1/9/2026

I haven’t posted in a while, because frankly, life has been busy. I’m fixing washing machines, putting the finishing touches on a bedroom remodel, running around mouse-proofing our shack of a home, and more! The bedroom is going to be the nicest room in the house, and I am currently running a heater in there before I go in and give it the finishing touch in an hour or two.

It’s been an old-school cold winter in the Northeast. I have boot spikes for walking my dogs, along with an official Tree House Brewing Company ninja mask from when I worked there (awesome managers by the way, I loved it being part of the “crew”).

My wife and I keep our heat on 60 degrees, with a couple of small heaters on as well. Propane cost us $400 last month. They came twice, so it may have been even more. While I have been loving the cold, my house is not insulated for efficiency at this point in time. Drafts are common and come from multiple areas, and I can almost see the dollars blowing out of all the cracks and crevices.

Needless to say, it’s chilly, and I have every drafty area in my house covered in plastic. I have created a womb out of my living room, and it’s glorious.

As I currently sit in my warm lair, my mind has been running wild. I still haven’t registered for classes because I am frozen in anxiety (I graduate this year!), the holidays had me reminiscing quite a bit, which is oddly exhausting, and I have been planning but not starting multiple projects. I have been working really hard in my mind while sitting on my ass in the real World.

The musician who never touches an instrument, the painter who doesn’t pick up a brush, the writer whose typewriter never sees the World outside of its dust cover. 

Oh, shit! I just realized while writing this that my last piece was a “part 1”. I should add the sequel to my list of projects. I’ll pencil it in for never.

Speaking of projects, our small business has a website, and it is secretly a great opportunity for me to get some of my writing up.  You need a peppy blog from a miserable bastard? HMU.

One last thing I would like to circle back to, as this is all over the place and I desperately need a focal point, is reminiscing during the holidays. Many of us have experienced loss. Others have family that constantly gives them shit. Somewhere, though, there are good memories in all of us. Maybe they aren’t holiday-specific. For instance, I had a neighbor who was infinitely more popular than I was in school. Even so, she was always so kind to me both in and outside of school. I know other kids gave her shit for giving me the time of day, but those acts of kindness by her are unforgettable. 

Shoutout to the girl in the giant old house by the intersection.

Perhaps you remember good times with friends, family, pets, or hell, even coworkers. Did you really appreciate a piece of gum being given to you when you were a kid? Whatever. 

I guess my point is this time of year doesn’t need to be about observing anything specific, but to me, it is a great time to settle in, put on some music, and remember how simple and beautiful life can be. I lost my parents young, but around Christmas, I take the opportunity to remember my time with them while keeping it within a positive bubble. My mom loved the holidays, and she would be pissed if I spent them moping around instead of being jolly.

On the subject of jolliness, my mother-in-law was surprisingly psyched about the greys in my beard. She actually mentioned how pumped she was about me looking like Santa in the next few years.  I’m greying fast, so I just tell people that I’m 30 but saw a ghost.

I guess that’s it. I love my mom, my dad, my wife, and every dog I’ve ever had because of all the good times they have brought me. Teaching myself to remember such moments fondly without following up with becoming shrouded in darkness is a difficult but wonderful experience.

Stay tuned for a half-assed discussion on Diderot’s The Nun. The protagonist has an iron will, and the story is remarkable. I rarely write about books, but here is what you can expect.

Have a wonderful 2026,

JTC