Life got away from me in 2025 and kept me in an increasing state of overwhelm.
I was thinking of listing everything out, month by month, but this post would be much too long. I was thinking about posting The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, but that felt depressing and was still too long. I'm sure I'll post more details later about the past year and how this downward slope actually started in 2024. For now though I'll post a few highlights, in no particular order.
* I submitted stories 32 times to various places, including contests and grants. Two of those were published (one in <a href="https://commuterlit.com/2025/09/thursday-glad-you-called/">Sept. 2025</a>, the other in <a href="https://everydayfiction.com/a-not-so-simple-recipe-by-danielle-cormier/">Jan. 2026</a>)
* In October I averaged walking 6,519 steps per day or 2.7 miles on average. My highest day was Oct, 4; I took 21,278 steps or walked 9 miles.
* My hours, and therefore pay, were decreased in the beginning of the year.
* From mid-May to mid-July, we had to move out due to work being done in the apartment. One sister took us in for the majority. Another sister took us in for the final week. We stayed at a hotel for a couple days in between. We were (and still are) living in a sea of boxes due to having been moved out in May-July so Thanksgiving and later Christmas were celebrated a little differently in 2025.
* The office where I've worked forever closed abruptly the end of September. I worked through Oct. 2.
* In the process of trying to close and clean out a 50+ year practice within a month, I injured my right arm. My right shoulder is still frozen.
* I started a Go Fund me in September: <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/danielles-difficult-year">Funds to See Me Through</a> (One friend donated twice. She is the total of the donations I received. She's amazing.)
* The timing of the job loss was terrible due to the financial losses, but it was also a blessing in disguise. My dad fell the next week and was in the hospital all through October. I was able to visit with him every day.
* Unemployment denied me (even though I'd been working the same job - full-time - for decades), and I had to appeal.
* My dad passed away in November. We were there at the hospital holding his hands.
* The people outside of the family who knew my dad spoke of his kindness. Also, being told your dad was a "cool cat" by the younger people he interacted with was pretty awesome.