December: A Vibe Report
I had moments of feeling really silly for starting a blog. Like… who am I to think I actually have anything to say that anyone would want to read? Ultimately, this space has always been more for me than for anyone else. But after a lot of positive texts following November’s blog, I’m sticking with it — and I feel a little less like a dipshit weirdo. Plus, I’m a chronic over-sharer with a need for an audience (I’m nothing if not self-aware), so honestly, I’m just glad someone enjoyed it enough for me to justify continuing.
Anyways, December has been a bit of a snoozefest, which I’m not entirely complaining about. As of writing this at the end of the month, winter still hasn’t fully arrived. There’s no snow on the mountains — which means none of the fun activities that come with winter — and it only just started getting cold this week. It was 40 degrees and rainy for the entire week of Christmas, which made it obscenely hard to get into any sort of holiday mood, and everything just feels… off. I haven’t even pulled my parka out of the closet yet, and at this rate, I’m not sure I’ll need to.
December in Photos
(What Would Have Been) Stories
AKA: shitty iphone pics. Things that sustained me, and things that entertained me, with the occasional mirror selfie that you can pry out of my cold, dead, millennial hands.
We also picked up our half hog this month! I’m working on writing up everything that bulk meat purchasing entails, and I’ll probably post that in another week or so.
A Post-Social Media Life
There have been countless ways that getting off social media has positively impacted my life, so let me try to convince you to maybe step away too.
When I wake up, there’s no doomscrolling to do, so I just… get out of bed? My alarm goes off at 8:00, and by 8:30 (at the latest), Ru has had his morning scritches and is ready for the day ahead.
I’ve been reading before bed instead of scrolling or watching some mindless TV show (The Great British Bake Off is over, so really, there’s nothing left for me anyway). When it’s time for bed, I can actually fall asleep relatively easily. My mind feels calm and clear, and I can just… relax? What an odd sensation. On top of that, my sleep has been noticeably better quality.
My attention span has increased — which is something to celebrate as an ADHD girlie. That extra focus has made it easier to start projects and actually finish them, and a brain that’s not constantly overstimulated or emotionally whiplashed has given me more room for creativity.
My anxiety has all but disappeared, except for the occasional moment when I take my daily Vyvanse with just a little too much caffeine. I suspect I’ll always be figuring out that balance.
I’ve made time for hobbies again. In addition to reading, I’ve started journaling, writing letters to friends, watercolor painting, taking Ru on daily walks, tackling house projects, cooking more instead of eating out, and working on certifications for professional development. I also start a six-week ceramics class in early January — something I’ve wanted to do for years — so I’m really looking forward to that.
I’ve also been spending a decent amount of time at the hot spring closest to my house. It’s not my favorite, but it’s an easy way to spend an evening. Sadly, the closest rustic hot spring is about two hours away, so I’m leaning into the more commercialized experience (which does include poolside beverage service…).
I also decided to give block printing a shot. It’s definitely easier said than done, but it’s been fun. You start by designing (I use Procreate on my iPad, but you can also draw directly on the block), then printing the design and copying it onto tracing paper. From there, you transfer it to the block and start carving. It’s a long, tedious process, but it requires a lot of attention — and that makes it a great way to wind down.
Sadly, I spent the last four days of the year getting absolutely wrecked by the flu. On the bright side, that meant plenty of time for reading, puzzles, and crafting.
Pages I Turned (Willingly)
A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight, and A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas - Somehow, I read the entire ACOTAR series in ten days. (Technically longer, but only because it took me over a week to get past the first two chapters. Once I did, I could not put the books down.) I’ve never been much of a fantasy — or romantasy — reader, but this series absolutely changed that. Book five was harder to get through than the first three (book four was a slog and felt wildly unnecessary, though thankfully it was short), but overall, this is probably the best series I’ve ever read. Sarah J. Maas’s ability to build and describe worlds is so immersive and captivating.
“The river roared down the mountainside, a constant rushing that she’d heard throughout the day as they walked, its many rapids just barely visible from the outlook. Even here, with the light fading, the river’s colors shifted from slate to jade to pine as it wandered between the peaks along the valley floor. It was all so still, yet watchful, somehow. As if she were surrounded by something ancient and half-awake. As if each peak had its own moods and preferences, like whether the clouds clung to or avoided them, or trees lined their sides or left them bare. Their shapes were so odd and long that they looked as if behemoths had once lain down beside the rivers, pulled a rumpled blanket over themselves, and fallen asleep forever.”
