Year In Review

Happy holidays! I don't normally do one of these "Year In Review"-type posts, but 2018 was such an eventful year that I just had to recap it - not to boast, but to demonstrate what's possible if you work hard and really put your mind to something. Anyway, let's begin!

January

I finally signed up for Netflix. I know, I know, not exactly earth-shattering, but it was a big step for me, because after a while of finding my footing (i.e. having so many choices of what to watch that I ended up not watching much of anything) I eventually discovered that holy moly, do I love anime. This discovery not only led to healthier daily habits (I like to work out while watching TV, so watching more TV led to more working out), but it also gave the upcoming Second Player Score concept album/graphic novel project a new and exciting direction (it would be in an anime/manga style).

February

The aforementioned Second Player Score released our first scripted video, and I served as a mentor for SCBWI Oregon's Great Critique.

March

I traveled to sunny Tampa, Florida to be a panelist at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs' 18th annual conference.

April

Second Player Score opened for Jonathan Davis at the Crystal Ballroom, our biggest show to date.

May

I was the special guest author at Shahala Middle School's READCON book fair (on May the Fourth, no less).

June

I participated in Washington Autism Alliance and Advocacy's first annual It Takes A Village conference and had an interview (about March's AWP Conference) published in the Summer 2018 issue of Spectrum Life Magazine. Also, Second Player Score recorded three more songs for our upcoming album. And finally, I started and finished writing my first screenplay.

July

I started and finished writing my second screenplay.

August

I finished writing my third screenplay, and I also wrote four short films.

September

I finished writing my fourth screenplay.

October

The SPSU was born. Also, I participated in the annual Words and Pictures Festival at Cascade Park Community Library. And finally, a 29-page script + storyboards for the first issue of the Glorified manga - remember what I said about what happened in January? - was completed.

November

Something called "Joel Suzuki, Volume Four: Fable of the Fatewave" was launched into the world.

December

The screenplay adaptation of Joel Suzuki, Volume One was finally finished, along with teleplays for the pilot episodes of two new projects (so, since June, I guess you could say that - roughly to the tune of "Twelve Days of Christmas" - I've written five feature-length screenplays, four short films, recorded three new tracks, written two teleplays and a partridge in a - I mean, one manga script). Also, another interview was published in Spectrum Life Magazine.

Whew! So, yeah, it's been quite the year. And like I said, the purpose of this post was not to brag, but to reflect on a set of events that I believe anyone can accomplish with hard work, perseverance, and a positive mindset that includes a strong belief in oneself. In other words, if I can do it, then so can you.

Thank you so much for following along with my journey, and here's to an awesome 2019 for all of us!