It’s been 6 years since I started the Forest Friends blog. (6 years?!?!) I built this website in 2019 and have been sending out monthly blogs ever since. It was partly my study abroad scholarship requirement fueling the monthly updates. We had to keep a journal of our travels and studies to prove we did something useful with the money. However I found myself loving every part of blogging. I liked holding myself accountable to reflect and write regularly. Even when I hadn’t written something meant to be performed in a while, this blog kept my writer’s brain somewhat active.

Blogging is healthy. It requires me to take everything painful, beautiful, or boring and turn it into a story, thus putting the emotions outside of myself.

It forces me to practice my outreach and networking skills. Staying in touch with people isn’t a natural behavior for me…..though I know it’s a hugely beneficial part of building a creative career….so I blog.

It’s never been about creating internet fame. In fact, the growth has been so slow that if I gain one follower a month, I’m happily surprised.

Forest Friends is my own little corner of the internet. It’s not an attention grab like Instagram, or a workspace, or an art gallery like Youtube. There is no consistent persona I try to maintain. It’s always felt more like a quiet letter stamped and mailed to the curious.

If I don’t log my fun, did I have fun? (eternal questions from a Type A personality)

It’s changed with me over the years. It’s been a travel diary, an account of the shows I did in college, a collaborative music blog featuring my talented friends for everyone’s marketing benefit (a little PR scheme I devised), and now it’s my creative home base. Whatever new opportunities I’m pursuing, I make sure my followers can access too. The Forest Friends are the first to know about the gigs I’ve booked and exactly HOW I booked them so they can follow in my footsteps. There will be no gatekeeping here. It’s also an account of things bringing me joy. Sharing my hobbies has been a fun edition to the newsletter because it reminds me (and hopefully you) that joy is not dependent upon whether I book a gig or not that month. I can always reach for something of value like nature, cooking, friendship, books, and a whole host of video games reminding me I’m allowed to have fun.

The 2024 wrapped & THE 2025 goal setting.

It seems people are into lists and boards more than ever this year. If it’s not your thing or you’re just not in this headspace, don’t sweat it. While planning is a good practice, I only made one of these goal sheets for the first time in my life last year. I’m fine. You’re fine. Do what feels right for you.

Last year I attended film festivals for the first time as a director. My short film brought me into rooms I yearned after and brought me closer to people I admire. I was deeply proud of myself for the first time in a while and it started me down a path I’m excited about. That accomplishment alone makes me say that 2024 was a good year. Since I released that film (coming to the public in February!) I’ve connected with others who see my spark and we’ve uplifted each other’s dreams in a wholesome way. With each project or show I’ve thought “this is what I want to do, and I’m already doing it. This is why I moved here and what I believe in.”

The film was my intent. The spontaneous opportunities came with it. It’s the cheesy but true saying that as you’re walking towards something, that thing is also walking towards you.

I had the intent to find a day job that supports my dream not only financially but energetically. This meant I took many leaps of faith. I quit jobs without another one lined up. I was fired. I went a month supporting myself on commercial money (A HUGE WIN!). I worked myself sick for three months and drew hard lines about my dignity and worth. I got in trouble and stuck to my gut. This goal required me to have blind faith at some tricky spots, keep moving forward, and shout to the sky “this is not who I am!” In the eleventh hour I saw a shooting star, and now here I am with a job I’ll brag about to anyone who asks. =) (trying to do my taxes next month is going to be insane).

Looking over my photos from the past year, I see more smiles than tears, more outdoorsy adventures, more late nights dancing, and more love than hate. If you had any part of that, thank you so much. =) Last year I reached a level of happiness I hadn’t had since 2019.

Let’s balance this out with some goals I did not accomplish. I didn’t really get back into a consistent music practice. I’m still playing piano only when it’s required. I’m only writing/producing when a project depends on it. Though I’m proud to say I spontaneously booked a SONY Music ad, somehow it still didn’t motivate me to daily practice again.

I didn’t book a summer show. Far from it, I was working 50hour weeks in the boiling city, in a job not at all related to my creativity.

And while this wasn’t goal, just a shit thing that happened, I had the most painful procedure of my life, and I’m still angry about it. Let’s listen to women’s pain, K?

Sante Fe with the family. And Rob. We love Rob.

Looking Ahead:

Spontaneity & Intent. Do your best to plan while expecting the unexpected.

I won’t bog you down with details. Here’s a overview of my hopes for 2025.

Start work on my next festival-bound film this year.
I have a wishlist of acting and modeling gigs I’d love to book.
Continue my positive financial journey of becoming more and more stable despite a creative career path.
Keep doing joyful things and share them with others. Whether that’s making new friends to explore with, or introducing old friends to my favorite recreations.
Keep growing with my sketch comedy team and make more content.