Lets End 2016 On A High Note

Lets face it my dear readers -- 2016 sucked. It was stocked with many moments of dread, horror, and outrage that affected all of us as a collective. Most of us are in a daze, feeling completely overwhelmed, and for certain feel that 2016 was a travesty. I am so looking forward to throwing away my old calendars as soon as the clock and ball drop at midnight but before I do -- I read this great article from my radical self love guru Gala Darling which encouraged me to take a step back and look at the year for what it truly was. Nothing is wholly bad or perfect and therefore many bright spots in my year. In her article, she asked 10 questions and below are my answers for them. But first a quote from another inspiration of mine -- Sophia Loren: “It is a good reason to talk to yourself, to ask yourself what you have been doing, what you are doing and what you will do. Girls who can’t go off and talk to themselves stay girls and never become women. Women who can’t take stock turn to drink, take pills or worse, but I can take stock. I can send for the bill of life and add it up too. If I ever feel depressed I consider what I have done and what I have accomplished — starting from nothing and arriving now with so much happiness.”

The truth is -- most of 2016 I was either living in a circle of drama, walking on eggshells with a lot of people, or going on autopilot. I think is why I am in crisis mode a lot of the time nowadays -- I haven’t been continually assessing, planning, and course-correcting. However, I am trying to change that by looking at honestly at what’s going on and make adjustments, then making sure where I will end up and where I want to go. So with the being said...lets get on to the question and answer portion of this latest blog.

WHAT WERE YOUR TOP FIVE MOMENTS OF THE YEAR?
1. Definitely one of my top five moment of the year was finally being promoted to a full fledged teaching position. I do not have my own class per say but I am finally get paid the right salary for all of the hard work I have done and will continue to do for the future of America.

2. Creating a tighter and more close knit bond with Veronica. She is simply amazing. There are so many things I could say about her but she knows how I feel. Also getting to meet my new nephew was a big moment.

3. Getting into the band Postmodern Jukebox and seeing them live in Radio City Music Hall. It brought out the creative muses in me.

4. Getting back into what I enjoy, especially independent wrestling. I stopped going to independent shows in 2013 simply because no one wanted to go with me or no one had an interest. That should have never stopped me. I learned and experienced Pro Wrestling Magic and brought myself back to Ring of Honor and Jersey All Pro Wrestling and I was in my element and glory. I must never forsake myself again.

5. The announcement of Nerd Herders Radio returning to the air on Filling the Void network. I missed giving book recommendations and talking about books. I can not wait to get back to saying The Book is Better!

WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GLAD IS OVER?
--Even though it took a lot of waking up and a lot of getting my head out of my ass and realizing that I was, essentially, having battered woman syndrome without the visible bruises -- my relationship of 2 years with the man I thought was "the one". There were many red flags, many issues, many problems, and I tried my best to make it work but relationships are 50/50 and he wasn't putting his end of the bargain into it and I, in turn, became a paranoid codependent insecure person who again completely forgot herself. Now I am not going to say the demise of the relationship was all of his fault, I had my faults as well, but I was only reacting on how he was acting. I do wish that he is happy and that he has a good life.

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT TODAY THAN YOU WERE 365 DAYS AGO?
--Well physically, I cut my hair. That is something I did after my relationship was ended, sort of a cleansing in a way. Got that man out of my hair to be so cliche. Emotionally, well that is a different story. Most of 2016 I was a beat puppy who didn't stand up for herself, didn't stand up for what she believed in, forgot about my interests and hobbies, and overall was not glowing and was not the "Dani" that everyone I know grew to love. Now I am making sure to stick to my guns on certain things, being more open and spontaneous, and smiling.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU ACHIEVED THAT YOU FORGOT TO CELEBRATE?
--I do not think so but will ask around to be sure.

WHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS YEAR?
--From talking with Veronica and other people I have changed my perspective on how to be with people. I must not try so hard. Also that relationships are 50/50 and I should have never lost the sense of who I am.

