Week 52

My first week off in what feels like forever. Every year, I try to take the last week of the year off, and it always follows the same pattern. At first, I struggle with the idea of doing “nothing.” Then things get hectic around Christmas, and once it’s over, I fully embrace my favorite part: transforming into a pajama-wearing, video game-playing maniac. As I’m writing this, I’m in full-on goblin mode!

Things that happened

• My mother-in-law, my parents, and my brother dropped by on Christmas Day for a massive dinner. I love how this is turning into a family tradition. Big shout-out to my wife, Laura, who takes on the monumental task of coming up with a meals for our dinner and cooking it each year.
• Speaking of holiday family traditions, I’ve been playing a lot of Fortnite with the kids. This has also become a family tradition that somehow organically happens when we’re together during Christmas. After a few practice rounds, I do pretty well and even managed to win a battle royale!
• During the quiet hours, I’ve been making small improvements to this website. Most notably, there’s now a rel="me" link and some social media icons on the front page. I’ve also added a changelog page to track updates and might include a to-do list or roadmap there as well.
• On Boxing Day, our oldest dog, Okkie, had an epileptic seizure during the night. I’d never seen a dog have one before, and it scared the crap out of us. We called the vet emergency line immediately, and they assured us she wasn’t in any pain. They said it was likely a side effect of the medication she’s taking for her urinary tract infection. Thankfully, she seems totally fine now!
• I went to the gym and decided to do a “leg day.” My legs are now sore, and I’m walking like a penguin. Mission accomplished I guess! Our local gym recently reopened after a week of renovations, and I’m really impressed—so that’s cool!

Media consumed

• Played a bunch of Stardew Valley on my laptop—I love that game! Funny thing: I also own it on my Nintendo Switch and my Android smartphone. I think that says it all—a solid recommendation.
• I recently bought a set of Vappeby Bluetooth speakers from IKEA. They work really well, look fun, and, best of all, they’re quite affordable compared to other Bluetooth speakers. We’ve been listening to a ton of old-timey Christmas music, and now we’re mostly tuned in to Radio Paradise.

Nature

• We went for a walk to De Tankenberg on Boxing Day. It was super muddy and quite foggy, but the fog definitely added to the overall ambiance. I love how fog makes the world feel quieter and more surreal, like you’re walking around in a spooky story from the Victorian era.
• It’s getting colder again, so I have to remind myself to feed the birds. I also need to make a list of native plants I want to add to our backyard next year.