Gently booting out 2021
December 31, 2021 3:48 AM Subscribe
If you're spending the end of year by yourself or have done so before, please let me know how did you prevent yourself from coming unglued.
It has been an exceptionally hard year (I felt the same way about 2020 but had thought/hoped about it being an aberration rather than an ongoing, terrifying new normal). No family or friends in the mix, largely thanks to a very sudden upswing in Omicron in my neck of the woods.
All recommendations welcome. I'm feeling scattered and bereft of hope of things ever getting easier. Thank you.
I'm cleaning my fridge today. Tomorrow I will have a clean fridge which will probably give me a small sense of freshness and newness.
This only works because I don't clean the fridge as often as I 'should'. You have my permission to judge me.
Today is also the day for breaking out the special tea for special occasions.
May you have an easy passage into the new year. I'm sending some comforting thoughts your way.
posted by Too-Ticky at 4:22 AM on December 31, 2021 [22 favorites]
This only works because I don't clean the fridge as often as I 'should'. You have my permission to judge me.
Today is also the day for breaking out the special tea for special occasions.
May you have an easy passage into the new year. I'm sending some comforting thoughts your way.
posted by Too-Ticky at 4:22 AM on December 31, 2021 [22 favorites]
I really dislike new year's eve, and have approached this previously by going to bed demonstratively early, even earlier than normal. In a bad year like this one it also makes the year shorter, it's like telling the last few hours of this year to piss off.
posted by snusmumrik at 4:30 AM on December 31, 2021 [18 favorites]
posted by snusmumrik at 4:30 AM on December 31, 2021 [18 favorites]
I would light a candle. I find candles very soothing and hopeful. And then you can blow it out in the dark and go to bed, and that seems like a nice period to the sentence that was 2021.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 5:18 AM on December 31, 2021 [7 favorites]
posted by Ms Vegetable at 5:18 AM on December 31, 2021 [7 favorites]
Yes, my way of dealing with this is just to "opt out" completely. Go to bed early. Don't make any new year's resolutions.
I try to treat the switch over from Dec 31 to Jan 1 with as much attention and fanfare as I would going from Nov 30 to Dec 1.
posted by litera scripta manet at 5:25 AM on December 31, 2021 [4 favorites]
I try to treat the switch over from Dec 31 to Jan 1 with as much attention and fanfare as I would going from Nov 30 to Dec 1.
posted by litera scripta manet at 5:25 AM on December 31, 2021 [4 favorites]
Please text or message a friend asking if you can make an outreach call to them. I am
posted by goalyeehah at 5:35 AM on December 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by goalyeehah at 5:35 AM on December 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
I can't remember the last time I was with other people for New Year's, and I take the "opt out" approach. But I love Too-Ticky's idea of cleaning the refrigerator - so now I'm going to clean my desk today. I think the main thing is to practice self-care. For me, that means eating food I like and going to bed early. For you, that could mean watching a movie or lighting a candle (love that idea too) or standing outside and looking at the world and telling yourself you got through a year that was so hard for so many people and you should be proud of yourself.
After a number of deaths in my immediate family, I started finding it hard to feel hopeful at New Year's - I mostly felt like "what horrible thing will happen in the coming year"? This may not help you, but hope works better for me as a daily thing. I have a cancer that's considered incurable, and it's best for me if I think in terms of individual days and not big sweeping time periods. So I remind myself that right now I feel good and right now I'm financially stable and have family and friends that love me, even though I can't see them, and I have enough food and a safe place to sleep at night. That said, I did have two big COVID-related meltdowns last week, so I get the despair too. It's hard, so please be kind to yourself and feel good about asking for help here - you are doing the best you can (and I'm sure this Ask will help others too).
posted by FencingGal at 6:04 AM on December 31, 2021 [16 favorites]
After a number of deaths in my immediate family, I started finding it hard to feel hopeful at New Year's - I mostly felt like "what horrible thing will happen in the coming year"? This may not help you, but hope works better for me as a daily thing. I have a cancer that's considered incurable, and it's best for me if I think in terms of individual days and not big sweeping time periods. So I remind myself that right now I feel good and right now I'm financially stable and have family and friends that love me, even though I can't see them, and I have enough food and a safe place to sleep at night. That said, I did have two big COVID-related meltdowns last week, so I get the despair too. It's hard, so please be kind to yourself and feel good about asking for help here - you are doing the best you can (and I'm sure this Ask will help others too).
posted by FencingGal at 6:04 AM on December 31, 2021 [16 favorites]
Poetry is often a great solace to me and I'll sometimes re-read Whitman's "Song of Myself" or "Song of the Open Road" from Leaves of Grass. Maybe a few pieces by Joy Harjo or Naomi Shihab Nye if I'm not up for Whitman. That or a good book I treat myself to while still in bed for a few hours. Those are quiet morning things.
