Musings in the Dark: 2021 Year End Wrap Up

1/04/2022

2021 Year End Wrap Up



2021 was fairly uneventful, compared to 2020.  We’re still dead-ass in a pandemic and Covid’s had two evolutions since then: the Delta Variant and the Omicron Variant.  Fortunately (at least I hope), I got vaccinated last summer before returning to Dakar.  As I said in my previous year end wrap-up, Covid has put the kibosh on my international travels. I had plans to go to Morocco and Portugal, but the whole mess of taking Covid tests before traveling for short trips wasn’t worth it to me.  


However, I did go home for the summer and had a blast. My bestie and I crossed something off the Bucket List: a trip to Paisley Park.  We got the Ultimate Tour, a 3-hour exploration of Prince’s house and studios. We got to see and hear things that no one else (other than other visitors and those who worked with Prince) had seen and heard. The one thing we thought we’d see was his urn (a friend of ours saw it when she visited a few years back), but it wasn’t on display for our tour.


We both shed tears–hers when we were watching old interviews; mine while watching concert footage in his 12,000-square foot concert hall. We sat in Prince’s VIP section and drank beverages that were chilled in his refrigerator and acted a plumb fool in the gift shop; shopping like we didn’t have bills to pay. It was worth every single dime. If you are a Funk Soldier serving in the Purple Army, then visiting Paisley Park is an absolute must.


Another thing I did in March 2021 was start a month-long tribute (similar to my Halloween celebrations) to all things science-fiction. I started with the The Twilight Zone, which is one of my favorite TV shows of all time.  I anticipate doing another type of celebration in July, but I have not yet decided what genre I would want to celebrate.  In October, for Horror 103, I did a Top 10 list of Black Horror Queens. I love doing these and I already know what’s going to be celebrated in March and in October.


Job-wise, everything is going well. I’m treated like a professional and am mostly left alone. This is so important to me. I’ve gotten so much better at my job and to have a certain level of security is everything to me. All things consistent, I plan to remain in Senegal for two or three more years. I’ve got retirement plans I have to think about and my job here has an excellent benefits program. It feels weird to be thinking about retirement at my (fairly and relatively young) age, but I don’t intend to work forever and I’d be foolish if I didn’t set money aside for my future. 


It is my dearest and most important dream to be a successful full-time author by the time I reach retirement age and that way, I’ll always be taken care of. I can write for the rest of my life. I’m certainly doing my part in that regard; I just wish sometimes that I had more help getting my name out there. But I will keep doing the things I know to do and one day, the right people will find me. I believe this wholeheartedly. 


Having said that, I’ve FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY published Devil’s Siren. It took so much time because I’ve been so busy with my job, relocating and all that. I had to do a full and complete rewrite, and that always takes me a couple of years. I got a brand-new cover, created by the gifted and talented DNogitsune, and I love it so much.



Getting
Devil’s Siren published now gives me leave and room to begin working on Entropy, my next novel.  I’ve been researching and world-building for the past two years (and this is just as fun as actually writing). I don’t know how long Entropy will be, but of course it won’t be anytime soon that it will be finished. It is going to take me a few years; just as it always does. Maybe by that time, things in my writing life will have lined up. I can only hope and pray.


Started thinking about dating again, and then (as always), I see posts and tweets on social media about how shitty the dating scene is and I just get tired thinking about having to navigate said scene. Even here in Senegal. I jumped on Tinder a while back to see if I would have any success, and the men who matched with me were trying to meet, connect, and date fifteen minutes after matching. It was overwhelming and I simply couldn’t handle that level of rigor. I mean, can I know your whole name and chat through the app for a couple of days before you know where I live? 


What I learned is that Senegalese men are allowed up to four wives, and they’re constantly on the prowl for wifey #1 or #2-4. I have no desire or inclination to be anyone’s wife. I just don’t have time for foolishness and drama. My tailor (somewhat) jokingly said I’d make a good second wife and I said before I thought, “No the fuck I wouldn’t!” I’m 60% sure I may have offended her, but saying that to me offended me. Sis got a whole ass husband and four sons, and she is always on her hustle because she's the one taking care of the boys.


I wish I mother fucking would.


Whoopi Goldberg famously said that she was single because “she didn’t want somebody in her house” (source) and I felt that on a fucking cellular level. I love the freedom I have. I don’t have to impress anybody and my life is peaceful. There was a time when it wasn’t, and I have learned to appreciate the difference.  I’m not about to mess up my peace of mind for anybody.


Well, that’s 2021 in a nutshell!  I hope that 2022 brings you, Dark Dilettantes, everything that you hope and wish for! Happy New Year!


6 comments:

  1. Your tailor wants you to be her husband's second wife. LOL!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry, that I am just getting around to commenting. I almost choked at your response to the tailor. I wonder what the qualifications is that a first wife looks for in a second wife? Sorry still laughing. I hope that you achieve literary success. I have read all of your published work and you are a fantastic storyteller.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Cice! I'm glad that you've stuck with me for so long! I know that my time will come and I need to be ready.

      Good question. I bet it is. Here I am free and unbothered and she's tasked with four kids and a husband. I feel for her, actually. She works so hard and looks so tired every time I see her.

      The rule is (and I don't think it's enforced) is that the husband must treat all his wives the same. If you buy first wife a Benz, then you have to do the same for the others.

      I've learned that the average Senegalese man is spoiled by mothers, aunts and sisters and that their eventual wife (wives) are expected to maintain that. Ain't a Senegalese man here that can convince me to get married. Fuck all that.

      Delete
    2. Amaya, would you date a Senegalese man?

      Delete
    3. I’m not going to say I wouldn’t, but I’m certainly not putting myself out there to be found either. It’s one of those situations where he would have to fit into my existence; someone I see on the regular. And he’d have to be exceptional. Either way, marriage is not in my plans. I don’t like Dakar that much.

      Delete

Thanks for commenting. Please be sure to leave a name; I like to know who I am talking to.