End of Year, Best of Year 2024
We are in 2025! I will now reflect on 2024 through the time honoured tradition of random award categories.
Best Guarded Thoughts Post of 2024
Let's start with the this hotly contested category! There are a lot of great choices from this past year, or at least there would be if I had posted anything to this blog. The truth hurts folks. Luckily I probably did more writing in 2024 than I did in 2023 just not here at Guarded Thoughts. Everything I wrote this year is over at Quantum Weekly, where I post writings and updates for the Jiu Jitsu gym I train at.
Best Trip I Took
It's gotta be my trip to Maine for the BJJ Globetrotters USA Camp 2024! This was just so much fun whether it was training Jiu Jitsu, meeting new friends, or making my in-ring pro wrestling debut.
Excited to attend the 2025 camp!
Best TV Shows I Watched
Shogun
Everything about Shogun was so well done. If a season two happens I'm hoping it is a look at another period of old timey Japan and not a direct continuation of the show's story.
English Teacher
This show always felt hilarious and heartfelt when it could have easily been mean and distasteful. When the season ended I was left wanting more in a good way!
Best Manga I Read
One Piece
Honestly I'm glad read One Piece and started following the weekly chapter releases when I did. Everything post-Wano has been a joy (well except for the emotionally devastating parts I suppose) and having only one chapter a week (or less) to read hasn't been a problem.
Hajime no Ippo
Ippo has been back in fine form for awhile now. I believe 2024 was taken up entirely by the story around one particular fight that just came to an end in January 2025. Thankfully this fight was top tier Ippo and I can't wait to read what comes next!
Medalist
If it's not too late for this plucky elementary school girl it's not too late for any of us to accomplish our dreams!
Best Anime I Watched
Sound! Euphonium 3 was an incredible finale for Kumiko and the Kitauji High School Concert Band. From season one to Liz and the Blue Bird to this final season I love this anime.
In other 2024 releases, Look Back and DAN DA DAN got incredible adaptions, HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle was a good time, and Kaiju No.8 was way more fun than I expected.
Best Album I Listed To
No Obligation by The Linda Lindas was a release I had been looking forward to and it delivered.
Best Pro Wrestling Match I Watched
Darby Allin and Sting versus the Young Bucks from AEW Revolution 2024 was my favourite match from the year. Not a fantastic year for pro wrestling as a whole honestly, but there were still quite a few great matches.
NJPW seems to be coming out of its rut here in 2025. AEW has had a good run of TV this past month or so but we'll see where that goes. For PPVs they have kept firing on all cylinders but TV has been a struggle for them in 2023 and 2024.
WWE is still a mass of unwatchable dreck and behind the scenes / occasionally on screen evil.
Of course there are a ton of promotions I'd like to watch but usually don't have the time / energy to follow.
Reflections on the Year
At the start of 2024 I wrote down a few things I would be happy to have accomplished by the end of the year. So let's see how I did!
Have good nutrition habits in place
Nope! I did not accomplish this one. Much more work to be done in this area.Win one Jiu Jitsu match either gi or no-gi
Yep! Was my first win ever actually. The first tournament I ever did was probably in 2012 or 2013 as a white belt. Didn't compete at all as a blue belt and so far have done most of my competitions at purple belt. Think I did five tournaments in 2024 which felt good to put myself out there.Publish at least five Guarded Thoughts articles
Nope! This one did not end up happening.Publish at least two Quantum blog articles
Yep! I published way more than two articles after starting Quantum Weekly. Just counted and I actually had 28!Be consistently kind to myself
Nope! Not there yet with this one but it's an ongoing process.Be consistently doing a meditation practice
Yep! Since I started to use The Way app I've also become a member of Mountain Cloud Zen Center and Sanbo Zen InternationalBe consistently doing a breathing practice
Nope! I do enjoy using the Breathe app but still don't do it every day.Be studying the Japanese language at least 45 minutes every day
Nope! I'm not super happy with where I'm at in my Japanese language study. Seems like I need to make a good study plan then stick to it. Something to work on.Well, I did much better than I'd have thought!
Some ups and some downs, but it was a good year for me and I hope a good year for you as well. Thanks for reading!
This work by Thomas Lloyd is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
RSS feed: https://blog.grappling.ca/feed/
If you have comments / questions send an email to hello@grappling.ca