2021 was a mixed bag for me but, writing-wise, it was good. I completed my longest work of fiction yet. I also ghost-edited two novels (practically re-wrote one of them). And for the first time in my life, I got paid professionally.
Can’t forget that I also earned my Bachelor’s degree (which I thought would bring about great change in my life, but so far, it really hasn’t).
I started this blog in June of last year with the aim of completing a novel. That led to investigating why I have so much trouble completing my writing projects in the first place.
Am I getting any closer to the magic answer I seek?
I think so. It feels like if I keep blogging here, complete stories will find ways to manifest themselves in my life. Meanwhile, I’m sharing this quest with you in hopes that it might help you along on your journey as well.
Things have been strange and uncertain for me lately, and that trend continues. For instance, this month is the very last month I’ll be living in my current home. Keep in mind this is the first house I’ve ever owned, and it’s here that I raised my two children.
Countless memories are associated with this place, including the very tree featured in this blog’s banner, spending a summer rebuilding a garage with my dad, and the entire life and passing of our beloved basset hound. (I’m not an overkill “pet person” like so many people tend to be these days, but trust me when I say he was one of the good ones.)
What’s more, I have no idea where we’re going to move. I know that’s not normal, but it’ll be an adventure. This year’s sure to be filled with surprises, both good and bad. My life will be shaken up. And I face this uncertainty with excitement for what it may bring.
We’ve explored many topics together since I started this blog, from the science of neural pathways, to plumbing the depths of the occult, to, well, not exactly mind-altering drugs, but potentially mind-enhancing ones.
Speaking of which, it’s been a little over a week since I’ve started my nootropics experiment. Some say it takes three-to-four weeks to see results.
So.
Have I seen any results so far? What about side-effects?
I did get a bit of a head rush about fifteen minutes after my first dose of Lion’s Mane, but that hasn’t happened since. It felt a bit like a headache, but without any pain. A very odd sensation I’d never felt before.
I’ve also noticed a marked and undeniable decrease in my appetite. I’m less likely to snack throughout the day, so hopefully I’m losing weight. (To be honest, weight loss alone would make this regimen worth the investment.)
A few times, I’ve gotten a large burst of energy, even to the point where I felt the need to exercise it off immediately. (And that’s exactly what I did. But next time, I should probably try to write it out of my system…) Unfortunately, this “burst of energy” is not a daily thing.
I do also feel calmer than usual. Bad news is less likely to set me off.
For example, my laptop took an unfortunate fatal nosedive from the couch while I wasn’t around, and finding this out didn’t bother me at all like it normally would. My typical reaction would’ve probably been moping around the house, griping a bit. But I took the news from my family in stride.
After a few failed efforts to repair the laptop, I received a replacement just in time for the new year (despite the holidays and all the shipping/supply-chain rigamarole). What’s more, my children received their first laptop from Santa, and I’ve been spending a good deal of time teaching them how to use it.
In general, I’ve been enjoying spending more time with my family and away from my personal pet projects, but that could just be because we’re about to move and it’s making me feel extra-sentimental. Or maybe this is just what I would’ve done anyway. Hard to say.
Other than that, things have been…let’s just say…neuro-typical. I’ve written slightly more often than usual, but I can’t say there’s been a noticeable increase in productivity yet. Let’s just hope that “three-to-four weeks” thing pans out. (And, Dear Lord, I just realized I won’t even be living here by the time that hits.)
Nick Enlowe 