2023: An Honest Review

For the first ten months, I applied and interviewed for several jobs that were in my field of Professional Communications. Positions such as Content Creator, Communications Specialist, Digital Media Specialist, PR Coordinator, Marketing Assistant, Communications Coordinator, Social Media Assistant/Intern, you name it.

Unfortunately, I had little success in landing one. I was often bombarded with emails that would basically tell me, "Thanks but no thanks." Or, "The job has been filled." Or even, "We've decided to not forward with the job at all."

The barrage of rejections was just one part of the heartbreak.

The other adds more to it.

I never got the chance to advance in my former workplace. Nothing against that place, but the missed opportunity proved to be quite painful for me.

For a brief time, that was 2023 in a nutshell for me. Well, that was the case. Until earlier this month. When I finally landed something after so many tries.

I landed a job at the Ringling and the possibilities are unlimited!

Prior to that, 2023 was clearly a stepping stone and a half. In terms of experience. I'm going to summarize everything in lists of highlights and lowlights.

Highlights:

Damar Hamlin's story

Barbenheimer

Super Mario Brothers being a big deal at the box office

Guardians of the Galaxy wrapping up their story. Outside of Marvel's quality taking a monster nosedive, those Guardians did something good.

Picking up pickleball and beach volleyball

Volunteering for Bayside in different sets (BayPro during church services, writing devotionals, taking pictures of baptism) actually gave me something to talk about for a long time

After getting off my parents' insurance, I became a driver with my OWN car

Getting to drive on my own, although there are still some complications with traffic and convenience

I got to go to some functions in town with my age group. That's always a step in the right direction.

The Knights win the Stanley Cup over a true underdog, the Florida Panthers

The XFL completes a season for the first time since 2001 (of course, the shortened 2020 campaign is excluded. Thanks COVID), but news on their merger with the USFL seem a bit vague and scattered.

F1 hits Vegas. Max Verstappen wins pretty much everything. However, it seems that the hype is dying off the same way NASCAR's did.

Michigan, Washington, Texas, and...Bama are the Final Four of the CFP

UConn and LSU win March Madness

Caitlin Clark puts Iowa women's basketball on the map.

Lowlights:

Damar Hamlin almost losing his life

Reboots. Lots of 'em.

Holidays occasionally stopped feeling like holidays - That will soon change

Through most of the year, I worked evening shifts. It made going to functions with my age group quite difficult.

The Aaron Rodgers in New York experience ending the minute it began

My Birds losing the Super Bowl thanks to that B.S. call against James Bradberry. I know, it's just a game, but it still hurts. In the fall, they sizzled with some flaws. But now, their mojo has fizzled and there is lots of drama going on with them.

The Braves losing their mojo in the NLDS for the second year in a row

The Spurs having disappeared into irrelevance. All they have is Wembo and that's it. The supporting cast is minimal. Bright note, they're not the Pistons.

While I have planned by content accordingly, my activity seemed to have quieted down. Mostly due to my hectic schedule. Hopefully, I'll get back it in 2024.

DC trying to do anything. Nope.

The Rays see their mojo disappear into nothingness as they get swept in the Wild Card

Lots of heavy hitters in the entertainment world die. Chandler Bing, Captain Holt, Tina Turner, Jimmy Buffett, Pee-Wee Herman, Tony Bennett, Bob Barker, Jerry Springer, the guy who sang all the songs for Shrek, Jim Brown, Dick Butkus, Willis Reed, and many more.

Florida State being left out of the CFP - which really, really needs expanding

Still single at the moment.

And, oh yeah, that thing with Travis Kelce and the woman that has been on 99.9% of pop culture today.

Biggest Surprises:

Outside of guys like C.J. Stroud and backup QBs shocking everyone (with Joe Flacco having a resurgence of his own), I would need to focus on the events that happened in my life. That being the Ringling giving me a chance to shine. I couldn't be more grateful for that! It's great to root for the underdog and some first-time champs prove to be no exception. (e.g.: Rangers, Nuggets, etc.)

The D-Backs going to the World Series was colossal too

The Lions and Browns both hit ten wins, with the former winning their first NFC North since 1993. That's a long time.

The Sacramento Kings proved to the world that they exist

The Minnesota Twins win a playoff series

The New York Knicks proved they exist too

The Orlando Magic are proving they exist too

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder are surprisingly good?!

The Toronto Maple Leafs win a playoff series

The Seattle Kraken win a playoff series

The Baltimore Orioles had a nice resurgence, winning the AL East. Only to fizzle out in the ALDS.

Texas State, South Alabama, James Madison, Tulane, Jacksonville State, and others make their presence felt in the football world.

Northwestern overcomes a nasty offseason to win a bowl game

Others:

After beating Ohio State thanks to a missed field goal at midnight on NYE, Georgia obliterates TCU to win the Natty

March Madness - FDU, Princeton, FAU, San Diego State, Furman, and many more.

NASCAR tries their hand at street racing in Chicago. And creates more chaos with their current format.

The Columbus Crew win the MLS Cup. Other soccer champions include Manchester City and Bayern Munich. I don't really watch soccer, but I thought I would include soccer here.

IndyCar crowns their champion one race early, but they're facing an uncertain future of their own.

What I Learned From 2023:

Patience.

The #1 key that I need in life in order to:

Meet the woman of my dreams

Get married

Continue to take as many opportunities as possible

Get the confidence I need to go to places on my own

Do it all with much less issue

To develop a thick skin

In that contest I entered, I submitted two entries. One fiction, the other nonfiction. They both got pretty harsh reviews. The judges that were in the former section didn't like my method of storytelling. The judges for the other contest pointed out several errors in my writing on that article. This experience taught me how people can seem critical of anything I do, regardless of which industry I want to be in. The practice of editing worked wonders for me when I was in my Masters program. So what better way to impress the experts than to give them what they want.

Improvement is key

In terms of communication, of course. When a beautiful woman asks me, "Where's your wife?" I would not walk out. I would try and get things flowing in the right direction. This can count as my New Year's Resolution.

TikTok is a never-ending headache, but it has a secret to getting figured out.

Montana tried banning the app altogether, but the plans fell through. Congress declared the move unconstitutional and a violation of free speech. If I want to give it another go, I would have to use the app reasonably to produce content and monitor activity while not necessarily using it for gimmicks. 95% of the app consists of that and other trash. Same thing for all social media. So we need to use it wisely if we choose to use the app.

For the millionth time, NO politics:

2023 has been the year of DeSantis, the Hamas going at it against Israel, and the rise of AI. There are lots of politics involved in those things. Let's focus on the fun of those things while not necessarily involving that topic.

Conclusion:

Right now, I'm in a better place now than where I was this time last year. A new job, a new church, a slowly-evolving social life, and a great outlook on the road ahead. I was a bit disappointed that some of the goals that I wanted to accomplish in 2023 didn't come to fruition, but I know that I need to let patience take the lead in my life in order to get to where I want to go. A few bugs would be fixed and as the Carousel of Progress said, "There's a great big, beautiful tomorrow just a dream away."

Well, that settles it. Happy New Year's everyone!