January 2026 - gratitude

A new year, a new dawn—or so you think. In reality, it’s mostly just me being a kind of Raggedy Ann. Sometimes I find myself losing patience, but I must say that stress or anger never lingers long. I sleep like a log; only when my restless legs act up am I woken in the night. The latest iPhones come with wellness music, and I’m loving it!

I am so thankful for the friends in my mobile‑gaming community who willingly put up with my bragging and help me achieve my gaming goals. Over the past decade, some have been kind enough to buy me a team badge, purchase plush toys for me while traveling, bake me a cake, and introduce me to their friends coming from overseas. Being able to continually make new friends through this mobile‑gaming platform feels like a miracle—it has enriched my life in countless ways. I’m now gradually extending my circle to local groups and to people I meet on social media.

I have cycled through many professional networking groups to date. Each one has opened my eyes to hidden worlds that I would otherwise never have had a chance to discover because of infrequent interaction. The library tours with the Infomanics group from the technical school were a blast. The Friday‑morning social‑media group showed me the broader landscape of the gig economy and startup space in Victoria. The New GLAMR group was a great experiment, and I got to meet several new professionals in our information industry. These individuals actually write and publish articles in professional journals. The New Cardigan group expands beyond our profession to include private collectors, “para‑professionals” building their own worlds, and uniquely skilled individuals. The nuance of playing a game without a board or electronic console was an eye‑opener. I also learned to turn the demands placed on us into opportunities. Professional networking has greatly expanded my mind and my understanding of the world around me.

I have signed up to two more professional groups in the last year, but I have not had much time to get involved in many of the activities. I can imagine great things to come.


   

January 2026 - a small reflection

New Year, old issues.

I still need to look into better ways of handling people with short tempers and shutting them down even faster—especially family members.

For instance, Sis.

When Sis comes home, she has to complain—no, not maybe—about how people have treated her wrong in some way, even indirectly (e.g., staring at her, sitting next to her), or about a mishandled food, drink, or online‑shopping order. It’s usually one of those three things.

When you sit down in the same room as her—even silently and for just a brief moment—Sis will suddenly start talking about how judgmental her former high‑school friends and volunteer colleagues were. It comes out of the blue. Shortly afterward she claims you don’t understand her point, even though I haven’t said a word. This happens despite the fact that no one has spoken to her in the past 20 years. 

On the last few trips to rural areas and across state lines, Sis becomes agitated, saying the journey prevents her from meeting a lover. Those men know how to gaslight a lonely woman; they repeatedly dupe her into feeling guilty and agreeing to meet. When Sis returns home, those men stop messaging her for long periods—sometimes years.

Overall, I don’t see the appeal. I refuse to justify anyone else’s behavior. No one wants to deal with a short‑tempered individual.