Thoughts for Years' End

Getting ready for the end of the year/beginning of next year.

It's that time of year where we review how the year went for us and start making plans for next year. I don't really know how to quantify this year as either good or bad. It was definitely challenging. I learned that people that I thought were in my corner weren't, and people I just met are more in my corner.

I started writing in DCI Open Class again with the Raiders. Got to spend a week with them at the beginning of the season. They have a great program over there and are doing the right things. I also met a bunch of new people there that are passionate about teaching. It was a great time and I look forward to working with them again this year.

Marching band writing went really well this past year. I challenged myself to be more creative and not just fall into my typical design choices. This is something I keep doing because while I want to have "my voice" I also want to be refreshing and creative. I definitely have go to things, but I try to not go back to the well over and over again.

I also found my limit of what I can do at any one given time/place. I have always pushed myself to do more, and continue to do that, but I learned that you can't do more of different things at the same time. When you spread yourself too thing among different things, you will most likely drop a ball. I did. It didn't roll away completely, but it did stay on the ground for a while well I had to focus on other things. A few years ago, West Clermont did a show called "Depth over Distance" that was focused on quality of relationships over quantity of them. That lesson is applicable here too. Depth in my work, not number of things I can do.

Now I am about to say something I never thought I would say...I actually am enjoying reading. I didn't think that until this past week honestly. I was reading to learn things, to better myself, and to hopefully improve my life. I have found those things and it wasn't until I started reading again recently, that I was like "I actually enjoy this." It still gives me a headache to read too much. I can get down about 10-20 pages in a sitting and then lose interest. However, I went for years without reading and then went through spurts were I would read a lot and then stop. I will say that I really only care to read things that will help me grow. I am not in fantasy, or anything like that. I am trying really hard to finish "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell before the end of the year.

My personal life is still what I would call a mess. I went on a few dates in 2025, but didn't have time to follow through with anything. The "unfortunate" part is I know what I am chasing right now, but don't know that I have the capacity for more...without dropping a ball somewhere. It might change one day, or it might not. I do have ambitions, work to do on myself and I have wonderful friends in my life, so I am good.

So what is in store for 2026. That is a great question. There will be some changes. There will definitely be self-improvements. There will be more reading and learning. There will be more growth spiritually, financially, physically and emotionally.

I am watching the John Cena/Cody Rhodes interview from a week ago. Those guys are WWE wrestlers for those of your who don't know. I use to watch a lot and now I just follow it on the fringe. Anyways, they are talking about failing and trying to fail in order to learn. John is talking about his retirement tour where he was trying new things in his final year, and he was "desperately trying to fail on his way out." Now, he doesn't mean to throw it all way but how to grow his legacy even in his final events.

I think that is a great mentality to take into 2026... "desperately trying to fail" in order to find what works and what causes us to grow.