§ And here we are, the last weeknote of 2025. A good year, all things considered. I’m looking forward to 2026 which is shaping up to be even better.
§ We had a warm, if slightly rainy, Christmas this year which was a pleasant surprise given how snowy Thanksgiving was less than a month ago.
For a Christmas morning treat Caroline and I made a variety of morning buns which required making a laminated croissant dough for the first time. We went with ham & cheese, apricot, fig, raspberry, and chocolate. I couldn’t possibly choose a favorite so I won’t try.
Caroline gifted me a new backpack which I’m incredibly excited to use. My dad made us a handmade broomcorn broom he wove from scratch which is beautiful and one of the most unique gifts I’ve ever received.
§ I also caved and got Kirby Air Riders for my Switch. The gameplay is all a bit too chaotic for my liking but I really appreciate how much unnecessary effort the developers put into aesthetic vehicle customizations. It is especially odd considering how deeply buried in the menus the feature is.
§ A few days of warm weather brought out my favorite pileated woodpecker and a gaggle of dark-eyed juncos. An odd sight in late December. If 2025 and 2024 are any indication, our quails should start laying eggs again sometime next week. We’ll see.
§ The Pluribus finale didn’t end on a cheap cliffhanger like I feared it would, so that’s a plus. Overall, I think the season was slow—probably too slow—but promising.
After the episode aired, Apple released a 23 minute long behind the scenes doc that offers good perspective on the show’s production process. One of the executive producers interviewed literally called the Carol Sturka character “an insufferable hero.” I was already beginning to warm on the series and the level of self-awareness exhibited in the doc gives me even more faith in the direction the show will take in future seasons.
§ My annual “themes” for the past two years been abject failures so this year I’m taking a note from Carl Barenbrug and cataloging my “ins” and “outs” for 2026.
In:
- Family
- Craft
- Balance
- Intentionally
Out:
- Restlessness
- Undeliberate screen time
- Feeling guilty about relaxation
- Buying things I can make myself
§ Until next year—
