 Well, well, well. The end of the year is upon us. And a new year comes forth. Hello. Welcome to my end of year review. At the end of every year, we do a little just like, bye-bye. Thanks for coming for the year. So this is what this is right now. I mean, this is kind of set about every year. 2022 was a mixed bag. There was, you know, some not so great stuff, but also some really, really, really great stuff. And so yeah, I just, I kind of want to talk about my thoughts for this year and also my thoughts going forward into the new year. Let's get into it. Also, I'm in my living room because I felt like being in a different place to record this and the Christmas trees here. Do I want it to be slightly warmer? I'm changing the light. Oh yeah, that's better. So 2022, a lot happened this year, which I kind of don't remember a lot of it. This year went by really, really, really quick. Oh God, what was I even doing last New Year's? What did I do for New Year's? I don't remember. So obviously, to kick off the start of this video, this year was one of the most like insane years of my life going from a career standpoint because of tour. I went on tour this year. And it was such an amazing, incredible experience. And there's still more to come. I'm really, really, really excited. Not only is Europe going to be happening soon. And for those of you who don't know, which hopefully you do, we are postponing the European shows until probably May-ish more info to come. So not only are the European shows happening, but also there's some other stuff about tour. Not necessarily more shows. I don't want to give too much away, but more things that have to do with tour coming soon. Soon is a relative term, maybe five or six months from now. Tour was honestly one of the most incredible, if not the most incredible experience of my life. It was so insane being able to do the tour and do those shows and having so many people come out to the shows and see them and have so many people give such wonderful praise about the show. It is one of, if not the most proud, no, it is the most proud I've ever been of anything that I've ever created. And I think the thing that really did it for me with tour is that it was my own. Because I've done a lot of really, really cool stuff in the past. But a lot of the bigger stuff that I've done has been with other people. Which is not bad at all. But selfishly, it was nice to have a thing that I could be really proud of that was doing well that was mine. Obviously, there were other people involved. It wasn't just me. But the idea was mine. I wrote the show. And there were people that stepped in and helped make it better, of course. And I don't want to discredit those people at all. But I hope you understand what I'm saying. We're like, it was my baby. And it was my thing that I made. And it was something that I was really, really, really proud of. And it was something that was one of the hardest things that I've ever done. And it was something that was one of the most vulnerable things that I've ever made. And so it was something that was really hard to actually give to other people in a way. Because I didn't really want it to be done. And I wasn't, there was never really a time where I was like, ready necessarily. It was a, okay, I need to do this. And it's as ready as it ever will be. And I don't want to like prolong it. I'm not really wording this super well. But I think you guys know what I mean. But it was really amazing getting to share that and getting to getting to like keep it a secret was really cool. Like, other than the people who were directly helping me with it, in the pre production stage of it, of me writing it of me all the way up until the first tester show, nobody, again, outside of the team that was helping me work on it knew anything. Like, Mika didn't know anything. Mark didn't know anything. Sean didn't know like no one, my parents, my brother, my closest friends, like, no one knew anything about it. And that was something that was really nice for me. And it was something that, like, I'll be endlessly grateful for my family and for my friends and for Mika for letting me have that, because I didn't want anybody to ever feel like they weren't like special enough or anything like that, because that wasn't it. It was, I was making something and I was working so hard on something. And I didn't want people to see it until I was ready to show it to them. And it was really great that my family and my friends and everybody was so understanding about that. And like, obviously, like with you guys, it's a little bit different because you're like going to the shows and stuff. And you're not going to see anything before I'm ready to show it to you. But to have that understanding from from people who are close to me was like really, really meant the world, because it was the first thing in a really long time that I could work on and not feel the pressure of like, okay, I need to show everybody everything as soon as I think of it, because that's kind of what happens with YouTube. Sometimes you get that that feeling of like, okay, I need to I need to show my hand as soon as possible, because people want endless content all the time. Going on tour was really amazing. Like I the experience itself obviously