What are your baseline requirements for a new series? And what would be ideal?

Audio, or can you read paper books while biking indoors? (I never could, I know that. I was assuming audio, and then realizing that it's stupid to assume when I can just ask.)

I think we like enough of the same things that things I loved might be good recs for you - with the strong exception of Patricia McKillip; I do remember that.

I like your list. I never make lists, and this year, if I did, it would probably start with "Not have to leave school," and then *I'd* get snuffly. It's never a clever plan to make a list based on things utterly outside one's control. So even though you getting independently mobile has relatively little in common with my not irrevocably screwing up my professional training, I'm feeling a lot of sympathy and a touch more empathy than I'd like.

I hope it's a year full of joys and triumphs for you, of many kinds.