An End and (Another) Start

I noted back in September that I was struggling. By the end of October, I knew that I’d run into several walls all at once. My physical energy never quite recovered from the longest year of bicycling of my life (81 rides and 1,100 miles!), my mental energy was ebbing, and my emotional energy was way farther down the scale than I’d realized. This has been a great year in a couple of ways and a pretty terrible one in one major way.

I spent the summer on pins and needles waiting for my school to get back to me about my employment situation. The budget eliminated my previous position, along with almost every other similar position in the school district. This is the second year in a row that budget issues have left me without guarantees going into the summer. There was a different position that I could probably get, but it would come with a huge pay cut. We’d done the figures and realized we could still pay the bills, and eventually all the bureaucratic boxes got checked. I’ve settled into the new rhythm working with the same magnificent set of co-workers. So, that was good.

On the other hand, my wife had an accident in February. The first operation didn’t “take” due to age-related bone issues, and a second operation set us back to zero on the recovery. Ten months later, she continues to make slow progress, but it’s been a huge weight mentally and emotionally. What little energy available has been directed toward just making it day to day. All of my creative outlets dropped to almost nothing.

There were good things. I got the job, and my school seems to be as happy to have me around as I am to be there! That bicycling number above is a 10% increase over my previous personal best, even though my body reminded me I’m not a young rider any more. I want to take this year as a learning experience so I can push those numbers a little higher in 2026. Riding in the summer here in central Virginia must be approached with some caution and planning.

I don’t offer any of this as a “poor, poor pitiful me” excuse, but as a reminder to myself and anyone still reading this that our “real” life has a very real impact on our creative life. There’s only so much energy in the system. We do not always get to use it as we wish, but have to spend where it’s needed most.

Before the New Year arrives, I will share my annual movie and book list. They’re shorter than usual, but I still read and saw some outstanding books and movies.

Thus, 2026 needs to have a plan. I’m finishing that up. I hope it will help me balance all the issues in my life, both “real” and creative.

Peace,

Jay