I'm not a very sentimental person

But this year was very important in my life, a lot of things happened. I met a lot of people, I lost a lot of people, and my life genuinely changed forever. In the good and the bad. So here are all the significant, fun, or otherwise hilarious events of this year. Some will have some description of importance if I feel like it.

January

Just looking back at past calendars and such, nothing really important happened in January. It's kinda sad at this point, but sometimes a month can just... happen. I started my official second half of my entire middle school life, but otherwise nothing significant happened. Life is like that, there is times that you could just skip.

February

Well, February was a time of much more than January. Starting at the literal opening of the month, I put my foot down on grinding out my scouting ranks. I had been stuck on the first rank – scout – for almost 2 years at that point. There was one simple requirement holding me back from advancing, and I just finally completed it within a day before the final deadline for an advancement ceremony. Terrible procrastination but I succeeded. The next time, I would be sure to finish faster. Two weeks later – when the advancement ceremony occurred – it was terribly embarrassing to take this long to rank up once, but it had to be done. I started writing the script for my first large film. On February 12th a 11:39am I started writing the first few scenes of What Lies Beneath. Initially titled "Scary Movie Script" as I started writing before determining a feasible title. The synopsis of the the script is a man attempting to solve his police brother's murder, whilst a psychotic killer hunts him down. I got 9 pages and 10 scenes into this movie before never touching it again. We had a filming date setup, but things when downhill after that. On the final day of February, I sort of directed, sort of ran technical support for my scout troop's pinewood derby. It was some of the most excitement and boredom I had all month, yet it succeeded.

March

Now, March. I noticed here that I missed so much this month, our troop's first PCT training hike, missed. Rainier camping, missed, so much stuff was missed this month. But in doing so, I realized my mistakes. This month also marked the beginning of a gradual fallout of several friendships. At the start of this month, I, and several others, got together to film parts of What Lies Beneath. We got a couple scenes shot before realizing that nature was not on our side. Darkness occurred, and kicked us out of filming. I left that day with 3 partially finished scenes. There are things to be considered fails, and this was probably one of them. We tried again to schedule a date, but nothing showed of it. An unsuccessful project, another unfinished. thing to add to the list of unfinished things. As I could tell, my unfinished projects list was adding up. Something had to be done, I needed to get things finished. That was my notice, that was my signal, that was the time.

April

I welcomed myself into the month of April with a fear: it was finally time to meet someone for the first time in 4 years. After the Covid-19 pandemic had ruined our plans for two years in a row, we had finally setup plans to travel to London, UK, during the second week of April. This was an ominous trip, one that had loomed on me for the past several years of my life. We finally had strictly setup plans to meet up with our long lost friends. I expected this to go perfectly, we would spend a day catching up, then be back to close friends just like we had before he left. That was not at all what happened. I imagined things going smoothly, I had known him online for the past 4 years, and I expected him to be the exact same as he was online. But here's a lesson to everyone:

"People are always different online."

He was such a different person in real life, that I didn't even know really who I just met – It was a new person – and it was not the person I needed to be a close friend with. I cut myself off from him after that, we only messaged once more after that meetup. It was the end, it was time to move on. Sometimes in life, you have to just move on, because things are worse if you force yourself to continue. I drafted a letter to write back to him, but I have no intention of sending it. Within the last few months, I deleted it. I couldn't stand to read it anymore, I couldn't stand to remember. I had to move on with my life, that was a time that passed.

After returning, I did take one piece of knowledge from my former friend: songwriting. That week I returned, I wrote my first song, Corner.

Once returning from the trip, my boring life continued. That was until the final weekend of April, our scout troop's pre camporee. I was our patrol leader at the time, and one of the most knowledgable people in the troop when it came to knot tying. I ended up teaching knots, because all of the stations available, I had already earned whatever was to offer. Luckily, at the end of the day, I was pulled away to get some things checked off. This made me rethink how close I was to second and first class, and was the inspiration for me to continue going.

