If you’ve been walking this path with me, you’ll know the mission for 2025 was bold, verging on audacious: The Triple Impact. The goal was to make a significant dent on the music, writing, and website fronts.

So, how did we do?

We hit a snag. Then another. Then another. 2025 has been tough. Eventually, I had to ease off the accelerator to avoid burning out the engine.

But here is the good news: We kept moving.

Despite the mid-year slump, Q3 offered a moment of necessary realignment. I set a target that felt like a stretch: matching last year’s output despite significantly reduced resources. It was a true test of leverage and focus.

Here is where we landed in Q4:

The Written Word

I am incredibly proud to announce that Rudiano’s Collection of Short Stories, Volume 2 and Volume 3 are out!

Hitting this milestone means we successfully delivered three full short story collections within a single calendar year.

This is a powerful reminder that a decent amount can still be achieved even when initial plans fall apart.

With a little simplifying, streamlining, perseverance in less-than-ideal situations can yield great results.

The Music

What began as a tentative “side-quest” quickly blossomed into something much deeper.

Under the banner of the made-up band VagaBeats, a simple idea flourished into two full, privately released albums. I allowed myself to explore different genres and languages: 24 songs across 6 languages, to be exact.

I also did a secret EP just for the sheer joy of it: 5 songs, in homage to my Guadeloupean heritage.

This wasn’t in the original plan, but it was essential for the soul. All of this brought me right back to the raw excitement of releasing Eclectic Volume 1. I’m a huge advocate of following the creative energy where it wants to go, if at all possible.

The Websites and The Rest

Not everything crossed the finish line.

I had to shut down two websites. The YouTube channel is on pause.The translation of Volume 1 of the collection of short stories into French is officially on pause. So is the Novel (“The Tale of Atheria”). I just don’t have the mental bandwidth at this point. I’m feeling huge internal resistance instead of excitement, especially for the novel (I guess I’m a little overwhelmed 🫣).

While writing this, I realise that on many fronts, this year has been one of the worst to date…The decline has been steady. But the creative endeavours were a lifeline.

So, to everyone who commented, encouraged me, purchased Volume 2, Volume 3, or supported the VagaBeats album, thank you (if you haven’t yet, it’s never too late!).

This creative journey has endured this long only because of the few that read, listen, share, and engage. Truth be told, I’m running on fumes but you allow me to keep the engine running.

I will keep going as long as I can.

Agape

R.