2023 has been nothing but a whirlwind of a year. Somehow, it feels like it’s only one year that flew by quickly, and also two separate years. I started 2023 with a Bingo Card and doing a lot of pen and paper journaling where I listed three great things about the day and something I was grateful for, so it seems fitting to give an update on my 2023 Bingo Card and to make a list here of 23 great things about 2023 and 23 things I am grateful for in 2023.

Bingo Card Update

I didn’t accomplish the whole thing as you can clearly see, but I did get a Bingo and I did attempt many of the things that I set out to do this year. Purple ‘x’s are things that I accomplished and orange ‘\’s are things that I attempted or started but either didn’t complete or failed. But something I’ve found is that it’s important to celebrate your attempts as well as your successes. It shows me that I did a lot.

I liked having a Bingo card instead of traditional goals or resolutions because it made it a game and nothing felt all that serious. I also accomplished a lot of things outside of this Bingo card as well, which makes me feel great.

Here are some photos from accomplished and attempted Bingo card challenges…

23 Great Things About 2023

1. Donating my Civil War gear to someone else who can use it.
2. Scoring hockey goals on a few teams. (One very important one to tie up a game!)
3. Found some beautiful antique bakeware to use.
4. Playing pond hockey for my birthday.
5. Progressing to deadlift 140lbs.
6. A new figure skating program to Metallica’s Master of Puppets.
7. Getting back to reading books.
8. Phone calls with friends.
9. Yoga both online and in-person.
10. Seeing Ghost, Fall Out Boy, and the Ataris LIVE!
11. Officiating a wedding of some close friends.
12. Tubing down the Shenandoah River.
13. Going to the Library of Congress Literary Ball.
14. Going to several haunted attractions this year with many friends.
15. Getting back into working conventions.
16. Buying a car that feels like mine.
17. Being in the room with my sister when my second nephew was born.
18. Taking a few professional photographer gigs (something that hasn’t happened since 2020).
19. Visiting some close friends in NC.
20. Traveling to Chicago for Netroots.
21. Competing in three figure skating competitions.
22. Going to the Hockey Fights Cancer game (and it was my nephew’s first game).
23. Making my mom’s Christmas cookies with my sister and cousin.

23 Things I Am Grateful for in 2023

1. Audiobooks
2. Negotiations skills
3. My crockpot
4. Starting art projects
5. My friends and their endless patience with me
6. Playing trivia
7. Learning to listen to myself
8. Dinner parties
9. Breakfast after morning hockey
10. Chats with co-workers
11. Alone time
12. Spending time with my nephews
13. Breweries
14. Journaling
15. My therapists
16. My group therapy
17. Skating
18. Trying new activities
19. Improving my skills in skating and hockey
20. Meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones
21. Public transportation
22. Dinner being made for me
23. Naps

And with that, 2023 comes to a close. It’s been a mixed bag overall, but 2024 seems to hold a lot of possibilities. I’m excited, but nervous to see what comes next in everything.

To growth. To experiences. To 2024!