was incredible seeing you guys was obviously incredible seeing your reaction was amazing. But also, I was so insanely fortunate. And I'm so grateful for the people that helped me work on the show, whether it was pre production, or during the actual tour, the tour crew was so amazing. And like it was so awesome. Getting to do the shows and be on the bus with everybody and just, I don't know, just become this little family. Like it was it was so much fun and everybody got really close and like, it was such an amazing thing. And it's bittersweet also, because I know that like, I'll never have that same experience again, obviously, because it's gone in the past, but being able to look back at all that stuff and think of just like, all the crazy little moments we had on and off the stage is really amazing. And I know that I'm repetitive all the time, but I'm like endlessly grateful for everybody who was on tour with me. And I love them all so much. It was so much fun. You know, maybe years down the line, not like years years, but like, this isn't the only live show that I want to do. I don't know when or what the next one will be, because I have to think of an idea, which will probably take a while. But going on tour made me realize how much I really love doing that kind of stuff, how much I did love the like writing process of it, which was the most challenging part of it. Because I am a performer, I like to perform and I'm good at it and I'm comfortable doing it. But writing is not something that I'm one used to or practiced at all. Two, it's not really something that I like enjoy necessarily. So it was a really big challenge for me to write the show. And it was really cool being able to, I think I've talked about this before, but going from the Portland main show, which was the final show of the first leg, I was flying back here to LA. And there were multiple, multiple iterations of the script. Everything was more or less like, as far as the overarching thing, like more or less the same, but the meat in the middle changed a lot. There was a lot of stuff that was tightened up. There was things that were taken out, stuff that was added in. But on that flight home, I reread the first draft of the script and it was so bad. It was so awful. And so being able to read that, that was really, really cool. It was amazing being able to go back and read the very first draft of the script and be like, wow, that was shit. But like, look how far it's come and it's turned into something that I'm really, really proud of. And later this year, or this next year, I guess this year, because this will be posted on New Year's later this year, you'll get to see some of that. I've talked about it a little bit, right? There may or may not be a documentary that is in the works that will happen at some point. Am I allowed to say that? Don't tell anyone. But there's a lot of stuff that you guys will be able to see and things down the line that may or may not be released. I'm very excited about and excited to show you and excited for myself to be able to relive in a way. Anyway, I'm extremely excited or I'm extremely grateful for Tor. It was such an amazing experience. And it was something that was really nice for my self-esteem. This might come off weird, but there's a lot of times where I get that whole thing of people don't actually like me. They like my friends. And so doing Tor was a really cool thing to be like, wow, all these people are coming out to see me, to see my show, to see this thing that I worked on. They know that these other people aren't a part of it. And again, not bad mouthing my friends at all. I absolutely love my friends and I love doing things with my friends. But it does kind of suck sometimes being in the shadow always of somebody else. And so it was really amazing being able to do these shows and be like, wow, people really liked it. And they liked it because it was me. So that was really amazing. And it really, I don't know, it was a nice reminder. So for those of you who came out to the shows, thank you so much for being there. Thank you for coming along that ride with me. Thank you for giving it a chance because, again, nobody really knew, and that was kind of the point also, nobody really knew what the show was. And so you took a chance on that. So thank you for not only coming out and seeing it, but trusting me and letting me do something different. I had so much fun. And to the people who got tickets for Europe, I'm really, really sorry that I have to reschedule. We will be coming back, obviously, again, looking like sometime in May. But I'll give you full details when I can. But I'm really sorry that we have to reschedule. But I think it will be worth it. And if I don't see you there, I'm really sorry. And like, I'm sorry that it was inconvenient and that I had to that I had to reschedule. But if I do see you there, I'm really excited to give you guys shows again. It's going to be really, really fun. That was that was kind of the main thing of of of 2022, though, was doing those shows and doing the tour and building that it was just something really amazing and really fun. And I can't thank my like, we'll call it my immediate, I guess, team enough. Justin and Nervly, the two editors that just keep the