Don’t worry be happy? Please?

2016 has been a real bummer of a year so far.  Whether it’s been the news of a beloved musician/actor/celebrity’s untimely passing, the crap circus that’s been the American presidential race, natural disasters all over the world, mass shootings, discriminatory laws being passed, or anything else that’s hell-bent on turning 2016 into a constant stream of bad news.

So I’m going to take this small opportunity in this small corner of the internet to talk about things in 2016 that have made me happy.  These will be things that have already happened and upcoming things I’m really excited about.  If you’ve been reading the blog regularly, these will be things that I’ve likely mentioned before, but with the year turning into a steady stream of negativity I thought it would be nice to shed some light on an otherwise dark 2016.

Things in 2016 I’m happy about: – HITMAN.  I’ve been enjoying this game more than I thought I would.  I played the crap out of the Paris level, and I’ve been sinking my teeth into Sapienza over the last few days.  This is gruesome, guilty-pleasure fun for me. – NXT Lowell.  What a spectacular show.  What a spectacular time for me and my wife.  I’m especially happy about that show because it was a birthday present to my wife, and even though her favorite wrestler lost the title(!) that night, we were both witness to an unprecedented happening in the world of pro-wrestling and we can say “we were there!” whenever anyone talks about it. – There’s a new Gojira album coming out in June.  I love Gojira.  They released a song from the album this past week and oh man is “Stranded” magnificent and brutal.  I cannot wait for more new material from these guys. – The 2016 convention circuit.  The news around the world may be terrible, but the conventions we’ve attended so far have been some of the most fun we’ve had in years.  A big factor has been the growing momentum of STAR POWER.  With two completed stories in book form, it’s clear that we have long-term plans for our hero and people are willing to give us a try.  There’s also been a palpable energy in the air, from big shows like Anime Boston and Katsucon to the smaller shows like ConBust, and we feed off those positive vibes. – Exercising.  I’m 36 and in the best shape of my life.  I’m no physical specimen and I won’t be competing in any bodybuilding contests, but I feel better than I’ve ever felt before.  I don’t have the bulky muscle that my father and brother have, but I don’t hate how I look with my shirt off or when I’m wearing shorts, so that’s something I’m proud of.  Eight months in and a lifetime to go.  Let’s do this. – I love being a dad and my son is the coolest little guy ever.  He’s just starting to walk, he’s trying more solid foods (some attempts are more successful than others), and we think we even got a first word out of him!  I had a rocky start being a work-from-home dad, but these days I am freaking loving it. – I had a bad, bad falling-out with some friends of mine over the summer, and in 2016 that wound was reopened in a heartbreaking manner.  That’s nothing to be happy about in 2016 but I choose to look on the bright side, and that bright side is my friends and family who really helped me up when my spirits were down in the dumps.  The whole ordeal brought on a major bout of depression, but it was in that darkness that I was reminded how much my family and friends love me.  That is something to be happy about, and something I will always remember when the shadows of depression loom on my horizon.  They’ll always be there, but the light and love of family and friends will always come with the sunrise. – I discovered a recipe for homemade tahini salad dressing that rocks my socks off.

There will always be bad news and 2016 seems to be feeding us an unending stream of it, but if you choose to remember the good things… whether it’s the love of your family and friends or just tasty salad dressing… you’ll find some light in otherwise dark times.