Personally, this year was full of ups and downs. Globally, this year was a giant piece of shit. Like everyone else, I’m looking ahead to 2017 and hoping for a better year.

My New Year’s resolution is to focus more on my writing, including Unassociated Press. In order to do that, I have to make the most difficult decision I have faced professionally: I am stepping down from Soundtrack of the Week.

In superfluously symbolic fashion, the episode after Jan. 20 will be my last. Next year will mark the eighth year of SOTW, and much like Barack Obama will hand over power to Donald Trump after his eight-year reign, I too will pass the torch to Ben, Geoff and someone else (not sure if I should announce that just yet). Unlike the presidency, the new SOTW administration is guaranteed to be a giant step forward. I could not be more excited about the future of the show.

Eight years of broadcasting my thoughts, opinions, beliefs and life has been the only consistent part of my life in the past decade. I’ve met an extraordinary amount of extraordinary people that otherwise would never give me the time of day. Two to three hours of talking about everything is literally what therapy is all about, and I am a better person because of that.

Unfortunately, my two terms are up. The relative short timing between my resignation and my longtime co-host Jay’s resignation is pure coincidence. Getting married to the most beautiful woman in the world with three beautiful children and my future as a journalist/writer looking brighter each day is not coincidence.

My strengths are in my writing, not broadcasting. I am proud of everything SOTW has accomplished, but I feel 1) SOTW could have done much more and 2) I could have done much more with my writing in the last eight years. With the leadership of Ben, Geoff and New Guy, SOTW will do what I wanted it to do and my focus exclusively on writing will allow it to flourish. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

I will have a deeper, better thought-out statement on my last episode. Despite the doom-and-gloom prediction of the future many have concocted after Nov. 8, I am very much looking forward to 2017. SOTW will be better than ever. Meanwhile, I will be producing more thought-provoking, well-researched articles here at Unassociated Press.

Raise your glasses for 2017! It’s not going to completely suck.