2025-12-31
• yearnotes • 1693 words
2025 is over, and it's been a good year, I would say, in all. Keeping in the tradition of writing yearnotes, here it is for 2025.
As last year, this year has been very busy. I've accomplished a fair bit, I would say, but also a lot has changed.
I'll highlight some of things that happened this year. It might not be everything, but so be it.
After seeing my first opera (Eugene Onegin) in late 2024, I have begun to go a lot more. In fact, I don't really have a count of how many operas I have seen this year, but at some points I was seeing two or three a week!
I've also seen some ballets, and went to see a lot more music. Particularly, I have found that I am listening to classical music a lot. It's been really good, and feels like a new hobby I've sparked up.
Music has, as above, definitely become a bigger part of my life. I've kept up playing the mandolin all of this year, and really enjoy it! In September, I joined a mandolin ensemble, which meets monthly. I absolutely love it, and want to carry on going next year.
Whilst I've certainly not been so studious as last year, I have carried it on, and completed the IF2, meaning that I have now completed the Cert CII. I have also begun studying the M05 Insurance Law, as a part of my Dip CII, which will take a few years to complete. It's very dull, and stressful as I am somewhat behind on it, but nonetheless worthwhile.
Here is somewhat a point of failure. I did not go to the allotment very much at all this year, and mostly just tided it over. My parents have taken over a good deal and are doing a very good job. Most of my section this year was fairly bare, and even my potatoes didn't produce anything (actually, they fruited instead!). I feel the allotment is somewhat slipping away as a hobby I can do, given there is so much else to do in life. As such, for next year, I really want just to have some perennials, and some flower borders, and maybe a few easy crops. I have also planted a good deal of spring and summer bulbs (daffodils, hyacinths, tulips...).
In the garden, the border I created in 2024 grew quite well. I did not sow anything, rather relied on the seeds from last year to come through. They did, resulting in a mass of calendula, sunflowers, cornflowers, and nasturtiums. A kohl rabi I left there from the year before entered its second year, and flowered profusely (with radish-like flowers, very delicate and pretty).
The lower section of the garden was rife with amaranth where I scattered some spent heads about, which was rather pretty in its own way. Underneath, a few strawberries also make some decent growth.
Still, happy in all. It's become less important to me in life, but I still enjoy it a bit where I can.
I had planned to read 24 books, and had even gone so far as to specify what those books would be. I didn't read those, and ended up reading 25 in all:
A decent selection! Still, next year I want to read more.
So, I wanted to use the phone less this year. Actually, I made a very good start, because I went a full month at the beginning using the phone for less than 25 minutes per day!
And it deteriorated over time. In fact, at certain points during the year, my screentime was close to seven hours. This was largely not active use, and was instead me leaving the screen on as I listened to Modern Wisdom or the like whilst working. Still, it's a lot.
It is therefore back "out of control". Still, next year, I am going to try reign it in a bit more, and in fact will be a little stricter than before, I do hope.
Talking of the phone: I actually broke my previous phone on a holiday this year. I had had it for some eight years, and so had to find a new one. I struck upon a Oneplus something-or-other, which has the ability for the phone to be rooted and loaded with LineageOS, which I have done. It only cost £91, too. Bargain.
In a similar vein to the phone (i.e. vice), I managed to quit nail-biting this year. It was a great difficulty and first, and then I managed to go several months without, and then started again, and then stopped, went several months without and eventually got to a state where I was painting my nails regularly to prove I had succeeded, and then... started biting again. At present, they are not terribly short but also have not had the chance they should have to get to grow long. They are still being bitten a fair bit.
Still, I am happy about making the kind of dent in this vice that I have. It's a great success.
I did not go to the gym much. In the beginning I had resolved to use weights at home instead, but found I did not do that after a while. Then, I purchased again the gym membership late into the year, however have not used it much of at all.
I've lost and then regained weight. It's my usual pattern. Hey ho.
So, this year, I began to do more dating events, such as those from BODA or Haystack Dating in London, and am also on the dating apps. Specifically, Hinge and Breeze. Frankly... I am not getting much success on either. My problem is that I don't really have many photos of myself, because I do not take any, and of course whilst others might, I do not have access to them.
Still, not a major concern. It's good to go to them also just to build up my confidence a little.
In February, I went to the Buddhist temple in Watford for a week. This was a part of the Be A Monk challenge. Honestly, it was downright lovely, but I by this point have essentially returned to my normal life. Still, I really appreciate the people there. All wonderful people. I do also see the Hare Krsna people about town a bit more now. I suppose it might be growing as a movement, or I am just more aware of it.
In July, we had the usual Cornwall trip, though this time was to Newquay instead. Good fun as usual with friends.
In October I believe, me and a friend of mine went to Cardiff for a few days. We largely walked about, visited the castle, etc. but it was all good fun. I feel in a way me and him are drifting apart, but it is good to see him still.
Just before Christmas, I went with another friend to Amsterdam for a few days. My first time there and his too, it was great fun. A few nights out on the town, walking about a lot, etc. I want to go back there on my own for the cultured sights, and also will likely go back with him and some others in 2026 for King's Day.
I notice how, at the end of 2024, I wanted 2025 to be a more minimal, more focussed year, and decided in advance the ways that I would do that. In 2025 now, I am thinking I want 2026 to be a smaller, more focussed year, and am wondering how I can do that. It seems I always want the same thing, and never achieve it fully, so am always a little dissatisfied. Yet, I also know that what I want to achieve is inherently dissatisfying, so even if I achieve it, I won't be happy. It's a difficult one, but I think it is still worth pursuing.
So, I'm not going to specify how so concretely, but I think I need to still have the same goal in mind, whilst realising that it doesn't matter too much if I achieve it or not. I need to live my life. Still, I also want to be able to look back and say I've achieved things.
I am writing a 26 for 2026 with goals, so I suppose that can be what I want to achieve. Much of it will change, I suppose though. The same general goals as last year apply: Study, Fitness (like, actually. I tend to lose weight and then gain it back again, and have done that some twice this year), Music, Reading, and so on.
I think the good thing this year is that I have, largely, been happier. Yes, I have had quite severe depressive moments. In March, I lost an entire evening to depression at one point. And now in December, I am beginning to have times where my mood seems to suddenly drop. Yet, that is what it is. In all, I am much happier, I do think. That cannot be understated.
It was a good year. I found new hobbies, found new people, make a good dent on some of my vices, and progressed a bit. Sure, it wasn't perfect, but that is life. I can't beat myself up about it too much.
I told myself I would probably be happier this year than last, and that's come true. I really hope that next year, I can say the same, and also say that I've made good progress.
Anyways. That's all. Merry Christmas, and a happy 2026.