The Thursday Dispatch on a Saturday - 27 December 2025
Well, another Christmas is in the books. I don’t know what it’s like in other professions, but in retail, Christmas often feels like something I’m looking forward to getting through as opposed to something I’m looking forward to. Sure, I do like the season itself, but it does come with a lot of extra stress doing what I do.
As I write this, I’m doing so with a little bit of relief. I can finally exhale a little bit. I woke up this morning with knots in my shoulders, something I tend to feel only after the stressful moment is over. I’m working this morning, but I’ll have the weekend off and I have a week in January planned off for a recharge and realignment. I should really schedule a message for myself.
I spent yesterday with my family; my mom, her boyfriend, and my brother. This year was intentionally simpler. Less emphasis was on the gift-giving, so there were fewer of those, and more focus was on actual time. We went out for the traditional American Christmas lunch at the Chinese-American buffet. After that, we played a few rounds of dominoes. It was nice to be able to playfully talk shit with the family.
I did receive a few gifts, and I’m probably most excited about the one that’s more for my cat, a new cat tree. I also got a photo printer and some memo books. I didn’t need a lot, so I’m thankful for what I got. This has honestly been one of my favorite holidays.
And now we move towards New Year’s Day. I’m not usually the new year, new me type. I usually reserve these things for my birthday, as that’s my own personal New Year’s Day. But, I decided to make a list for myself of things I want to do for myself this coming year. I’ll post that list in a week, but the basic theme of it is simplification. There’s plenty I want to do for myself, but I’m willing to take people on a ride with me as well.
Weekly Photo
We’ve had some thick fog here a couple nights this week. The weather all week has been unseasonably warm, more reminiscent of a northwest winter to me. It’s made for some interesting but enjoyable walks.
This Past Week
Weekly Links
- One Year Later with my Hobonichi Notebook by JCProbably
- Tokyo TBOT Event, Selling a House, 2026 in Brooklyn? By Craig Mod
- Why I Quit Streaming And Got Back Into Cassettes by Janus Rose for 404 Media
The Listening
- Black Radio by Robert Glasper
- Black Messiah by D’Angelo and the Vanguard
Songs in the Chaos
This is my weekly list of songs that either caught my attention or came to mind this past week. I post these throughout the week on a site called Crucial Tracks, where they’re also added to a playlist on Apple Music. Feel free to follow me on either space.