I've been sitting on the couch in the basement for five full days now. You get a lot of random thoughts when you're stuck in one spot for a while. For lack of a better post, why not share them here for a little random, point-in-time wrap up to the year?
- I haven't really appreciated this basement enough. It's cozy and works well for this kind of quarantine--a place to sleep, a place to sit, and my own bathroom. If it had a shower and kitchenette, it'd be pretty much perfect as a little apartment. I have gotten into a pretty good routine down here, actually. When we bought this house almost 16 years ago, we wanted an extra space that wasn't so detached from the rest of the house like our old basement was. I already knew it was pretty perfect for displaying all of our memorabilia, but I don't think I really realized just how great it was for having that extra space until now.
- There are worse things during Christmas break than some forced solo downtime, although I may have reached some sort of limit today. I worked my way through a couple comfort movies (Mary Poppins and 10 Things I Hate About You), two seasons each of two series I had gotten behind on, a four-episode documentary, and probably another thing here or there. I downloaded my first book (although it turned out to be an audio book) and listened to some of that. But I found myself at a loss for other things I wanted to watch for much of the afternoon. There's always a long list when I don't have the time, and then I forget most of it once I do. Some of it's not streaming (at least not for free--what are we already paying all these stupid apps for then?), but it always feels like a lost opportunity when I can't think of anything! Tonight I did manage to get through Wicked and the movie If (about imaginary friends). I felt a bit more productive after that. And for the record, there are some TV shows I still have on my list, but I can do those in small chunks, much easier than full movies, so I try to prioritize movies when I'm stuck. Now I'm waiting for midnight so I can't get too into anything long, so I'm watching Reading Rainbow on PBS Retro. The episodes (except for one at 1am) are all more recent than my prime, but it's like a weird comfort thing. And now that I see it again, I can see how the new host, Mychal Threets, truly was the perfect person to reboot it.
- I'm actually not very good at watching TV anymore. During the pandemic, our entire household schedule and setup changed. The boys sort of took over the TV more, and Jacob started staying up later (that was probably age more than anything), so we lost our dedicated TV adult TV time. We stopped watching our DVR shows, and I got out of the habit of watching TV. I also got a phone somewhere in there, which probably made it less important. I also didn't have a lot of brainspace with everyone always in the house, and I think it just got hard to do dedicated time for myself with a TV. I've gotten a little better, but it's still hard for me to sit and watch a movie without getting distracted by my phone. When I scroll through all the streaming services, it's a reminder of how many shows I'm still not watching. I just don't have the mental space, especially for overly dramatic stuff. So, I will continue to be out of the pop culture loop for most shows. I have done pretty well overall this week for someone who doesn't watch TV anymore, but it does make me wonder how I managed to watch so much TV as a kid.
- Note to self: Next time you're quarantined, grab the Wii on the way down!
- One channel I keep checking when I need something new is Buzzr, a retro game show network. I actually discovered a game show this morning that I swear I've never seen, which I didn't think was possible. It only ran one year, so maybe that's why. It was hosted by Monty Hall of Let's Make a Deal fame, and it was called Split Second. The format was weird--these vague three-part trivia questions that the three contestants had to split. I found it a bit clumsy, and the contestants didn't do very well. Their cash totals were pretty low and the bonus round was a total luck crapshoot rather than skill, so I guess I can see why it didn't last long. It did have another life before 1986, and I guess it got rebooted on the Game Show Network more recently. But I was such a game show nut back in the 80s and early 90s that I can't believe I hadn't seen anything about it before now.
- I'm a little bummed that I'm missing all the bonus Christmas decor time upstairs. I always sort of wanted a tree down here, but it would need to be a small one and we didn't spend enough time down here to put the effort into it. Until now, of course. I really want to get back upstairs, because I figure it all needs to come down in a week and a half, and this was supposed to be my time to just soak it in. The boys aren't even putting on the tree lights, darn it. I keep looking at my Advent calendars all done, and can't quite believe we're there and past. It always goes so fast. It honestly feels like I just put it all up, and with how much work it is, I try to maximize it as long as I can without the task hanging over my head. I have tried to make my winter decor really enjoyable so the downshift isn't as sad, but January is rough enough as the lights start to disappear.
- My family has been eating out all week because Craig can't cook. I feel like we've run the gamut, which probably made tonight's "special" New Year's Eve dinner pretty routine. Hopefully I'm allowed to start cooking and get out of here tomorrow. I never quite thought I'd want to cook dinner again, but here we are.
- I've learned while living down here that even when the laundry is 15 feet away and visible, I can still manage to forget to change it over or take something out. Perhaps that ADHD gene started with me? (Coincidentally, I may find that out in a couple weeks...)
- We're finishing off the year with yet another snowstorm. I've missed a lot of snow this week, not that I'm too sad about not driving in it. Craig has the snowblower now, so I also don't have to feel bad about not being out shoveling. Buffalo and Syracuse are getting even more hammered. Syracuse actually has more snow this year than Buffalo and Rochester combined. What a crazy, cold, snowy December. I'm really hoping for some warmth and clear pavement in January, although I'd be willing to trade that for better weather come March, if I have to choose.
- PSA: Next time you or someone in your house is sick, keep an empty tissue box when you get one, and use it as a receptacle for the used tissues. It keeps them all contained so you're not picking up a million gross, germy tissues that miss the wastebasket. Game-changer.
So...with 24 minutes left in the year as I type this, I figure I should probably try to reflect on 2025. It was definitely an interesting year with lots of ups and downs. Jacob's recovery, another school change, Carter's diagnosis, me trying to get my health managed in lots of different ways, another job evolution for Craig, another Disney trip, and the World Series were probably the biggest stories of the year. I'm thankful Jacob's leg is finally better and Carter's health seems to be under control. I love watching both boys play their sports, even more now that they're both doing so much better. I'm a little sad Carter's and my adventures seem to be dwindling a bit, but I'm grateful for the few we had, including all the Disney exploring. Going through most of a year without massive anxiety has been simultaneously eye-opening and also just how it should be. I took dozens of walks through all seasons. I wish I had some other big accomplishment, but honestly, with all that's happening in the world these days, most of us seem to be just hanging on in a lot of ways. So I guess walking into the new year a little battered but still moving is a reasonable accomplishment on its own.
I try not to make resolutions or have expectations for a new year, because just when you think you've got a plan, life has a way at throwing you curveballs that throw everything off track. So I just try to live life one day at a time. But God-willing, we've got lots of basketball ahead, as well as more baseball than ever for Carter. I pray for good health and happiness for all of us, restoration of health for lots of friends and family, and fun new adventures for all of us. We have memories to be made and joy to find. Time to tip-toe into 2026 and see what we can make of it! (Now to peek upstairs and see if I can share a distanced "Happy New Year!" with whoever is still up!)
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