The night after the campout – when I was safely back at home – I stayed up grinding out as many of the things as I could. This night allowed me to complete every single thing, except for one swimming based requirement. It haunted me. I remembered passing up the opportunity as summer camp because I didn't feel like getting back in the water. This was a crucial mistake, and almost cost me my current place in my life.

May

Time for the most influential change in my life to occur, May 2022. Previously this year, I had done some reflection on where I was in my life, and this month (along with April) was the most crucial to my current place in the world. Changes happened, and this was one major life change. This month is one I can remember clearly, barely even needing calendar reminders of what happened. Still, for the sake of continuity, I have them.

Week 1

I started off the week closing out pre camporee, with what happened last month in mind. Tuesday that week earned me second class rank because I had completed everything needed during my night of grinding. Sometime after Tuesday, I got a connection at a pool whom allowed me to complete my final requirement for first class. I was all set, the deadline was next week, but I had finished. The end of the week left me at Alaska Airlines™ aviation days, which was a story of several people getting lost, futile attempts to find them, and a lot of angry adults. A wonderful way to start a wonderful month.

Week 2

The next week was also quite eventful, I got my first class rank checked off on Tuesday (with one day to spare), then we left to an overnight hike the next day. That weekend campout consisted of lots of unexpected rain, another kid's tent collapsing, and climbing the edge of a mountain. A very fun weekend, but a short one. I desire to go back there some time.

Week 3

This is where May becomes important. The week closed off with us leaving the campout place and a long car ride home. Then Tuesday hit.

That Tuesday, I (officially) earned my first and second class ranks, this was the day of the advancement ceremony. Nothing too important though, they happen all the time. It was the weekend that led to my major change.

Sometime in between these days, it was confirmed that

That weekend – starting Friday night – I went to a campout to help lead a cub scout campout. I was a den chief as well at the time, so this was sort of my job. It started unlike anything I ever expected. So imagine 4 heavily immature, but also very mature adolescents, all under the age of 15, attempting to just play cards and be chill people. It was the first time I had truly felt included in something, and like things were actually better because I was around. I knew this was a group of people I would get to know very well at some point, even though I had known them for 2 years at that point. I met a couple people here (to remain nameless) that would change the course of the rest of the year. The weekend went well after that, we cooked pizzas in dutch ovens, I enjoyed some time to myself, and just lived a good life for a weekend. At the end of it, during the 30 seconds I was walking away to return to our truck – my phone at 1% battery – I was told by an adult "You would make a good SPL", and those words changed the plan of the next 6 months.

Week 4

You thought the eventful week was over? NEVER! This is one I can write from memory, it was stressful, yet successful.

Sunday - I got home and filmed a music video, to the song of "This Is Me". Why? I was bored.

Monday - Memorial day (so now school), but also the day I realized I need to finish my hiking merit badge, and it might be fun to do a hike with the troop. The requirements said "do a 5 mile hike, 3 10 mile hikes, and a 15 mile hike in this order". I had done a 5 mile run at my previous overnight trip, so I had to complete 3 10 mile "hikes" by the end of the week. I sat there, confirming what a "hike" was, and realized, I can go on a 10 mile run! This day, I completed my first half marathon (technically I did 14 miles running, nonstop) in 1:44:20.05. Very stressful, but completed... only 2 more to go.

Tuesday - Track finals (a mile in the hot sun), so no 10 mile run today, I also asked and confirmed, apparently this counts, I was just suggested to go somewhere new each time. I also won elections today, and was once again patrol leader (for 6 more months)

And that's May, this week continues to June. :)

June

Wednesday (June 1st) - 11 mile run around... somewhere. I don't know, and I didn't time it.

Thursday - I sat on my couch and did nothing.

Friday - 10 mile run, I also don't know where, I and I didn't time myself. I just needed it done.

Saturday - A 15 mile troop hike, in which I was barely eligible, but I was. This offered me a question that also changed something important. I was asked by the same person whom I had "met" the weekend prior, "Are you going on the PCT", and this was likely only because I had gotten to "know them" the weekend prior. I answered with "I didn't know I could, I'll ask", I asked, and I was now eligible to go. So that was a wrap.

