It’s Been A While

It’s been a while.

I’ll be the first to admit that.

I had lowered my expectations for 2022.

After making it through the confusion of 2020, I started 2021 full of motivation, determined to make positive changes. However, instead of 2021, we were presented with 2020 Volume 2. Where the evil villain is still the same, only this time, they’ve been secretly constructing a new weapon during the holiday period. The villain was stronger, and it took more of me to push through it.

But, we made it. We got through the worst of it (famous last words), yet, I wasn’t prepared to start 2022 how I started 2021. Instead, full of trepidation, I stumbled into 2022.

I spent the first month in a combination of relaxation and scheduling. Both vital to starting my year on the right foot.

I’m most proud of the Misinformed Magpie. A project I’ve been working on since December last year, that launched in early February. It is a satire media page, primarily through Instagram, which you can find by searching @misinformedmagpie.

The Misinformed Magpie is the culmination of previous unsuccessful projects. You may call these failures – I try to avoid this word. Did I try to create a not-for-profit in 2020? Yes. In 2021? Yes. Did I start a YouTube channel? Yes. Are any of these projects still running? No.

At the time, they failed. But, in reality, they were a huge success. The knowledge and skills I formed and grew during these unsuccessful projects, have been invaluable in forming the Misinformed Magpie.

You have to start. You have to try. It’s always a shame when you realise that the trajectory is not sustainable to justify the continuation of the project. But, the long-term benefits of taking the skills learnt and applying them to something else, outweigh a short-term disappointment.

***

The world also hasn’t slowed down in 2022.

War, disasters, and the ever-present threat of COVID has continued to challenged society. The world is trying to make us give up. To give-in to the pressures of maintaining a positive mind frame when it feels like the world is crumbling down.

I’m scared for what the future will hold – especially in the realm of censorship. The power of social media platforms to choose what content is acceptable or not is extraordinary. The punishment of individuals who make an error and publicly speak about something contrary to the masses is also extreme.

Did someone forget that we are humans? Words can certainly harm, I’m not disputing that point, but when people accidentally referencing something is seen as a larger issue than domestic violence or other serious crimes, I question where our society is heading. And, more importantly, who is dictating this path.

***

Yet, within all of this, we can still find glimpses of hope and latch onto them. Ride the hopeful moments across the storms until we find another one. These are some of my favourites from this year:

The return of events! Empty, crowd-less venues were often intriguing, but left a feeling of disappointment. Now, music and sporting events particularly can be enjoyed by friends which creates an atmosphere like no other. Something that we have only noticed how grateful we are for it, when we realised what happened when its gone.

Politicians working for votes! Let’s hope there won’t be as many empty promises, but it’s great to see politicians having to actually work to gain votes. People are confused and disillusioned with major parties, particularly within Australia, forcing politicians to put in a shift and stop taking their position for granted. I hope this continues as we move towards a Federal Election, and the pressure upon governments remains even after the election.

Travel! Leaving your city, yet alone your house, was a distant thought only 6 months ago. Now, the world has opened up again leaving so many opportunities to explore and escape from the normality we’ve been stuck in.

***

It’s been a while.

Stay safe and talk soon. LL.

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