"life is what happens when you are making other plans" blogs in review

So, at the end of January instead of the end of December; I am going to summarize my year of 2015- the year when everything changed. Also I am using Ross Marquand as my segues. 
So what happened to Mike in 2015?
Here is a quick summary in order of what comes to mind but not in any sense of order otherwise ( I am a man- get over it)

1. I went home: I had not planned on going. My mother hatched this mad scheme and right up to December I was - sure go back to South Africa, I am moving to Greensboro to make a new life. Then it occurred to me that this was an opportunity not to be missed so I put my plan to move to Greensboro on hold and went home. I have written about it elsewhere but let me say this, I found myself and another me that I had no idea that I was until I stood on a road in the Cape and realized that for the first time in my life- I knew what restlessness was- not only that, but also I have been restless all my life, just not knowing what it was.
2. I did not move to Greensboro. I will not blame the likely suspects (the plan had been headed south almost as soon as I started making it. Foolish me just could not see all the evidence until I stood on that road in the Cape a million miles from where I thought I would be.
3. I renegotiated my contract with the church and changed my job into something wholly new, something that allow me to travel in the future which leads me to the next resolution
4. To travel, to understand the restlessness that fills my soul, the decision to take that restlessness and see the world (my plan to do this is not going well but at least it is going). 

and then...

1. To start to realize my writing, to change how and why I wrote and where. to take a long look at blogging and fiction, to find out that meetups and hope for response was mostly futile and that the only one I could rely on was still me. To try to expand the website only to realize (yet again) that websites are a thing of the past- seriously no one roams the web anymore- mostly they stick to the social sites and little else outside of social apps.
2. To understand that while I have loved women, that I have never been and yet to find out what it is like to be in love with a woman (homosexuality is out and pet-love is overrated at worst - underrated at best...unless you have treats). To know that I would want to be in love more than a lot of things- just not anything (need focus and sanity more than love).
3. I learned that I am one person with many layers (like the proverbial onion analogy from Shrek) that despite remembering parts of a blocked past and a hurt child that I am one persona not tow or more. That I am inherently good and kind and compassionate but also sly, sardonic and a wiseass/smartass but not a jerk.
4. I learned yet again that social dating sites are mostly just a rip off and that finding the one I will love will not be there. 
5. That I can daydream again. This is huge for me, I lost the ability to coherently daydream several years ago and just figured that it was a part of growing older/up/mature. I did not realize how integral it was to my sense of well being and creativity.  That in the end it would determine if I could turn to Patreon to go to the next phase of my overall plan (no, it's my plan so I won't be divulging it).

and then. 

• I bought a 2013 Town & Country Van and sold my soul to start paying the MAN for it (and by MAN I mean MOM)
• I spent more time with my father, got to know my cousin Sam better (we hadn't really ever talked much) traveled a lot of places between Luttrell and DC. Found out how much I need the road and distance from Luttrell for my own sense of sanity. Listened to several awesome audiobooks (thanks audible).
• I learned to value my own opinion and fear getting my own persona overridden by others (which happens a lot...i.e. the move to Greensboro, sorry bro). I learned a lot about how easy it is for me to get suckered by other peoples belief structures, POVS and likes and dislikes. How I much steel myself on my own sense of empathy if I am to remain true to my self and my own plans (sorry mom). 
• I also learned that I am awfully close to getting stuck in a lifestyle I don't want or need but still feel obligated to live (sorry Mike- keep trying dude). 
• I did not finish my last book project for my mother (got another week or two though)

and then.

Now that was pretty much it. 
save for:

• Warcraft: what is it good for? Pretty much nuthin save a money hole of basic boredom until the next expansion comes out...jeez "naval battles" what was I thinking?
• Fallout 4: Sim City in the Wasteland....yeah baby! Also I am in love with Piper. There I said it. 
• Star Wars. Sorry EU but I like Star Wars again. There I said it.
• Obama: Still my favorite president. let shots be fired and ignored.
• Health Insurance: Gosh it's good to be insured save for monthly premiums, of course- and deductibles. 
• Music: Walk off the Earth and Walking the Moon and non- main stream music and youtube over spotify and pandora.
• Satellite Radio - awesome until you spend a weekend listening to it and realize they are playing the same programs over and over again.
• X-Box One... Destiny sucks (especially networking), Not using it much anymore. Glad I didn't buy the PS4 (yet). Mostly underwhelmed by it.
• The PC is still king (for me)
• and now my moments of zen.

and that was 2015 according to Mike.....well the highlights really.

HOW TO SELF CARE?!

The Year in Awesome....just got to share these things when they come up

And we are back with the recaps of all the good things in life since we mostly see or experience the bad everyday.
Let us all stop and see that life can be awesome and amazing without the constant need for chaos and strife. Let the awesome otherness begin:

here's a list of all that awesomeness:
The playlist of 506 videos used for BOW8: http://bit.ly/1TTpD04

and the replay of the very brief youtube stars

and that was the year 2015 (the good stuff anyways) according to mike.