Every year for quite a while, I do new year resolutions but I also end a year with a WOP-WUP (web-of-passions wrap-up-plan) Which is kinda like, stuff related to new year resolutions but with end of year deadlines, usually things related to my creative, community and career projects (many of them are so interconnected purposefully to help me with my larger, less talked about projects and plans, like a web)

This year with covid lockdowns, I had to be more creative on what I can get done without leaving the house much, hopefully next year I find some friends to help me get back into the outdoors more While I don’t usually share new year resolutions, what I did do however is usually a good life-building list of achievements and hardships of the year to share:

• 700+ Pages researched, interviewed and written for the pup play book project.
• 300+ Pages built, translated and written in the ancient Chinese atlas project which will be published early in the next year.
• Photography portfolio designed and ready to be published in the new year.
• Started working with University of Sunderland (UK) to start the process of donating the pup play research project to have continual academic involvement.
• First peer-reviewed academic paper submitted for publishing in a journal. Based on demographic information on the pup play community research project. With more coming.
• Grew tulips successfully for the first time ever.
• Returned back to Activites I used to do a LOT, like camping, kite flying, mineral collecting, birdkeeping, fern growing, astrophotography, micro-origami, wood carving, digital mural artwork.
• Got to visit 4 new national parks when lockdowns co-operated.
• Broke up with sabre and moved out.
• Got diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
• Lost 24kg due to a few illnesses.
• Lost the pet frogs I had for 4 years while I was in hospital.
• Planted 12 new native trees in public parkland spaces.
• After 20 years, I have finally came out of the transgender closet and begun HRT.
• Started the process of police getting involved to intervene in the harassment and abuse I have begun receiving from the Mormon church again.
• Rebooted my projects portfolio website at www.adaptiveexplorer.com
• Rebooted my blog writing website at www.ashleykahurangi.com
• Launched my next big community project, the accessibility grading scheme and pitching to state governments in Australia at www.adaptivecamping.com
• Taken up playing Tibetan singing bowls as my musical instrument hobby again after a 9 year hiatus. (They’re originally from northern India/nepal and not from actual Tibet)
• Rebooted my big life’s work project and childhood dream in Terrasailing after a 8 year hiatus on it.
• Grieve through the passing of my Husky, Kiro.
• Witness the astronomical “great conjunction” event which last happened in the 1600’s
• Start working on my next qualification field to attempt to become a park ranger and/or upskill more for my future big projects (land/wildlife management).
• Oh, there was a pandemic on this year too?

I’m not perfect in any means, my “failed/postponed projects” list for this year is still longer than the list above. Not much of what I been up to this year has made it onto social media and there’s still so much about me that’s not known to even some of my friends. But no matter the hurdles, external or internal I still run to this faster drumbeat in life. I don’t like external problems defining me and my path in life and I hope I can keep inspiring people that they can overcome their own challenges too through actions and by example.