It's been a while since I wrote a proper narcissism post, so let's talk about everybody's favorite topic: Me! Here are 8 things that have happened in the last six months. They're not too exciting because, honestly, I've mostly just been working.

Some Things Have Happened Since We Last Spoke

1. I ran out of books to read. Way back in 2022, I decided to stop buying books until I finished all the unread books I owned. Well, it finally happened. I read all the things. For most of this year, I've been exclusively reading library books. Now I can't decide if I want to restock my shelves or stick to borrowing.

2. I survived the summer! Friends, I loathe summer. I hate being hot and sweaty all the time. I'm still working at a state park, and the summer tourist season is intense. I tried to get a promotion at work and failed. It's been exhausting. I'm ready for winter now, please.

3. Baby Brooklyn started first grade. She ran 12 laps in her school's fun run fundraiser. (A lap is 1/16th of a mile.) She's currently obsessed with Minecraft and expects me to know something about Minecraft. I think I understand approximately half the words she says because the other half is about video games. I feel old. Watching her play Minecraft makes me motion sick, and I have no idea what's happening in this game.

4. I have acquired a chronic illness. I did not expect this to happen and am not amused. I have seen more doctors in the last six months than I have seen in my entire life. I don't want to talk about it because nobody's here for whining, but I'm (reluctantly) learning to cope.

5. I started boxing lessons again. I've been taking lessons since 2022, but I needed a four-month break because of work and the aforementioned illness. My first lesson went fine. My second lesson was less fine. My back was so stiff that I could barely lift my arms, which is not ideal for boxing. At one point, the coach stared at me in horror and then walked away without saying anything. I'm pretty sure he was too scared to fight me. I'm a beast.

6. Am I a mountaineer yet? My only goal in life is to be involved in backcountry search and rescue. That's the whole reason I became an EMT. Since I live in Colorado, I need mountaineering skills before I wander into the wilderness to find people. I took my first-ever climbing lesson. There were ropes and harnesses and everything. It was scary. There's a lot of stuff you have to remember so nobody falls off the mountain. I climbed to the top of a 55-foot rock wall. That's 16.7 meters for all the meter people. My arms were shaking by the end of it because I have no upper body strength, but nobody died!

7. I'm extremely out of ideas. Since it's fall, my work hours have been reduced to part time. I can finally blog again! Unfortunately, I have zero ideas for blog posts. I've been book blogging for 12 years. I never expected I'd have to come up with 12 years of ideas. Tell me what to write about.

8. Nonfiction November! It's been years since I participated in Nonfiction November. Since I'm out of ideas for blog posts, I'm going to give it a try this year. Click here if you want to play along.

What have you done recently?