recognise them and this helps me better deal with them, it’s still not ultimately healthy or ideal to punish yourself for eating, to feel guilt or to be obsessive or incredibly restrictive. It’s also something that men don’t talk about enough so here I am.

I’ve had gym memberships before but in the last quarter of 2021, my dedication to gym time stepped up. As such, I’ve taken advice from real GYM BROS and have started bulking. This involves putting 3,600 calories away a day and going to the gym at least four times a week. I’m doing exercises I’ve never faced before and stepped foot in the scary bit of the gym where the broad people lift up and put down the heavy things. While putting away that much food at Christmas is fairly standard, watching my macros at the same time has become another thing to obsess over. The other day the metal clasp on my belt exploded when I sat down. I’m trying to recognise this is part of the journey to building my Marvel body but wow, it’s a lot to shut down the voices that tell me I’m a fat shit.

Working on a project continuously
This year I released an album and wrote a novel and a half but there was one project that it is fair to say has been on my mind throughout the year. The Counterfeiter has been consuming my thoughts since I wrote the first draft in April 2020 but the last year has seen it change drastically under some really important guidance. I’m currently on version four and am excited to see where it gets me. Ordinarily, once I’ve finished something up, it’s done and it’s there. This is the first thing I can think of where it’s gone back and forth for so long and with the stakes being so high. I owe my thanks to James for our numerous phone calls regarding it as well as anyone who has dared ask how my writing is going. It’s a lot to contend with but it is so exciting.

I don’t know what will happen in 2022 but I’m taking to it with my usual blind optimism.