Well, here I am trying many years later.
Didn't get as far with Japanese as I wanted but I still keep trying to learn when I can. I had big dreams but with work and the divorce and the sale of the house, I just couldn't keep up with it. And my Ex passed away last year from cancer after having an embolism. His wife was there when it happened. 
I also spent a few years taking care of my Ex's mom because she was ill and I needed a place to stay. Turns out that she had a drinking problem and needed alot more help than I could provide. But now, in 2023, my Ex's sister is with her and she is sober. Both of them are sober. 
You know I never expected that life would head this direction but here I am.
I'm in Vegas now, happy actually, single and have built myself a new computer. It's a beast! Heh. 
Nil and I still play FFXIV together and amazingly enough we have been friends for as long as this blog has existed. 
Life is good. 
As for my future, well, since I've had less time to focus on drawings that take ages to make, I am trying to learn AI. I'm still drawing my own things but unfortunately, paying the bills has to come first. I'm still working from home. Thank my lucky stars. I don't think I could ever work in a cube farm again. I'm still a graphic designer / web designer and it seems like everyday I look around worrying about the future of art.
AI has made everything different, but, all the things it can imagine right away is amazing. 
Mostly, I think that art careers are going to transform and be even more competivitve in the future. Because I believe that beyond creating art, you'll have to be AI smart. 
But my dear readers, I hope you are doing well and your pathes in life are going a little in the direction you imagined. I took the path less taken it seems. And well, I think I'm doing fine.