At some point in the day I get outside, and sometimes do a non-ritual ritual where I sit and turn my face to where the sun should be and take stock of the overall sense of the year, as if from a great height looking back on a long road. Just acknowledging the tough times and the simple pleasures. That, for me, helps dissolve the feeling of being scattered. And I feel lighter having acknowledged where I am, rather than leaking energy constantly by trying not to acknowledge where I am, if that makes sense.
Finally, I'm not above cranking some disco to 11 and dancing up a sweat-storm in my living room as the sun goes down. Then early to bed! May 2022 be joyous and healthy for all.
posted by cocoagirl at 6:50 AM on December 31, 2021 [4 favorites]
At some point in the day I get outside, and sometimes do a non-ritual ritual where I sit and turn my face to where the sun should be and take stock of the overall sense of the year, as if from a great height looking back on a long road. Just acknowledging the tough times and the simple pleasures. That, for me, helps dissolve the feeling of being scattered. And I feel lighter having acknowledged where I am, rather than leaking energy constantly by trying not to acknowledge where I am, if that makes sense.
Finally, I'm not above cranking some disco to 11 and dancing up a sweat-storm in my living room as the sun goes down. Then early to bed! May 2022 be joyous and healthy for all.
posted by cocoagirl at 6:50 AM on December 31, 2021 [4 favorites]
I think ignoring it entirely and just having a nice Friday night sounds good. Surely there's a new book or show you'd like to try that would be very engrossing.
No TV or social media scrolling; New Years Eve is the worst day for performative competitive life nonsense. If you want to feel connected, definitely do it one on one - call someone you like to talk to, or write someone a cheery card.
If you'd like to mark it in some way, and cleaning something doesn't sound appealing today (because I do like Too-Ticky's idea, but I also have new years food traditions that make today not ideal for a fridge cleanout) consider getting up for a dawn walk tomorrow. Midnight feels arbitrary to me, but getting up and walking or sitting on the swings at the local park with a thermos of coffee as the sun rises on the new year feels right to me. Maybe it would also feel right to you? Or, sleep in as late as your body will let you and get a restful start to the year, if that sounds better.
I dislike New Years Eve - it feels like compulsory competitive fun to me. But I actually really like New Years Day, as a chance for practicing quiet hope - some years the hope is easy and joyous, and some years it's a discipline. If neither holiday resonates for you this year, just do something nice for yourself.
Happy Friday Night; I hope you have a better weekend than you're expecting.
posted by the primroses were over at 6:50 AM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
No TV or social media scrolling; New Years Eve is the worst day for performative competitive life nonsense. If you want to feel connected, definitely do it one on one - call someone you like to talk to, or write someone a cheery card.
If you'd like to mark it in some way, and cleaning something doesn't sound appealing today (because I do like Too-Ticky's idea, but I also have new years food traditions that make today not ideal for a fridge cleanout) consider getting up for a dawn walk tomorrow. Midnight feels arbitrary to me, but getting up and walking or sitting on the swings at the local park with a thermos of coffee as the sun rises on the new year feels right to me. Maybe it would also feel right to you? Or, sleep in as late as your body will let you and get a restful start to the year, if that sounds better.
I dislike New Years Eve - it feels like compulsory competitive fun to me. But I actually really like New Years Day, as a chance for practicing quiet hope - some years the hope is easy and joyous, and some years it's a discipline. If neither holiday resonates for you this year, just do something nice for yourself.
Happy Friday Night; I hope you have a better weekend than you're expecting.
posted by the primroses were over at 6:50 AM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
For me, when I feel all alone in the dark night whichever night it is, I often look for some kind of art whether it's a film (comedy counts!) or a book or a bunch of online images or booking museum/gallery tickets (which is what I did this year, for the first show which I will go to with a N95 mask, but agreed this is a risk.) I took a super quick look at your ask history and I noticed that you have a history with dance, so I wonder if something like this resource would provide you with a cosy evening.