That's a wrap on stressful week.

The following weekend was "Camporee" in which nothing really important happened, we lost (as expected) and yeah! That happened. (I'm not documenting everything, just writing important details)

That Friday, school got out, and I watched top gun maverick (Don't ask why I remember that, I just do.) That Monday, I woke up at the time of any other school day, and ran to the place where I would take ILST, which was a leadership training.

Just this, I was "invited" to a robotics "team" wherein I was basically useless, forced to sit in long meetings, and did nothing!

At the end of that week, we went to Alaska and took some cool pictures of glaciers (which I'm too lazy to include), and that was a wrap on June!

July

Now for July. This month, a lot of scouting related stuff happened (which is kinda my life at this point) so tune in!

July 3rd, our troop did a 20 mile "hike", which was more a long walk. Apparently people can't walk on flat ground for 10 miles... weird. I was nominated one of the two people that you could radio for help in case of an issue because, apparently I deserved that? I hadn't really been active much, but now I got this.

The following week was spent at scout camp, a very important experience this week was. Too much to document in a short form, but I expanded my connections with one of the people I met prior. So much happened this week that I can't short form describe it (it's 8:42 help) before the year ends. I also had like bad allergies the first few days, but even that couldn't ruin it for me.

Nothing else too important occurred during that month, but those things were so important that they just don't deserve the tiny paragraph they have, but that's all I got time for. :(

August

This month, stuff happened I did NOT prepare for at all. But they all happened. I left a robotics "team", hiked 66 miles of the PCT, and looked at the stars!

In the second week of August, I, my father, and several other (older) scouts and parents grabbed our packs and left for 5 days on the Pacific Crest Trail. I was scared it would be like, gravely impossible, but it succeeded. I survived with (minimal) issues, and all turned out (fine). I didn't document much on paper, but I can remember everything practically clear as day. From the place we were dropped off at, to the 10 minutes we waited for out getaway vehicle. It was an adventure, I will write a whole story about it at some point.

The next weekend, Washjam! The every-4-years-except-it-was-cancelled-by-covid™ event that combines all the scout troops from Washington (and part of Canada) into a single event. This was invigorating because I got to chill with people I knew, and do some fun stuff in the process. I just personally don't want to document those exact details, because I will tear up in the process. It's too far for me. Exact details will be entered for November onwards, because those things happened close enough to remember dates and stuff.

At this point, I kinda was ready to leave the robotics teams, and I would in a week... or crap school is starting soon.

September

And, school started. The expectedness of knowing nobody and feeling like a new student helps a bit, but it sucks. School began, I fell into the hellscape known as biology class, and now sleep is just not a thing anymore. :D

This month offered 3 back to back weekend scout trips. I spent the first week on a campout wherein we pioneered and built an 8 foot tall tower! It was very fun. I spent two nights here in a structure made from... nothing.

The next weekend offered me some more connections to the people whom I was trying to get to know better, it was kinda weird, but successful in a way. I also got to teach a bunch of 5th graders how to successfully drink water :) I also slept one night in a wood built structure, just to prove to those 5th graders that I wasn't lying to them after teaching about building shelters. All in all, an eventful weekend, properly closed with some astronomy as well.

Time for the final eventful (and terrifying) experience of the month! The following weekend, I, and 7 other scouts hiked up to an old ghost town. It was an exciting and fun day, until one of the scouts got stuck under a giant metal apparatus, and I – as the boy's acting SPL – had to formulate a plan (along with the girl's SPL) to help "mitigate" the damage. We sorta planned a whole thing, did some like closure talking, and I went to be half mortified by the experience, and half proud of how I, as that poor unfortunate soul's patrol leader, handled it.

That's a wrap on September now... oh also I'm probably failing biology at this point, I got 7/10 on my quiz.

Out of time

Well, I don't have time to finish, so I'm gonna end on a good note. Everything got better, I got to meet so many new people this end of the year, so thank you everyone I've gotten to know and be friends with Since October, this was a good year. Thank you for reading.