fucking wheels turning on this channel. And then also Jocelyn, who's my assistant, and she kind of helps like produce a bunch of stuff. She started working in February of this year and has been like such an insane lifesaver for not only like the channel and helping things stay on track and helping make sure that I'm doing what I need to do on a day to day basis, but also just like in my own life has been so incredibly helpful and so amazing. And I'm very, very excited for this next year because I have a lot of like fun stuff that I want to do that that she's going to really help me out a lot with. And so I'm really, really excited for that. Yeah, I just I feel very, very grateful for the the people that I get to work with every day. And so to Justin and Nervly and Jocelyn and Parker and everybody who I work with on a day to day basis. Thank you guys so much for believing in me and putting up with me also. But you know, helping me make cool shit because it's weird going from a place where, you know, I used to do YouTube completely solo. Like I recorded all the videos, I edited all the videos, I posted all the videos, I made all the thumbnails, I did absolutely everything. Being in a place now where I can have people help me make stuff is really, really cool. And I feel really grateful that the people that I get to work with one are amazing people, but to like, trust me and believe in this thing and actually want to like help progress it and stuff like everyone that I get to work with on a on a day to day basis is not just doing their job of like editing or helping assist stuff or whatever. Like everyone's always like bringing ideas to the table and being passionate about it, which is really cool. And it's not something that I necessarily ask from from people. But it's really cool, like having Justin text me and be like, Hey, I have this this video idea, or like talking to Jocelyn the other night about her ideas for the channel. And like, it's just really cool. And I'm really, really thankful that I not only have people who are really, really good at their job, but also genuinely care about about the channel and want to make cool stuff along with me. So I'm very, very grateful for the people that I get to work with. And I'm very excited to do bigger and better stuff with them in 2023. So make sure you know, when you when you think about the channel, it's not just me anymore, like there's there's a team of people now that are that are making this thing work and are making it better and are bringing cooler ideas to the channel for you guys. And like, yes, I'm the face of the channel and blah, blah, blah, blah. But it's really amazing that it's not just me anymore. And it's, it's really cool getting to collaborate with people like that again. So make sure in the comments, sing endless praises for Justin and nervly and Jocelyn for helping the channel. Um, you know, also was it this year? Damn, it was this year. Weird. I got a new manager Parker this year. Was that in February also? I can't remember. It's weird how time works, but Parker has been absolutely amazing and like has helped me so much, like not only on the business end of stuff, because that's like kind of what a manager is there to help with. Like once the channel gets to a certain point, like there's different opportunities that I get to do in like different things. And so he's helped a ton on the business end, but also like in August, when I was posting every day for the 10 year anniversary, like Parker was basically the person that I almost had made me do it. It's not like he was like, you have to do this, but he, he gave the idea of like, you want to do some big stuff for August. So like, what if you just commit to posting every day, like you used to sort of to harken back to that. And so he's helped a ton, like not only on the business end of things, but also just like keeping the channel afloat and also like texting me all the time and making sure that I'm getting my stuff done because a lot of the times I get distracted. And when you are your own boss, it's a blessing and a curse because sometimes you're working all the time and other times you're not working at all because you're the boss. And so Parker being there and also kind of being my boss and being like, Hey, you need to get this shit done has been so helpful. And he again is like passionate about the channel and he wants the channel to like do well, not just for the sake of doing well, but to make sure it's a fucking cool channel that I'm proud of. And he wants to make sure that I'm proud of the things that I'm making. Anyway, anyway, 2022 is coming to an end and 2023 is starting up. And I guess this will be posted on New Year's Day, but I'm really, really excited about this next year. I guess I'm kind of repetitive every year, but there's a lot of things that I have planned and there's a lot of stuff that I want to do both in the professional sense and also just like in my personal life. I made a list of stuff the other day that I just I made two lists. One was a YouTube list of like things that I want to accomplish for the channel or videos that I want to do or whatever, whatever those kind of goals for YouTube. And then I made another list of personal stuff that didn't have to do with YouTube at all. And just like things that I want to accomplish and things that I want to do. And you may be thinking to yourself, well, Ethan, why don't you show us these lists? I don't have them. I burned them. That's not a joke. I had a fire and I burned the lists as a symbolic sort of, I don't know, I burned them. It was kind of cathartic being like these are the things that I want to do. These are the things that I want to do less of or things that I don't want or blah, blah, blah. And then I burned it all. But there's a lot of really cool stuff that I want to do in the new year and there's a bunch of stuff coming up that has been in the works for a really long time that I'm really excited about. And there's, it sounds so like empty promisey because there is a lot of stuff coming up, but I can't talk about it yet. Like some stuff I legitimately can't talk about yet. Like I am not allowed to talk about it. And other stuff I could technically talk about, but I don't want to share too much stuff before things are ready because I don't want people to get a false excitement. I don't know, but there's a lot of really cool stuff that's going to be happening this year. A lot of stuff for me on the channel, just like doing cooler, bigger, better videos and a lot of really cool stuff coming up with other people. Yeah, I'm excited about this year. I'm excited to get back into YouTube and just really trying to make 2023 a really big good year for me and a really healthy year too. Like I really want to make sure that I am doing all the things that I need to do for myself. I've been trying to get on a better schedule lately. I've been working out almost every day. And it's been really great for my brain. And I kind of want to take that mentality that I've had recently with working out and put it into YouTube. For a while, I was like working out on and off and like it really wasn't really doing anything. I was just kind of going to the gym when I felt like it. But I've realized recently that I'm like I'm very much a creature of habit. And so if I can make something a habit and makes my brain happy. So like going and working out every day, even if it's just like 10 minutes, like me just running for 10 minutes, it makes my brain a little bit happier because it's a thing that I'm doing every day. And so I kind of want to take that mentality and bring it to YouTube as well. Not necessarily posting every day, but I want to get a solid schedule for myself because I think it'll just help my brain a lot. Like even if I just record something every day, not necessarily post something every day, but force myself into this habit. It just the repetitiveness makes my brain happier. It makes my brain like function better because every day I have a thing where it's like okay, I do this and I do this and I do this and then I get to do this or whatever. So I want to kind of try that in this new year and just get into a better habit of doing things and get into a better schedule. Because as of recently, I've just realized like physically doing that has been really great and like not only has it been great for my body and I'm in really good shape right now, but also it's been good for my brain because yeah. I also have like a lot of personal goals this next year, just stuff for myself. Like some of which I won't share because I don't want to. But even just like I want to I want to get rid of a bunch of stuff. I just over the years have accumulated so much shit and I've realized recently where it's just like I have boxes of stuff in my garage that are just have been sitting there forever and it's like I haven't looked at any of this stuff. I haven't touched any of this stuff. There's a ton of equipment that I have because like technology advances all the time crazy I know. But you know when a new thing comes out a lot of the times I'll get it but then I still have the old version of that thing and then it just sits there. So I want to I want to get rid of a bunch of stuff and like donate a bunch of stuff. I've had the idea for a while of doing kind of like a Crank Gameplay's garage sale with a bunch of like old equipment and stuff like that. I need to actually go through everything though and see if there's enough stuff to warrant actually doing like kind of an event like that. But I'm very excited to just like declutter and be a little bit more minimalistic because there's just so much stuff that I have and I don't need it. And I also just like don't want it. Like there's so much stuff in my gear closet and it's just sitting there and it's like okay other people could be using this and I'm not using this so why do I have it? I just shouldn't have it anymore. But anyway I'm looking forward to the new year. I'm looking forward to working on my channel and busting my ass on the channel and I'm looking forward to working on myself and making sure that I'm doing okay and doing good. I don't know. I'm just I'm feeling I'm feeling pretty good recently. I don't know. I've been I've been working my body going to the gym. I've been working my mind and my emotions going to therapy. Yeah I don't know. Anyways I hope that you had a fantastic year. Thank you guys for everything that you did for slash with me this year. And I'm excited for 2023 so let's do it.