As I mentioned in my last post, Review 24 for 2024 List, I am sharing my TA-DA List for 2024. The first month of 2024 started off a bit rocky. My mom broke her hip on 23 December 2023, and she had to have surgery the next morning. I spent 11 nights (and a couple days) in the hospital with her before she was transferred to a skilled nursing facility on 03 January 2024. My Dad took the day shift for the most part. I live an hour away from Ochsner Hospital, so there were a couple of days I just stayed day and night because I did not want to drive home then drive back later that afternoon. And, it also gave my Dad a break. Despite it not being the most ideal situation, especially during the holidays, I treasure that time with my mom. I did not want her to be alone, and I enjoyed taking care of her alongside the hospital staff. My mom was discharged from the skilled nursing facility on 23 January 2024, and we got back into our routine with me driving to and from my parents’ house a couple of times a week to help my Dad care for her.
Reflecting on my year revealed that I had pockets of time throughout 2024 that added up to plenty of joyful adventures with family and friends. 2024 was definitely a year filled with peaks and valleys for me. As you know, dear reader, we cannot just experience the peaks in life. However, the valleys sure do make us appreciate the peaks even more. Even though I hosted, co-hosted, and participated in readathons (online) throughout the year, I scaled back tremendously on my participation during these reading events. I also started listening to audiobooks in February since I was driving to and from my parents’ house on a regular basis. This format afforded me more time to read since reading is my absolute favorite pastime. So, I may not have completed all of the aims on my 24 for 2024 List, but it is pretty clear from my TA-DA list that I accomplished a great deal overall in 2024.
TA-DA 2024
- My Health Adventures (Yearly Eye/Dental appointments; Mammogram; Gynocologist)
- Lunch dates, coffee dates, dinner dates, movie dates, and movie watch parties with friends and family sprinkled throughout the Year
- Participated in various online Readathons/Book Clubs/Buddy Reads (Booktube) throughout the Year
- Hosted What’s Up Wednesday! weekly live Reading/Productivity Sprints on my Youtube Channel
- Attended Plays (Grease, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, War of the Worlds, Frankenstein, and Clue)
- Helped Mom with health-related issues (January-August)
- Slumber parties with my parents (January-August)
- Attended Dementia Caregiver Support Group Meetings with my Dad (January, March, April, October)
- Title I Tutoring Job at Mater Dolorosa School on Tuesdays and Thursdays (January-May)
- Improv Workshop with Lynae LeBlanc at Anubis Improv (January)
- Hosted the Nevermore Readathon: A Week with Edgar Allan Poe on my YouTube channel (January)
- Gnarley Gras with Barry, Sr. (January)
- Co-hosted the Mardi Gras Readathon with Laurie @Books, Ink and Paper (January/February)
- Book Shopping at the Friends of the Library Store (January, June, September)
- Hosted Folklore February Readathon on my YouTube channel (February)
- Improv Workshop with Adrienne Bruno at Anubis Improv (February)
- Attended Booktube Besties Virtual Reading Retreat (February)
- Attended Disturbed concert with Barry, Sr. (February)
- Participated in Live Book Discussion of Grimm Memorials with Kelsi and Nathan on Kelsi’s Youtube Channel (March)
- Co-hosted the Old School April Readathon with Kelsi @Slime and Slashers (April)
- Attended a Tea Party at the Sims Library at Southeastern University (April)
- Visited Shelly at Wetmore Cemetary and attended Dinner afterwards with friends (April)
- Hosted Zombiethon for my YouTube channel (May)
- Zombie Awareness Month (May)
- Live Horror Chat with Cliff on his channel Cliff’s Dark Gems (May)
- Reached 1,000 Subscribers on Kat’s Novel Adventures (May)
- Livestreams with Andy @ Self Pub with Andy and Emma @ Emma Bennet (May)
- Kaitlyn’s Baby Shower (June)
- Tea Party with my sister Rachel and my parents (June)
- Group Mind Workshop at Anubis Improv (June)
- Started The Book Wrym Club with Alex (June)
- Visited Andrew at Library in Baton Rouge (June and August)
- 4th of July BBQ at Kerry and Natalie’s home with Barry, Sr. (July)
- Two-Day Trip to Orange Beach and visited Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo with Barry, Sr. (July)
- Helped Dad plan Mom’s burial arrangements (August)
- Attended one session of Sketch Writing Level 1 at Anubis Improv (August)
- Attended Booktube Besties Virtual Reading Retreat (August)
- Fall/Halloween Decor Shopping with Kelsi (August)
- Helped Mrs. Billie with health-related issues (August-October)
- Performed in Blood on Yellowstone at Columbia Theatre (September)
- Volunteered at MDS Book Fair (September)
- Andrew and Meagan got engaged (September 12th) Happiness Boost!
- Attended Author Event (Jerry Pallota) at Baton Rouge Library and had lunch with Andrew afterwards (September)
- Title I Tutoring Job at Mater Dolorosa School: Monday-Thursday (September-December)
- Part of the Monster Squad for Kelsi’s online Halloween-A-Thon Event (September/October)
- Nalco Trunk or Treat with Barry, Sr. and Dad (October)
- Dinner at Jeff and Joanna’s home to meet Kerry Cyrus’s girlfriend Michelle (November)
- Thanksgiving at Kerry and Natalie’s home with Barry, Sr. and Dad (November)
- Visited Shelly at Wetmore Cemetary and attended Mass afterwards with Barry, Sr. and friends (November)
- Attended Friendsgiving with Barry, Sr. (November)
- Watched The Muppet Christmas Carol Movie at the Columbia Theatre with Barry, Sr. and Dad (December)
- Hosted Holiday Hell Reading/Productivity Sprints (live) on my Youtube Channel (December)
- Krampus Haunted House with Kelsi (December)
- Mr. Clarence’s 80th Birthday Party with Dad (December)
- Brayden and Melyssa’s Gender Reveal Party (December)
- Visited Mom at Lakelawn Cemetary with Family (December)
- Hosted Christmas – Sister and niece Emma in town (December)
- Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy with Barry, Sr. (December)
- Lunch with friend Georgia and her family who were visiting NOLA (December)
As you can see, dear reader, 2024 had a good amount of joy. Sometimes, it is hard to spot the joy when you are living in the midst of sorrow or upheaval. This is the second year in a row that the second half of the year did not go smoothly, and I did not get to everything on my 24 for 2024 list. However, I was still able to maintain my connections with family and friends, continue working on my creative pursuits, and participate in activities that brought me joy while helping my Dad take care of my Mom and helping my mother-in-law when she needed it. Losing both my Mom and Mrs. Billie unexpectedly within a couple of months of each other was difficult. I miss them so much, and not a day goes by that I am not thinking about them. I take solace in knowing they are in their heavenly home with Shelly. I cherish the many memories of my time with my Mom and Mrs. Billie and will forever be grateful for my time with them. They were amazing women who did a great deal for my family and me over the years. As I stated last year in my 2023 TA-DA List, “Life is not only short, unpredictable, and at times unfair, but it is also precious, beautiful, and at times full of adventure. Live life to the fullest and make every day count.” Happiness!
“It is not length of life, but depth of life.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Note: Photo was taken by me to mark the 2nd Anniversary of my YouTube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures, on 28 October 2024.
The Kat Files 