We are a month into 2024. Of that month, there’s been like 3 days worth of sunlight. It has been fucking awful and I hate it. Also, it’s been miserably cold for most of that. And when it wasn’t miserably cold, it was still regular cold. Everything about this time of year is the absolute worst and if you like it then you are wrong and awful too. I said it and I stand firm in that belief, no take-backsies. On the bright side, I am finally able to consistently remember what day of the week it is after the absolute anarchy that is the holiday season, so that’s something. Obviously, my very first post from the new year had some strong feelings coming through about this season.
1/2
The struggle I have with this time of year is that, pretty much starting with Thanksgiving, everything gets ridiculous for like a month and a half. There's tons of days off work, people are off using up the last of their PTO before it expires, there's random parties all the time, cookies become a dietary staple, day drinking and general fuckery are the norm. Then we get to New Year's and it's like "Hope you enjoyed the last 6 weeks of being a degenerate, you gotta have your life together tomorrow. Also, it's the shittiest weather of the year so have fun, asshole."
1/15
We sat down to watch a movie as a family last night. I pointed out several movies, all of which someone else had some sort of objection to watching. After 20 minutes of bargaining, the family finally came to a consensus. 30 minutes into the movie my wife and son were both asleep and my daughter had left to go do something else in her room. Next time, I'm just gonna watch Big Trouble in Little China by myself.
1/17
Things I have recently found out my wife does not enjoy: me rubbing my butt on her while making kissy noises.
Things I have recently found out that I really enjoy: rubbing my butt on my wife while making kissy noises.
1/17
Just a normal conversation with my daughter.
1/21
Duolingo once again trying to teach me phrases it knows I will use.
1/24
If there's one thing I know to be true in life, it's that people who don't have 5 fucking sweet gum trees in their yard love to tell you that you shouldn't clean up your yard waste in the fall and that it's better to just leave it on the ground until spring.
1/26
I think one of the underrated perks of having an electric vehicle would be the ability to tell other people "It's electric. Boogie woogie woogie."
1/27
It's only karaoke if it comes from the Karaoke region of Japan. Otherwise it's just sparkling singalongs.
1/30
Aside from the love and companionship of an adorably fuzzy and snuggleable creature, my favorite thing about having dogs is that I pretty much never have to worry about cleaning up food that I spill on the floor.
So I clearly started off the year a little slow in that first 2 weeks. It kinda feels like every month I am lamenting my lack of creativity in the writing process, so this is probably just how I am now.
-Ryan