2017 has been a time of recovery for me. Most of it I spent sick or healing from trauma. Politics have made life a living hell in my current country, especially due to terrible policies that harm oppressed/marginalized groups to a large degree. This hasn’t really helped my health at all, but at least I have a reliable and flexible job, which is some comfort. I have also bolstered friendships this past year, which helped to lessen the isolation (that I detailed in Saga of a Bird, which were the painful consequences of trauma from 2016).
Healing from trauma is a hard road, and it continues into 2018. Thus also does the resistance to a looming threat to human rights that is our current administration.
May all of us keep the light of truth, healing, and hope lit within each of us. Let us remember that love will win eventually as long as we stay true to one another, uplift each other, and fight against those who seek to destroy the progress we’ve made on civil rights, sustainability/environment issues, and dismantling of oppressive systems. We are not alone in this fight, and our stories matter. Who we are is valid and important. Do not forget this.
Goals for 2018
Fractal Commissions
I also hope to extend my site and create a chance for commissions for my fractal art. It’s a delicate process as the end result depends on the mathematics — the geometry of the parameters to be exact — but the way I will do commissions is a bit unique.
What I need:
- A Color Scheme that is preferred by the client.
- A memory or interesting facts about the client that the person wishes to share.
- (optional) favorite geometric shape or function
I keep that memory or important fact about that person in my mind as I choose the parameters and the geometric landscape of the fractal, so that the end result is heavily informed by what the person told me. I have one commission so far that uses this method, and the response has been enthusiastic. This commission has taken me a few weeks to do, and I am still working out prices.
Submit Three Short Stories to Zines
I have several short stories that I can rewrite, polish, and submit to various eZines such as Lightspeed, Apex, and others. I can make a goal that starts with one and work my way up to three.
Inquires to Agents for my Novel
I can start with a list of possible agents based on research I’ve done this year. Next step would be to write the query letter and ask a friend to edit it. Final step is submit the query letter with sample chapters (if the agent’s inquiry requirements ask for them).
I want to finish my sequel to my novel as it’s 50% done, but that depends on my health as well. I don’t want to overwhelm myself as the first half of 2018 will require extensive healing from possible surgeries and other health-related issues.
Top Surgery
I already had the consultation with two potential doctors. One surgeon is in California, and the other within my current city. As much as I prefer the one in California, I also can’t afford out-of-network costs right now. So I may have to do the one in town, and if all goes well, the in-town doctor can get the okay from the insurance and schedule me for surgery early in the year of 2018. I have a few friends in town that expresses wishes to assist me with basic tasks during the first two weeks, where my health would be at its most fragile.
Those are my hopes for 2018. What hopes do you carry into the new year?
Reshaping Reality 