the month in joy

it's been a while

I didn’t mean to stop writing my week in joy column; it just happened. I got busy working on the website, i got discouraged by the election, i’ve been in a funk, and I quit smoking weed the same week I quit twitter. Things are in an upheaval, folks. But I am working through it all.

It’s been sort of hard to find joy lately. I don’t mind telling you I am mostly depressed these days, both clinically and just on vibes alone. I’m afraid of what’s going to happen to this country in the next four years and beyond. I worry about the future of my children and the planet. But let’s try, ok?

Last week we had an early Thanksgiving because my sister and family can’t come on Thanksgiving proper. So they came last week and we decided to not have turkey as we’re all going to have it on the proper holiday. So roast pork it was. We had an absolutely lovely weekend playing games, laughing at and with each other, and making our Christmas plans. It was such a nice bit of happiness in between everythig else.

I’ve decorated for Christmas already. I have a little tiny tree that’s up on a high shelf (thanks, cats). There are lights all around it, and a string of those old fashioned bulbs hanging down the shelf. Stockings are hung, and there are little Christmas touches here and there. I have stopped watching sports programming and news all day and instead I play my music and put a Christmas ambience from YouTube up on the tv.

I have a nice collection of Christmas music. I have my playlist, which contains everything from classics to punk versions of Christmas songs. I have quite a few holiday records and I’ve been spinning those. It adds an air of festivity to the house and it lifts my spirits. Christmas Eve is a month from today. I like to soak up this time of year, kind of submerge myself in it. I never get sick of any of it. I found something that brings me joy and I won’t let go if it until New Year’s Day, when it all disappears again until next year. I think I’m going to get some twinkly white lights to permanently keep hanging from the shelving. It’s just nice.

I found some records up in my parents’ attic that belong to me, records I was very attached to at some point that have now re-entered my collection. I got Sticky Fingers and Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy and an Aztec Camera 10 inch I forgot I owned. But the clear winner was this, my copy of Split Enz’ True Colors, a record I bought in 1980 about a week before I saw them at My Father’s Place here on Long Island. The album - in a first of its kind - is etched with words and designs and let me tell you, in 1980 that was an incredible thing. It was the first thing I showed people when they came to my house for the first time. It’s such a great record and reminds me so much of a great time in my life. So glad to have it back.

I am working toward getting joy back in my life again. I am rejuvenated by all the Christmasy stuff around here, and cutting twitter out of my life sure helped. I’m sick right now (some kind of flu for which I missed the Modest Mouse show last night), but I’m going to use this down time to catch up on some books and tv shows. We’re doing a small Thanksgiving on Thursday which will be a highlight of the week so looking forward to that.

Going to try to make this a weekly thing again. It’s always been my most read thing of the week, and a lot of you seem to enjoy it. I like writing this; it gives me perspective on my life.

Have a good week, everyone. Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate.