What do you think happens when you light a candle on plastic?

It burns. The plastic melts and emits black smoke. If you leave it alone, it could reach the level of burning down your house.

2026. Happy New Year! First thing in the new year, my house's bathroom caught fire, and I'm currently busy cleaning up the aftermath. I noticed it early enough that it only ended up being a small fire, but I'm in total shock that I have to do a deep clean right after I just finished doing one...

The cause was a candle my grandmother lit when offering a mirror mochi. She usually puts it in a candle holder, but this year she placed it directly on top of the plastic storage unit next to the toilet. As a result, the plastic caught fire, melted, and went up in flames.

The scene my family saw when they opened the bathroom door was the black smoke version of what you see in disaster drills—where you can't see an inch in front of you. My family later remarked, 'So those disaster drills were actually pretty accurate.'

When I went into the bathroom in the morning and saw the candle placed directly on the surface, I thought, 'She's being lazy this year,' but I never imagined it would catch fire. Seriously, in all honesty, my house almost disappeared at the very start of the new year. I have no choice but to turn this into a funny story now.

I have a habit of always brushing off minor feelings of unease by saying, 'Well, these things happen.' I noticed the signs of danger, yet I couldn't prevent it. To think that my natural ability to brush things off would end up being my downfall. Oh my god.

So, I'm going to add 'Don't overlook feelings of unease' as one of my resolutions for this year. If I think, 'Huh?', I won't brush it off; I'll check it out. It's much better to worry for nothing than to have it come back to haunt you later.

This Year's Resolutions: 10 Things I Want to Do This Year

I'm going to make this a year of leaps and bounds! I'll manage my habit of laziness, take on challenges I want to do, and enrich my life. I'm keeping the brakes broken and won't be fixing them! Full throttle!

1. Get the certifications I've been putting off

I started studying for the bookkeeping and Shinto shrine certifications but gave up halfway through, so I will definitely get them this year!

2. Recover the cost of courses with side income

I'll increase my side income and recover the cost of my upfront investments! My first goal is 50,000 yen a month, so I'll do my best to get projects and increase my rates! To that end, I will act proactively. I also want to try entering novel and essay contests.

3. Definitely go see my favorite performer's stage play

I've already secured tickets for one in January and one in April! I'll take good care of my health. Also, my favorite performer has a play scheduled for the fall, so I will absolutely snatch up a ticket. I'm going to accumulate good karma!

4. Clear my backlog of unread books

I have a pile of novels I bought because I wanted to read them. Some are even getting anime adaptations before I've read them. Oh my god. I want to finish reading them by April, when the anime starts airing.

5. Don't overlook feelings of unease and keep a broad perspective

Safety first! Watch out for fire! I keep a particularly close eye on candles placed on plastic. Whether at work or in daily life, I maintain a perspective and mindset that never overlooks even the slightest sense of something being wrong.

6 Get a room of my own

I don't have my own room, so I really want one. A place where I can spend some relaxing time to myself is important, isn't it? I will use every means possible to get one.

7 Go on an overseas trip

I went abroad for the first time in my life last year, so I want to go somewhere again this year. I'm still considering the destination. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!

8 Create a note magazine or membership

I want to compile funny diaries about my fandom activities, chronicles of my side hustle challenges, and useful information into a magazine! It would be fun to include some candid, helpful stories that are hard to share publicly!

9 Make muscle training and stretching a habit

I'm a habitual quitter, so I'm going to make sure I turn this into a daily habit. I sit a lot for desk work, so my neck, shoulders, and lower back are often screaming. I will focus on proper prevention and maintenance.

10 Try a matching app

It's been popular among my friends lately. Today, a friend even announced their marriage to me. Am I already at that age...? I haven't had many opportunities to meet people, so I'd like to give it a try. It's a low priority, though.

Looking forward to another great year!

In 2026, my house literally caught fire right from the start, but I've 'burned' it away by turning it into a funny story on note, so I'm pulling myself together. I'm going to make this a good year!

#noteFirstWriting #10ThingsIWantToDoThisYear