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY CAME THROUGH FOR YOU THIS YEAR?
From nerdy bff's to people who bring the law when I need a heavy hit -- those are the people that really came through for me this year. Granted I bet that they all want to bash me upside my head for not thinking clearly and ignoring their advice or just plain ignoring all the red flags and signs. But for them, I am eternally grateful for bringing me back to ormal.

WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU TOLERATED FOR A LONG TIME, BUT NOW YOU WILL NOT?
--Heavy drinking that leads to alcoholism. I really should have stuck to my guns on how I will not date someone who is a heavy drinker. My family has a history of alcoholism and I have seen the unfortunate repercussions of it. Having one drink at dinner is fine, but visibly intoxicated to the point of being verbally abused in public, yeah, will not stand for that anymore. Also I will not put in all of the effort into something and get nothing in return. Whats the point?

WHAT OLD BELIEFS DID YOU LET GO OF?
--What old bullshit did I let go of: That in order for me to be in love and in a relationship, I must change to fit them. NO. A relationship should be the joining together of two souls; not the mishmash of two people to form one collective. We should be compliments of one another, make each other stronger and better and spread the love. Not beat each other down unto submission.

WHAT WAS ONE THING THAT YOU FOUND REALLY CHALLENGING, BUT CAN NOW SEE SUPPORTED YOUR GROWTH?
--It will sound weird, but my relationship that ended. It supported how strong I can be, how supportive I can be, how caring I can be. It also provided me the strength that I needed to walk away from toxicity.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOURSELF THIS TIME LAST YEAR?
--That he isn't worth it and that I deserve so much better in my life. That this isn't love -- this is abuse and narcissism. Get out and focus on yourself for a while.

What Book Releases in 2017 Am I Excited About?

With the beginning of the new year -- so begins my reading goal! Every year I have a reading goal of reading 52 books in a year which equates to one a book a week. Lets up the ante this year, lets go for 60! That's right -- I will read 60 books by the end of 2017. Plus with the return of Nerd Herders Radio on Filling the Void network, I must get back into my book recommendation game because as we all know -- THE BOOK IS BETTER.

With that being said, here are the book releases in 2017 that I am most excited about.

This is the third book in Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Feyre returns to the Spring Court to plan the next step in seeking Tamlin’s maneuvers. But this means partaking in a deadly game of deceit that could end terribly, which means she must be careful in who she trusts. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas is set to be released on May 2, 2017 thus giving me enough time to catch up!

In this Phantom of the Opera retelling, Rune is cursed by her own voice and is sent by her mother to a Paris music conservatory that was once an opera house. But once she arrives, she discovers strange and unworldly happenings. This had me at Phantom of the Opera and Paris. Roseblood by A.G.Howard is set to be released on January 10, 2017

Another series that has grabbed me. I don’t know much about this release just yet, but it’s the third book in Kaufman and Kristoff’s Illuminae series taking place on the planet of Kerenza following Kady and Ezra after the result of an invasion and deadly plague outbreak. Illuminae Files #3 (Title Forthcoming) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff is set to be released sometime in 2017.

In what I thought was a stand alone novel...I was wrong. This sequel to This Savage Song continues the Kate and August story. Kate, a monster hunter, must defeat a monster with abilities to bring out its victims’ inner demons while on the brink of war between both humans and monsters. Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab is set to be released on June 13, 2017 thus giving me enough time again to read the first book!

Just when I think a book that I enjoyed this year was just going to be a stand alone....well here comes the sequel! The second book in this time-traveling adventure tale (Passenger is the first book) continues to follow Etta, who unwillingly traveled through time to find herself prisoner on a ship. But while Nicolas and Sophie search for Etta through time, she engages in a dangerous alliance with Julian Ironwood. Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken is set to be released on January 5, 2017.

The first book in this series, Three Dark Crowns, has been on the pulse of the Instagram and BookTube circuit for the past couple of months. It is rightfully so to be on the pulse. The second book in the Three Dark Crowns in which three siblings who possess great abilities must fight each other in a life-or-death game for the royal crown. One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake, which is the sequel, is set to be released on September 20, 2017 which, I have said before, gives me plenty of time to read the first book!