2023 in Review

[jocundasykes]

 In 2023, I posted 13 podfics, totalling 13 hours. Not a lot, really (for me).

 

 

 

 

This does not include Endgame, which was 90% recorded in 2023 but technically finished in 2024, and a lot of Can’t Take the Sky was done in the final days of 2023, but will have to go into my 2024 roundup.

 

A couple that stand out to me are: 

• Routines by Phantomato, the only pairing that’s not Snarry that I would say I adore, which is Tom RiddlexEdmund Pevensie. I think I did a good job of Tom, who is hard to act. When he’s Voldemort in a podfic I make him sound like a shrill Ralph Fiennes, nicht gut.
• On the Deficiencies of Translation Spells by LilaDiurne. I’d been putting it off for years, removing and adding it back onto my to-pod list, because I wasn’t sure I could do a good job of speaking French, speaking English in a French accent whilst also acting, and all the music, and the film references. I sat down and just DID IT, and yes it was hard, but I did a good job. I’m glad I waited because I’m better at this now, and I think it’s a much better pod. Like when you use a slow cooker.

 

 

Miscellaneous 2022/3 stats

• In my 2021 roundup, I said I was thrilled at the end of 2020 to have 1k kudos on a fic, and then to find 1500 kudos at the end of 2021. And now I am kinda shocked to see 2402 kudos on it, as of 15Jan24. Who are these people?? I love you. Thank you for reading my stuff.
• At the end of 2020, I had 366 kudos in a fortnight, and now it’s got 1624. I’m blown away as I didn’t think people would get into my epistolary format. It’s very rewarding to see people are enjoying it as it was such hard work rewriting DH. Occasionally I still get comments ”Why didn’t Hedwig die?” uhh the same reason Snape did not die, the entire plot is different, it is a rewrite. Makes me laugh!
• 7 people in the past 2 years have kudos’d Of Love Notes and Bottle Caps! YAAAS. 
• I no longer use Audacity to record, after some horrific errors, and OneDrive syncing nightmares, and now use Reaper. I am now much calmer.
• Cadbury Caramel multipacks have shrunk! The bars are much shorter! Wtf people! Someone needs to fix the economy.
• I finished listening to The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. I am slowly, like a snail, making my way through book 3.
• I was devastated to lose a dear friend at the end of 2021, and stunned when she recently removed co-authorship from our fic. AO3 threatened to remove me when I added her name into the author’s note. I don’t want to take all credit for it - I only wrote 40-60% of it. Although I get all kudos and comments emails, this one from AO3 ”Abuse” team went to my junk folder. Just so awful.
• In 2022, I lost another two friends. One is on, I HOPE a fandom break, I am pretty sure she isn’t dead, missing her loads. I miss her encouragement, art, and our chats. I want to finish my translation so when she’s back, she’ll have another great TreggiDi fic to read. I just lost another friend, when Scarlet passed away on Boxing Day. Horrific!

 

I’m trying to be grateful for what I have. Faelyee is an excellent friend, and is my AO3 next-of-kin for JocundaSykes and JocundaSykesEncore. I have had lots of fun lately with Serena and Pea. My laptop works. I have a recording booth. I still have half of this minuscule Caramel bar left.

 

Next year (or… this year) I would like to: 

• Reach out to Rindle, an all-round fabulous human being, and return to helping with fpslist.org! 
• Finish and post the Choose Your Own Adventure! It’s so nearly finished it’s just RIDICULOUS that I haven’t finished and posted it!
• Finish plotting with Faelyee. *Rubs hands together in glee*
• Finish listening to The Return of the King
• Edit LotR to rebalance the audio. It’s this version, which sometimes has music so loud I have no idea what’s happening any more. Despite that, I still highly recommend it