2026 is Here to Stay

The new year is here, so it is a good time to take a look back on 2025 and then have a look forward and what 2026 will have in store for the blog. We will start this retrospective by going over the things I think I did well, and then we’ll talk about the things I feel need some work. Then we’ll finish this off with my hopes for the new year and some of the plans I have for the blog going forward. I am also going to get personal here, because I want to get some things off my chest and hopefully give you, the reader, a bit of insight to me and my thoughts. But before we jump into all that lets take a look at a few stats, because what kind of gamer would I be if I didn’t like stat points?

Some Stats

Games Finished:

29

Word Count:

40,587

Page Count:

139

The Good

The best thing about this blog is the fact that I have kept up with it. In the past I would have dropped this before I even started, let alone kept it up for a whole year, because for most of my life I have had very little confidence in not only myself, but in anything I do. I would have convinced myself that anything I did here would be garbage, and that it would be worth even less than that, yet here I am, going on a year and still going strong. I am feeling so much more confident in not only myself but also in my craft, and because of this newfound sense of happiness, I find I am actually motivated to write. I have really been enjoying this whole blogging process, from playing the games, to taking my notes, snapping the screenshots, writing the post, and then posting it online, the whole thing has been awesome. This blog has also a form of therapy for me and is helping me more than I can put into words. Like, I cannot get across or put into words how big of deal it is that I have kept up with this blog, so you’re just going to have to take my word for it.

Another wonderful thing about this project is that it is making me actually finish the games I start. Before this, I had a terrible habit of playing games for a bit and then dropping them for something new, or because a patch/expansion dropped for WoW (I am so glad I am done with that game…for now at least). Sure, I have a huge collection, both physical and digital, but when most of them are unfinished (or in the case of my steam library, not even played), what’s the point? Now that I am actually finishing the games I start, I am getting a lot more joy and satisfaction out of them, and it is reminding me why I have loved video games for most of my life. It is also making me think a lot more critically about what I’m playing, which is very much a good thing. Most games (and media in general) are neither straight up amazing nor are they total garbage, they’re almost always somewhere in-between, well, for the most part that is.

I feel that by doing this blog and sharing the joy I feel when I’m playing my games, even the bad ones, I am doing my part in spreading good vibes into the world. I know I am not changing the world by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am doing something that makes me happy, and if you ask me, the Earth needs more of that right now; in fact, there is already so much shittiness in the world, so why not do things that make you feel good? All within reason that is, because we all know what can happen if all you care about is yourself and how you feel.

The Bad

My biggest issue is that I can still get down on myself, which then makes me not want to do anything, let alone write. I know I said I am doing this for myself, and that is true, I would be lying if I said I didn’t like it when I get eyeballs on my work. Knowing people are reading what I have to say is great, but if I give in to the darkness, then there is nothing to read, ya know? So, if I am not writing, then I am not posting, and if I am not posting, then no one is looking and that just feeds the despair, because it reinforces to me that no one cares (which may or may not be true), and then the cycle repeats again and again. I think that if I can set myself a schedule, and hold myself to it, that will help me avoid this massive pitfall; maybe I should get an agenda or a day timer so I can track what I need to do, and what I have done? That’s honestly not a bad idea.

I also need to work on my writing in general, because I am rusty as hell. The only way to do that is to keep writing and to also read a hell of a lot more. I love writing so much, and I have ever since I was a kid who didn’t know his letters, so instead of telling myself it’s not worth it, or that it doesn’t matter, I need to keep at it. Reading more will also help massively, and I have quite the stack of books on my nightstand waiting to be read. Not giving in to the darkness is what I really need to do, and the more I tell myself that my work is worth it, and that I as a person have value, the easier it is going to get. I am also going to lean on my partner for this, because she is my rock and the best thing to ever happen to me. Hell, it is because of her that I am doing this, and I will be forever grateful that she came into my life when I need her the most, and that she is so supportive of me and my hobbies.

The last thing I need to work on is getting through the backlog of posts I need to write, because it keeps on growing and growing. Right now, my plan is to write about games as I finish them and then work through the backlog while I am playing something new. If I can get in a good rhythm, and hold myself to a schedule, I should be able to get through the backlog in good time while still being able to play new titles. We’ll see how this plays out, because I always have the best intentions of doing things and then never following through. Fingers crossed.

The Future

What does the future hold for this blog, and what big plans do I have rattling around in my brain? Well, I am going to shoot for the stars here, because I finally have some confidence in myself, and in what I am doing, so why not aim high? So here are some of the goals I have for this project, as well as a few dreams for the future.

I want to try and adhere to some sort of schedule, because I know that will help me get more done. I also hope it will enable me to get a handle on my backlog of posts to write and games to play.
I want to play with the format of the blog and see what I can do with it, you know? I want to at least have a sidebar where I can list the games I am playing, which ones are next on the docket, and even what books I am reading. I love it when I can get a peak into the lives of the people I follow online, so why not do the same for the few of you who read this?
Since my girlfriend and I are really getting in boardgames, maybe I should start writing about them too? If nothing else, it will give me more to write about, which is a good thing. Plus, I am having a blast playing all these new games! A whole new world is opening up before my eyes, and I cannot get enough of them.
Now I know this is probably never going to happen, but here me out: imagine if at one point I could make a couple of bucks doing this? Not enough to quit my job or anything like that, but enough to maybe pay for a game or two. I think that would be awesome, but this is not something I am going to worry about, because I am doing this for fun first and foremost. But hey, a man can dream!

Here is to 2026

I am looking forward to what this year is going to have in store for not only me but for this blog too. I am looking forward to the games I am going to play, and the thoughts I am going to share. For once in my life, I am feeling really good about what is to come! I am also excited to write more, not just for the blog but also a story here and there; I have been told more than a few times that I have a bit of talent when it comes to words, so instead of squandering it and feeling bad about myself and what I am doing, I am going to work on my craft and give myself some grace.

To the few of you who are reading this, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, because it means so much to me that you are joining me on this journey. I hope you decide to stick with me not only through 2026, but also well into the future! So here is to an amazing new year of gaming, writing, and generally feeling better about myself.

Checkpoint #1