Currently Reading
Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton - Choosing a book to follow ACOTAR felt daunting. I finished the final book on December 15 and needed a little time to mourn the end of the series before moving on. Instead of jumping back into fiction, I chose something a bit more professionally relevant, and so far, it’s been a good transition.
House & Home
This was a big month for house projects. From bathroom facelifts to furniture changes, every project has made things feel a little more like home.
Nobody tells you how impossible it can feel to choose design finishes that both you and your significant other agree on. Chris and I have lived together for a third of our lives — nearly our entire adult lives — and while we’re very similar in most ways, our home aesthetics could not be more different. I’m whimsical and eclectic; he’s clean and modern. I’m vibrant and colorful; he’s muted and neutral. I’m cozy and lived-in; he’s minimalist and thoughtful. Our biggest similarity? We’re both control freaks.
This brings us to the bathrooms. Starting our bathroom makeovers (not remodels because, in this economy??) had been put off for nearly two years because we couldn’t get on the same page. And since we couldn’t decide what to do with the front bathroom, we did nothing. Literally nothing. No toilet paper holder. No shower curtain rod. For almost two years. So eventually, something had to give — mainly because it was becoming a colossal embarrassment when people came over.
We can’t budget for tile yet, and all of the existing flooring is dirt-brown and matches none of the colors we’d want on the walls. The debate became: do we live with mismatched chaos for a while, or paint everything white and add color later when we tackle the bigger projects? After many spirited discussions, we finally said “fuck it” and both gave up arguing. The plan is to make things livable now — until I inevitably clean house at Blackjack in Vegas and we can justify tile, countertops, and cabinet refinishing.
When we bought this house, its aesthetic could best be described as “mid-forties single woman Tuscan chic.” Think wrought iron, gaudy mirrors, and an aggressive commitment to brown. Erasing every trace of that has been my deepest desire, so ultimately, this felt like a fair compromise.
Guest Bathroom Before & After
I really only miss having a wide-angle lens when trying to take home photos.
I’m still waiting on the cabinet hardware to arrive and hopefully that will all feel cohesive enough for a while. We made more progress in the guest bathroom than the primary because we ran into an annoying issue with surfactants leaching from the old paint and streaking down the walls. It was an issue before we painted, which is actually why we decided to start this project in the first place, but we thought putting new paint over the old shitty paint would fix it. It didn’t. Now it’s just leaching through the new paint and It’s disgusting. I hate it. And I’m still coming to terms with the fact that after three coats of fresh white paint, we’re probably going to have to redo it all.
Once the bathroom exhaustion wore off, I moved on to other projects. I finally organized the bookshelves in our bedroom — then reorganized them, and then reorganized them again. It’s better for now, though still missing something. Eventually, the trim and shelves will be the same color as the walls, but if we’re being honest, that’s pretty low on my priority list.
I also finally found and ordered a new coffee table for the living room, which inspired a furniture rearrange that I love so much more than the previous layout. Clearly, Ru agrees — the back of the couch now gives him the perfect viewing angle for the front window.
Spotify Wrapped
If you’re firmly in the “nobody cares about your Spotify Wrapped” camp, feel free to scroll on, or better yet, just exit entirely, you fun sucker. For those of you still here: yes, I know you were wondering if that douchebag Morgan Wallen made my Wrapped for the third (or fourth?) year in a row, and somehow… yes. He did. I’m ashamed, but at least my top song wasn’t “Come Back As a Redneck,” which is honestly shocking given how often it was playing.
Shenanigans Central
We headed back up to Bellevue for Christmas, as usual, but it didn’t feel very Christmassy this year. No snow on the ground, rain for five days straight, and none of our usual Christmas-week activities were possible. no snowshoeing, skiing, tree cutting, ice fishing, or Torchlight Parade. It was nice to relax, but that’s mostly all we did.
There was some fly tying, building a Lego Christmas tree, and a rather heated post-dinner game of Cribbage, but that about sums it up.
Keeping fingers crossed for a more exciting January. At the very least, it would be great if some snow showed up so that Chris could go ski and I could go sit in the lodge and read. This seemingly unending soggy winter has been a huge bummer and I’m desperate for a change.
