january vibe check
here are some things keeping me sane amidst... all of this
if you haven’t noticed, the united states is extremely weird right now. january has felt approximately ten years long and has contained enough historically significant events to fill a history book all on its own: the president is doing some crazy ass shit; california (my home) was/still is on fire; a tesla truck exploded and new orleans was plunged into terror; tiktok was banned and then unbanned; just yesterday, a plane collided with a helicopter in DC, killing at least 67 people, and the president blamed DEI programs. this is without even mentioning the other 194 countries in the world where weird/crazy stuff is most definitely happening.
it all feels unreal, as if i’m living in one of the YA dystopian novels i used to love in middle school.
but life persists, as it usually does. in an effort to not totally lose it or check out completely, i’ve been listening to a news briefing podcast during my commute in the mornings and then staying away from the news the rest of the day. we can only do what we can control—donate to organizations if you’re able; volunteer if you have the time; be good to your pets and your children and your friends and your colleagues; and take care of yourself (not in the bubble baths and crystals way, but in the audre lorde way).
a break from the chaos is nice, and also necessary. here are some things that have been bringing me joy in this first month of the year, in no particular order.
i. my dog runs extremely hot. i like to call him my lil space heater, because he truly is. i let him sleep in my bed—when i first got him, i tried to have him sleep in his crate for about 3 nights, then my guilt won out— and he makes me so sweaty at night, especially if it’s a night that he’s insisting on sleeping as close to me as physically possible (which is most nights). sometimes in the mornings he gets cold, and he’ll wiggle his way under the duvet until he’s fully submerged in the mounds of cloth, heating my bed to a toasty sauna-like temperature. this post finds me sitting on my couch with his nose crammed into the small space between my back and the back rest; he will always try to hide his face if he can. i think it’s a comfort thing, but i’m not sure. he doesn’t know about politics or world events; all he knows is sleep and treat and walk. i love him so much that sometimes it makes my chest ache.
ii. in unprecedented times such as these, friends and community are more important than ever. i’m not a super social person by nature, but the older i get the more i come to value the people i’ve chosen to have in my life, and who have also chosen me (how lucky i am!). even when it’s hard or inconvenient, carving out intentional time to spend with people, instead of spending all my free time alone, is never a waste. one of my goals for 2025 is to host a themed gathering once a month; so far, i hosted “vision board night” for january. catch me drinking shitty green beer and watching the movie p.s. i love you (it is 100% a st. patrick’s day movie don’t argue with me) with the girlies come march.
iii. literally just touching grass guys. the less i look at a screen and the more i go outside, the less i feel my brain melting and my empathy dissolving.
in a similar vein, i’ve started practicing “eye care” during the days i’m at work and staring at a computer screen for hours. that’s just a really lame way to say i practice some of these exercises, like shifting my focus from something close to something far, or intentionally blinking to make sure my eyes don’t dry out. it sounds so silly but i swear i have less of a headache at the end of the day when i do these things.
iv. this house in my neighborhood that is completely covered in plants, top to bottom. i have no idea how people make this happen but i must learn so i can copy it one day, if i am ever fortunate enough to own a home. i’m not one who could ever survive in the actual wilderness—god forbid i ever find myself in a survival situation because i will not make it—but i love nature, and covering my home in plants seems like a good way to bring a bit of nature into suburbia while still enjoying modern luxuries like insulation and a roof. until that day, i have many plant babies that i am slowly becoming better at taking care of.
v. the gloom of january. i’m aware this is an unpopular opinion, and i can’t even tell you how many substack posts i’ve seen this month about seasonal depression, but i actually love gloomy winter weather. i also tend to experience my seasonal depression during the summer months, and have since i was young; do with that what you will. take all this with a grain of salt because i live in california, where “winter” is more like one mildly chilly spring day, and i may eat my words one day if i move to a place that has a real winter, but i mean… the twilight vibes of an overcast day? cold-weather clothing? the smell of the pavement after a fresh rain? hot drinks when it’s cold out? unparalleled.
thanks for reading. take care of yourself. ♡
Your aunt and I are also grey weather people. It’s nice.