I am doing something I do not think I’ve ever done before. I am going to reflect on my past year.
My last year had a lot of highs and a lot of lows. It all kind of seems like a blur, to be honest. However, I will do my best to touch on some things that happened.
For starters, I FINALLY watched Lord of the Rings. This is crucial because, while we were dating, many people jokingly told my husband, “How can you date her?! She hasn’t seen LOTR!” I won’t lie, I resisted watching it for a while, but then, one random day, I decided to do so. (In fact, that’s how many things go for me–I resist for years, then randomly take the plunge.)
And let me tell you, I committed to it. We watched the extended version–and most of the special features included with it! It took time, no doubt, but it was so fun! Even though the story is depressing at times, I would definitely watch it again. I liked it a lot.
My favorite character was Gimli. I resonated with his small stature and feisty spirit. As I’m sure, like many people, I really liked Gandalf. He was so wholesome and such a pivotal part of Frodo’s journey. LOTR wouldn’t be the same without him!
I am hoping to read it one day, too, but I am in no rush, as that is 1,000 plus pages. Truthfully, I hope for it to be something I watch once a year. I know that may not happen. Regardless, if a friend asks me if I want to watch it, I’ll definitely say yes!
I cut off 16 plus inches of my hair! That might be the most I’ve ever cut off. When I cut it, it was definitely time. My hair was so long that it was bothering me. I actually need to get another haircut. I want to stick with my short hair for a little while longer. Knowing me, I’ll absolutely have it very long again one day. But, for now, I am really enjoying the short do.
As you can see from last week’s image, I discovered the wonderful world of AI images this year. I seriously love creating the images. It is so fun trying to figure out the exact words you need to prompt the AI to create an image you have in your head. Sometimes, it takes a lot of effort, but it is so worth it for that one-of-a-kind, extra-special image.
I discovered AI is a lot better at creating images of animals than it is at creating those of people. Images of my precious Maltese are far more adorable and realistic than those of myself sometimes. Nevertheless, sometimes, the AI surprises me and the image looks so much like me that it is eerie…and just so fascinating!
Regardless, I guarantee you, it’ll be a long time before I tire of creating those images. There are just so many possibilities. And I think it is such a fun outlet for the creative side of me. I promise this will be the last time you see AI images from me, but I wanted to show some of my most favorite creations. However, narrowing it down is nearly impossible!
Speaking of creativity, I unexpectedly got to do some freelance writing this year, which was such a fun surprise. I had the honor and privilege of interviewing and writing an article about a local artist. When I was a news reporter, I absolutely loved interviewing people. It was my favorite part of the whole process.
Needless to say, I deeply enjoyed interviewing this artist and writing an article about her! I hope to do more freelance work in 2024, but if I don’t, I’ll deeply cherish my experience. It was so much fun to step back into my newspaper world for a little bit again.
This one is a little silly, but it is worth mentioning. I got my first-ever ball cap this year! I have wanted one for a very long time. Fittingly, I got one from my favorite local coffee shop. I feel so cool with it. I think it fits me and my personality quite well. Something tells me I might start a collection of ball caps from my favorite coffee shops…and I am not mad about that one bit!
Lastly, this is a very recent development in my past year. Nevertheless, it is a very important one. I learned how to make one of my husband’s favorite Christmas treats! Not many people may know about it, but it is called Tiger Butter.
It is quite easy to make with a few ingredients, including peanut butter, chocolate, almond bark, and coconut oil. It is mainly mixing, melting, stirring, and pouring. The longest part is waiting for the treat to set in the fridge! Needless to say, I already have plans to make it myself next year.
There you have it. These are some of my highlights from this year. Obviously, I had much more happen, both good and bad, but these moments stand out–big and small. I would love to hear from you! What were some of your highlights this year? Did you try something new? Did you learn anything? Let me know!
Blessings,
Renata
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Thank you dearly for taking time out of your lives to read my blog! Your support means the world to me. I praise God you found this blog, whether you stumbled upon it accidentally or sought it out intentionally.
I’d LOVE to hear from you all! Feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me at coffee.soothes.the.soul@gmail.com.
I pray God would bless you and be with you always, no matter where you find yourselves in life.
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He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. – Romans 4:25 (NIV).