I've gotta share what the kids got me today.

I've gotta share what the kids got me today.

This drawing was done by Shadow. It's a mesa in the desert and it's so thoughtful because he knows how much I love it here (probably because I say it out loud nearly every day). 😂 He's been practicing his art and learning new techniques and I am living for all of it.

 

This pin is from Kira and when I say she SLAYED the gift-giving this year, I mean it. She got a custom mug made for Shadow and some jerky for Shaun, and this pin that I am in love with for me.

BEFORE Y'ALL JUDGE ME TOO HARSHLY:  I think I've made it pretty clear that I'm not Christian and I don't believe in gods. For me logic dictates that I don't believe in devils, either (and I don't. I worship no one). THAT BEING SAID, I do support The Satanic Temple with my Amazon purchases because I'm a fan of their work regarding human rights and bodily autonomy. And to be completely honest, Baphomet is fucking adorable to me (look, I love animals and y'all already knew that). I guess I'm out of all of my closets now. 😂

So this pin that says "Hail Skatin'" was an unexpected delightful surprise and my day is made.

Happy "Whatever You Celebrate" to you and yours today and always.

🖤,

Blucifer 😈

(I swear that's just the name I've picked for myself if I decide to join roller derby. I'm really not off the deep end, y'all, but I couldn't not sign off on this post with it. 😅😂❤️)

She loves to be tucked in with blankets.

She loves to be tucked in with blankets. She's under a seasonally-appropriate one today.

I, uh... I don't know if Bastian realizes that she's not just a pile of blankets, but Rose is reacting to this nonsense by (of course) not moving. 😂😂😂

Apparently, I've been having some pretty vivid dreams lately.

Apparently, I've been having some pretty vivid dreams lately.

Because I'm a light sleeper I know that when Shaun wakes up in the morning he comes to my side of the bed and kisses me before going downstairs. (/swoon) He told me that the day before yesterday when he came to my side of the bed I popped up suddenly before he could kiss me and told him that I was having fight dreams. This morning I mumbled something to him about bugs and asked that he open the blinds.

Usually I remember my dreams for better or worse, but not these two. I'm pretty curious about what my brain was doing in my sleep, but that's ok I guess. At least I'm giving Shaun clues to tell me about later. 😂😂😂

We drove around last night looking at decorations.

We drove around last night looking at decorations. I asked Shaun to get this photo for me because this person decorated their beautiful, giant agave with lights and I loved it so much. I'm glad he also got the Luminarias in the photo. I've never seen them anywhere else. They are everywhere here and they're so beautiful. Here's a little info about them:

"The glowing brown sacks that adorn Albuquerque walkways, churches, and homes each holiday season are called luminarias and date back more than 300 years. The New Mexican tradition began when the Spanish villages along the Rio Grande displayed the unique and easy to make Christmas lanterns, called luminarias to welcome the Christ child into the world. A traditional luminaria is a brown paper bag, which has been folded at the top, filled will a couple cups of sand and a votive candle."

I did the ultimate form of self-care today:

I did the ultimate form of self-care today:  I made up my loft! I've MISSED that bed so, so much for about a year now. It was December of last year that I needed to disassemble it, pack it away, and move to Talladega. It stayed in storage in the basement the whole time we were there and then in storage in our garage here for a while after we moved because we had bigger settling-in priorities.

It's been built for a while now, but I didn't have a mattress until around my birthday last month. I've wanted to make it up and go up there so many times but between the job search, unpacking, doctors appointments, cleaning, skating, and low-energy days it just wasn't able to happen until now.

I am so excited. This bed / desk / pull-out floor bed / drawers combo is part of my very essence. It is my Nest. I bought it from a guy on CraigsList in GA when I lived in AL in my first home. Then when I moved in with Shaun it went in my bedroom there. Then it traveled to Talladega and from there, New Mexico!

Shaun hates moving my Nest because it has to be disassembled every time we move it and then put back together (kind of like a jigsaw puzzle). It doesn't help that I'm stupid protective of it, either. 😂😂😂 I just can't help it. I don't know what to say besides this is the thing that makes a home for me. I'm really grateful that our bedroom here has room for it, plus room for the king-size bed we share.

And before y'all think I'm TOO ridiculous, know that Shaun ALSO has a loft with a desk in his Cave downstairs. If I'm a little weird, well - he's definitely my match. We're both just 39-year-old kids living our best lives. 😊😊😊

My Nest made up with the comforter my mom made me.

Pic from the side. Y'all don't get to see my messy desk. Avert your eyes and quit trying. 😂

Y'all like my skate videos? This is a good one. 😜

Y'all like my skate videos?  This is a good one. 😜

Higher ramp. It didn't go so well. But hey, I made it to the bottom. 😂😂😂

I had fun today but Vanessa skated CIRCLES around me (not literally). She nailed every one of her goals, including this ramp that took me out. That's ok. I got some practice and exercise in and it was a good time. ❤️❤️❤️

Axial Tilt.

Axial Tilt.

I'm so frustrated right now. The only thing about this time of year that I enjoy is knowing that the days will be getting longer. It's extra good for me this year because it means more sunshine for skating.

I'm declaring here and now that Christmas 2021 is the last Christian holiday that I will actively be participating in. I have reasons.

For one:  I am not Christian. I don't believe in any gods at all. But IF I was into Christian holidays for religious purposes I would be furious about how commercialized they have become. Pretty much all meaning is lost and the point is to spend money, consume goods, decorate, and maybe go to church even if you don't any other time of the year. How shitty. 😂 If I was a Christian, I'd be celebrating a LOT differently than most people I know. 

For two:  I really don't understand doing something just because it's always been done. Like, so what? Why? I grew up doing these rituals and now I don't want to keep repeating them, especially when I could do ANYTHING else. I could do ANYTHING I want on a certain day, but no, I *choose* to do something I've done before? Is it special to repeat a ritual? Is it comforting? For me personally, no. It's really grating, actually. In math and computer science we use algorithms and we automate as much as possible to avoid doing exactly this. Let a machine do the repetitive work. Let me move on!

If you enjoy holidays then more power to you. I'm just saying that I don't, and that after this year I'm opting out. No more Christian holidays for me. Shaun and the kids can do whatever they want. I'll give enough effort to them and only them to not ruin their day because I love them. And therein lies the trap. 😕

EDITED TO ADD:

Anyone who receives a package from me, know I did that because I wanted to. I'm pretty sure that gift-giving is my love language. I just don't enjoy the thought of having to do it certain times of the year whether I'm feeling it or not. ❤️