Rounding Out 2024

A Reflection on Chaos, Growth, and Transformation

Dec 10, 2024

Let’s just call it what it is—2024 was, in the politest way possible, all kinds of fucked up. On a personal level, things got messy. Globally? Same. Hate seemed to grow louder than ever, and it often felt like the world was on fire with no water in sight.

But here’s the thing: even in the cracks of the hardest sidewalk, growth is possible. A little dandelion seed can still find a way to bloom. And while I’m keeping some personal stuff private (boundaries, people!), there’s plenty of progress worth sharing.

Physically

Let’s not sugarcoat it: the last five years have been a shitstorm for my physical health. From humiliating illnesses that obliterated personal boundaries (imagine having your dignity stripped in front of student doctors, lol) to back surgery, recovery, reinjury, and hormones tanking—it’s been brutal. Add on the extra weight and other issues, and yeah, it was a lot.

But here’s the good news: things are finally turning around. I’ve lost 50 pounds and, shockingly, kept it off. I’m back to working out, and this year, I completed not one but two 5Ks (who am I?!). In October, I crushed a personal 100-mile challenge, something I never thought I’d even attempt.

Big shoutout to Blacksburg Boxing and Fitness, Kevin Bowen, and soon, Sara, for helping me rediscover the joy of punching things. Who knew boxing could be such a blast and such a killer workout?

Mentally

Let’s be real—mental health is a beast. It’s hard to see progress when you’re stuck in the storm, but sometimes you need friends to be your lighthouse. Shoutout to the amazing people in my life who’ve weathered my chaos and reminded me that growth is happening, even when I can’t see it.

There’s this song, Good Morning Sunshine by The Narcissist Cookbook, that’s been a game-changer for me. It’s about building something beautiful out of the mess, brick by heavy fucking brick. There’s a line that sticks with me:

“I can see what you're not able to see yet. This is not just a pile of stones... We are building a castle together.”

It’s a reminder to keep moving forward, even when it feels like you’re going nowhere. Highly recommend giving it a listen on Spotify if you’re feeling stuck. Click HERE

Spiritually

This one’s complicated. Ethnically, I’m Jewish, but my parents (a mix of Catholic and Jewish) converted to Christianity when I was a kid. I spent 20 years in a toxic church environment that left me with a ton of “church hurt,” as the cool kids say.

For years, I became a religion skeptic, studying faiths to debunk them. But recently, a good friend (the same lighthouse one) invited me to check out a church that helped him heal. Skeptical as hell, I went—and kept going.

This church, Blue Ridge Church in Christiansburg, has been different. There’s no pressure, no guilt-tripping, and no “convert or burn” sermons. Just acceptance and honest conversations. One talk with a pastor even tackled big topics like sexuality and faith—without judgment. It’s been disarming in the best way.

And yeah, things in my life have fallen apart since I started this spiritual journey. But sometimes, to rebuild, you’ve got to tear it all down first.

Professionally

If you’ve been following along, you know I started Wrong Side Creations in May 2023 to scratch my entrepreneurial itch and get back into art. But as of now, I’m evolving the business into something new—a company focused purely on art.

Graphic design will still be available (if you know, you know), but my energy is shifting toward creating for the sake of creating. My goal? Develop my art style, take on more commissions, and eventually host a gallery show—maybe in 2025.

This change also lets me focus more on SPARC and bringing art to the community in exciting ways. In the coming weeks, I’ll need help rebranding and possibly consolidating my social media accounts. Stay tuned for updates.

Looking Ahead

This turned into a much longer post than I expected, but hey, if you’ve stuck around this long, thank you. If there’s anything you want me to dive deeper into or if you’ve got topics you’d like my take on, hit me up.

Here’s to 2025—a year where, hopefully, we keep laying bricks and building something worth the chaos. Cheers!