2025 Wrap-Up

If I were to sum up 2025 in a phrase, I might call it "trial by fire."  This year saw great improvements in my handling of my workload and resulted in a much better work-life balance; however, it wasn't exactly smooth.  Challenges of all kinds were peppered through the year -- health challenges, financial challenges, technical challenges, mental health challenges, scheduling challenges, etc. -- but my year-end report card shows more and better successes than on many previous years.

I can't deny that it was a good year.  I am just a much harder grader of myself than of my students.  In last year's wrap-up, I said, "Let's all have a fantastic 2025 full of happiness, health, hope, and headway."  If that were the criterion, then I definitely passed!

Physical Health
Walking and biking distance goal	A (100%)
Weight loss goal	F (40%)
Financial Health
Savings goal	D (68%)
Debt reduction goal	A (100%)
Life Balance
Reading goal The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving Berenice - Edgar Allen Poe The Masque of the Red Death - Edgar Allen Poe The Dunwich Horror - H.P. Lovecraft The Murders in the Rue Morgue - Edgar Allen Poe When Cats Had Wings - Karen A. Dahlman Dark Air - Terry Carnation Metzengerstein - Edgar Allen Poe Ligeia - Edgar Allen Poe The Black Cat - Edgar Allen Poe The Curse of Calen Taur - Paul Sharville The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion - Edgar Allen Poe	A (100%)
Video game frequency goal Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord Until You Fall Vader Immortal: Episode I Vader Immortal: Episode II Vader Immortal: Episode III Rez Infinite Flames & Fortune Immortal Planet Cat Quest Dig Deep Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge Space Pirate Trainer Power Force Pixel Dungeon: Dungeon Pixel Dungeon: Library In Death: Unchained Pioneer: Endless Journey Pixel Dungeon: Ruins Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit Star Wars: Battlefront II Classic Dungeon Defenders Dungeon Adventure Pixel Dungeon: Time Rift Sam & Max: This Time It's Virtual	A (100%)
Board/card game goal Wingspan Payday Stormvault Fate: Defenders of Grimheim Sorry! Trailblazer: JMT Project L Scooby-Doo! The Ghost Clown Scooby-Doo! The Creeper Castle Ravenloft: The Final Transformation Horrified: American Monsters - Banshee and Bigfoot Horrified: Universal Monsters - Mummy and Invisible Man Dark Tomb: Crypts of Aurelian: Chamber of Decay Dark Tomb: Crypts of Aurelian: Catacombs Dark Tomb: Crypts of Aurelian: Oram's Tomb Sequence Dark Tomb: Bloodthorn Island: South Docks Dark Tomb: Bloodthorn Island: Shadow River Dark Tomb: Bloodthorn Island: Bloodthorn Island Horrified: Universal Monsters - Frankenstein and Creature CoraQuest: The Great Teapot Caper Bag of Dungeon Betrayal at House on the Hill Betrayal at Mystery Mansion Demon Ship Horrified: Greek Monsters - Medusa and Siren Dark Tomb: The Ice Chasers: Azur Tavern Dark Tomb: The Ice Chasers: Mountainside Dark Tomb: The Ice Chasers: Khordon's Pass Dark Tomb: The Ice Chasers: The Ice Cavern Sequence Dice Horrified: World of Monsters - Yeti and Sphinx Dice Conquest Horrified: American Monsters - Mothman and Ozark Howler Back to the Future: Dice Through Time Castle Panic Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Under Falling Skies - Roswell Mansions of Madness: Horrific Journeys - Murder on the Stargazer Majestic Tiny Epic Zombies - Greaser Zombie Shuffle Dungeons - Lunar Fox Legends of Sleepy Hollow - Class Dismissed Paranormal - Tanin the Witch Haunted Halloween Horrified: Universal Monsters - Dracula and Wolf Man Horrified: Dungeons and Dragons - Displacer Beast and Beholder Junk Orbit Battle of Hoth Bag of Dungeon: The Lost Dungeons FUSE: Countdown Lucidity - Lady of Envy Proving Grounds Dead Men Tell No Tales Liar's Uno Shuffle Dungeons - Loot Lizard	A (100%)
Jigsaw puzzle goal	F (25%)
Music practice goal	F (8%)
Professional Development
Complete four hours of professional development	A (100%)
Complete Tenure Portfolio	A (100%)
Finish card interpreter	C (70%)
Finish game concierge	C (70%)
Finish Operation S.C.A.R.E.	F (30%)
Rebuild web site	C (70%)
Hobby Projects
Assemble Area 51 model	F (0%)
Epic Duels AI opponent	C (75%)
Improve game space	A (100%)
Reorganize office	B (80%)

Overall, it was a great year. Let's do it again in 2026, but better!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!