2016: A Highlight Reel

Is it backwards that I did a 2017 looking-forward-to post last week and now I'm doing a 2016 retrospective after New Year's Day? I don't think so, because I had to make sure 2016 was over before I put this post together. I mean, who knows, some other awesome stuff could've happened during the last few days of the year!*

With that said, here are the highlights of the year and their associated blog posts, in chronological order:

January
When my friends from Los Angeles and Hawaii came to Book Two's launch party at Shanahan's. I had a great time hanging out with them. I also can't believe that Book Three was only about 40% done (and just the first draft!) at that point.

February
So much to choose from in this month! I think it's a tie between all the cool news coverage that Joel and company received and the author visit I did at my daughter's school.

March
READCON at Shahala Middle School was the highlight of this month, hands down. It even beats the fact that I finished the first draft of Book Three (which I will read one day and laaaaaugh).

April
So many cool things happening during Autism Awareness Month...Neue Regel Radio's annual 24 Hours For Autism Radiothon, Autism Empowerment's annual bowling tournament...and on top of that, I finally got to see Iron Maiden live.

May
Maybe it was discovering an awesome writing routine that really seems to work for me. Or maybe it was going to dinner at K-Town. Hard to decide.

June
Autism Empowerment celebrated our 5th birthday!

July
The drafts of Book Three and Album Two were completed, and the month was capped off with the super-fun Autism Empowerment picnic at Salmon Creek Park.

August
My son got his driver's license! Yes, this is a highlight, trust me.

September
My friends Charles and Kirsten got married in Hawaii! Yes, this is a highlight, trust me. Oh, and Comic-Con and the Zelda concert with my kids. Wow. What a month.

October
By far the high point of this month came when I had this revelation in the shower.

November
Album Two was released. And my daughter drew me a portrait of Joel and Felicity for my birthday. Awesomeness overload.

December
This article came out in Spectrums Magazine. My friends Mike and Tiff had their first child (yes, this is a highlight, trust me). My friends from Hawaii and Hawaii/Portland came to Album Two's release party. Rogue One.

Here's to an equally-or-even-more awesome 2017!

* No, I'm not being facetious. I'm choosing, for the sake of this post, to be positive