Hello everyone. It is a very snowy Sunday. Since most people know my aversion to doing anything outdoors during a snow day, I figured it was high time to sit down and blog. I don't know exactly how long it's been. All I know is that it's been, as my Grandma would say, "a mighty long while".
I am aware that Grandma is no longer among the living. I am just unable to place the word "late" in front of her title or "would have said". It still feels too fresh, even though two years since her passing is approaching next month.
I recall doing a remembrance blog in this space in January. I wrote my Dear Grandpa birthday dedication in February. Before writing this, there was one in the draft for August that never got published. I probably will delete the draft because the topic will be covered here.
2025: My Disinterest In Social Media and Growing Disappointment in Humanity
This year is one of those years where my sentiments echo what my grandma had been saying for years. It really feels like we are living in our last days. Heck, there was even word going around about the Rapture happening this year.
I do not think my grandma was speaking of the Rapture, but how the way humanity treated each other was declining. I will go further to say, through my observations, online and in real time, that sympathy, empathy, and overall respect, is at an all-time low.
In addition, the lack of critical thinking is astronomically high. It's a far cry from, "Question everything." Even being an individual is considered "cringe". If a person does not mimic the aesthetic of an Instagram baddie, then you've failed at life.
I've never fed into this groupthink. I was that outcast before individuals classified it as a "fashion trend" (my chest just tightened typing that). Therefore, I was checking out prior to this year.
This year sealed the deal for me.
I still have Facebook, but there were moments I spent entire months off the platform. Like, I made a small appearance in September and didn't come back again until November. Apart from a handful of people, no one checked for me. I was fine with that. I didn't even miss being on Facebook. If it were not for my creative writing connections and individuals that can only connect with me on Facebook (because I advocate and choose how people interact with me), Facebook would go as easily to the waste side as Tumblr, Pinterest, and X.
I do not understand (to this day) while people who have my phone number would rather await when I will once again post to Instagram or Facebook. If you have my phone number, text or call me. That will never stop grinding my gears.
People barely know how to talk to each other. When there is conflict, they would rather crash out on Social Media than actually using their consonants and vowels. Yet, I'm the weird one?
2025: Daring To Be Out And About (While Handing Anxiety and Overstimulation With Grace)
I promised myself that I would do more that gave me contentment and joy. My grandparents would have wanted that for me. I did attend Summer Slam when it came to New Jersey. I attended both nights. It was the first time it was a two-night event, and it will remain that way going forward. I've watched wrestling since I was very young. I was happy to have the experience, and it's wonderful to talk to other people that share your zest.
The direction wrestling is going in ... quite honestly, is currently garbage.
I have always perceived wrestling, not as a sport, but more of a live action-packed saga.
There are these larger than life characters who have conflicts with each other. One character you cheer for, and the other one you dislike. The strength of the storytelling drives how the audience feels about the characters. When the storytelling is great, you can't wait to tune in week after week to see what happens next. When the storytelling is awful, you walk away confused and downright angry.
One can say whatever they want about Vince, but he knew who his target audience was, and he knew how to produce wrestlers that transcend generations. My issue with Triple H is that he still wants all the spotlight, and lately, he's been acting more as the spokesperson for WWE than doing the creative work to keep all of the fans invested. I'm not just speaking of the casual viewers, but the die hard fans who have kept wrestling afloat for decades.
Speaking as a die hard, one should haven't to pay more money for less quality. Even looking at the shows have been a slog to get through. It also doesn't help when your programming spread over multiple locations. I don't have cable anymore, so I miss out on Smackdown. The Premium Live Events are no longer on Peacock; they are on ESPN. Even with that, you still have to pay extra. I am not willing to subscribe to ESPN just to get access to the pay per view. Therefore, I've been relying on YouTube recaps for the programming I am unable to see.
TKO, the owners of WWE and UFC, has priced out the demographic that's willing to pay for its programming. There have been less sold out shows because no one is willing to pay thousands of dollars for seats that were more affordable not even three years ago. There's a limit to the premium I'm willing to pay, and I'm not alone in these sentiments.
Um ... in this economy? How about no.
I also had the opportunity to see Brandy and Monica in concert the week before Thanksgiving. The show was incredible. I have not watched American Idol in years, but the young man who won has an amazing voice. Muni Long was not feeling her best, but she came out and performed anyway. Kelly Rowland was incredible. Hearing Brandy and Monica sing was like reliving moments of my life and the songs that matched the vibe. It was great that Jazz came with me, so we could have that moment together.
I want to go to more concerts in 2026. I am very picky about who I would go to live. I think that is why I haven't gone to many. Also, the amount of noise and people can be overstimulating. Since I've adapted ways to handle the anxiety, it's been better. It all boils down to being so immersed in the purpose of attending that the anxiety just becomes mute.
2025: Deep Decluttering In All Areas of Life
Although I have always done a light decluttering every year, there were many changes I wanted to make offline and online.
The first priority was a declutter and redesign of my bedroom. I got rid of furniture that was worn out and wasn't useful anymore. I donated jewelry and clothes I no longer wore. The redesign gave me an opportunity to showcase some of my grandmother's jewelry and made it possible to reuse items that I stopped using because they weren't in full view.
I also had aspirations to rearrange the living room space. I wanted to utilize one of the bookshelves as more of a display case, so I decided to minimize the number of owned books to make this happen. I thought I would miss the books, since I love books. However, I'm now utilizing other sources to be able to read the books I occasionally long for the most.
I am pleased with how everything is coming together and excited about the final stages heading into 2026.
While decluttering my space, I realized that there is redundancy in my digital life. I've been going through the gradual process of repurposing some spaces while deleting others. I have deleted two email addresses and am in the process of deleting the third. It makes me feel good to have my online space just as streamlined as my house.
2025: Dabbling In Both Multiverses (Apple and Android)
I have never been a person who leaned heavily into the Apple vs. Android debate. I am a person who handles technology that fits my needs.
A few years ago, my tablet went on the fritz. I decided to get an Apple tablet for the sole purpose of playing games and looking at shows when I am traveling. I didn't pay much attention to whether it was the basic iPad or the iPad Air or iPad Pro. All I knew was that it served what I needed it for.
Just before my Summer Slam trip, my Android phone needed repair. There was uncertainty whether I would receive the repair prior to my trip. I did not want to be without a phone, and there was this discount on the iPhone 16 Pro. Since I already had one Apple product, I thought it would be better just to get the iPhone since I already had an iPad. In addition, I purchased the AirPods Pro 2, since I knew my Galaxy Buds would not be compatible.
Recently, a replacement for my Chromebook was needed. Since I wanted a laptop that would last for the long haul, I'd been toying with the possibility of a MacBook. As a Windows user, the process was daunting, but thanks to people I know who are deep in the Apple ecosystem (and YouTube videos), I decided that the MacBook Air was the machine to fulfill my level of use.
Yes, it's a bit of a learning curve, but not as steep as it would have been if I didn't have my iPad Air years prior or my iPhone 16 Pro. I'm still on the fence about this "liquid glass" upgrade though.
How do I feel about dabbling in both? I'll never be cultish about technology, but I do understand why each side likes the features that it likes. It is okay for me to still prefer my Android phone while I game on my iPad Air and type this entry on my MacBook Air.
I probably will not be back until 2026, so enjoy the remainder of this month and year.
Deuces!
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