Hang in there!
posted by warriorqueen at 6:54 AM on December 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
Hang in there!
posted by warriorqueen at 6:54 AM on December 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
This may sound contrary and of course you're not obligated, but... I've been letting myself fall apart a bit this week. Think I needed it, rather.
posted by humbug at 6:54 AM on December 31, 2021 [14 favorites]
posted by humbug at 6:54 AM on December 31, 2021 [14 favorites]
Do New Year's Day instead.
I do "tradition" more on New Year's Day - my New Year's Eves have all been pretty low-key usually, with no real consistency to them. Usually I run into trouble when I've gone out. So I do New Year's Day instead, then - I make black-eyed peas for luck, and have a nice chill day along with the rest of the world. On New Year's Eve maybe I'll make a nod towards looking at the countdown in Times Square on TV, but sometimes I get so distracted reading or being cozy that I forget.
So maybe do cozy. Bubble bath, very cozy bathrobe, old movie or books, decadent chocolate something. Write in a journal if you have stuff you want to process. And then go with focusing on the incoming year tomorrow, when the day is new.
(I'm on a small vacation in upstate New York right now, in a small city which didn't have much of any NYE stuff going on and cancelled it all a couple days ago anyway, so I'm leaning into "laying around doing nothing" on NYE and will throw myself into the Black Eyed Peas tomorrow when I get home.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:03 AM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
I do "tradition" more on New Year's Day - my New Year's Eves have all been pretty low-key usually, with no real consistency to them. Usually I run into trouble when I've gone out. So I do New Year's Day instead, then - I make black-eyed peas for luck, and have a nice chill day along with the rest of the world. On New Year's Eve maybe I'll make a nod towards looking at the countdown in Times Square on TV, but sometimes I get so distracted reading or being cozy that I forget.
So maybe do cozy. Bubble bath, very cozy bathrobe, old movie or books, decadent chocolate something. Write in a journal if you have stuff you want to process. And then go with focusing on the incoming year tomorrow, when the day is new.
(I'm on a small vacation in upstate New York right now, in a small city which didn't have much of any NYE stuff going on and cancelled it all a couple days ago anyway, so I'm leaning into "laying around doing nothing" on NYE and will throw myself into the Black Eyed Peas tomorrow when I get home.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:03 AM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
I spend the day in my garden. My plants don't have a calendar. I'll likely spend today fussing over my composter and pulling weeds. Tonight, make some popcorn and watch a movie. Keep the mind active so dark thoughts have no place to intrude.
posted by SPrintF at 7:44 AM on December 31, 2021
posted by SPrintF at 7:44 AM on December 31, 2021
For me, have a clean home, light a candle/put out a fancier than normal snack. Have a glass of champagne at any time (and since I don’t drink much, don’t feel bad about “wasting” the rest of the bottle). Wake up naturally the next day and do something I love (hiking and the outdoors).
And when I do want to feel like I “did something,” celebrating on animal crossing
posted by raccoon409 at 7:46 AM on December 31, 2021
And when I do want to feel like I “did something,” celebrating on animal crossing
posted by raccoon409 at 7:46 AM on December 31, 2021
After reading these comments, I'm coming back to say I like the idea of doing a small task that will give you a sense of freshness.
I may adopt this myself, by organizing my first aid supplies.
posted by champers at 7:51 AM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
I may adopt this myself, by organizing my first aid supplies.
posted by champers at 7:51 AM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
I'm planning to wait to celebrate the new year on the first day of spring.
posted by pinochiette at 8:01 AM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by pinochiette at 8:01 AM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
I signed up for the January Cure at Apartment Therapy. It doesn't start until January 3, but you get daily emails from a professional home organizer with tasks for cleaning and freshening up your home for the new year. I've done their full home cure program before and it was a rewarding experience. It's free.
But today, doing the fridge sounds like a great plan so I'm doing that, so yay!
posted by mochapickle at 8:12 AM on December 31, 2021 [10 favorites]
But today, doing the fridge sounds like a great plan so I'm doing that, so yay!
posted by mochapickle at 8:12 AM on December 31, 2021 [10 favorites]
Cleaning out one small, manageable area of the home is a good idea.
When I'm not out (and I'm in NYC, where NYE is kind of viewed as for amateurs), I usually watch an old B&W movie of the gently silly variety. The Thin Man is good for this. My Man Godfrey. Design for Living. Trouble in Paradise (harder to find), or really any Ernst Lubitsch film (Ninotchka, The Shop Around the Corner).
posted by praemunire at 8:29 AM on December 31, 2021 [7 favorites]
When I'm not out (and I'm in NYC, where NYE is kind of viewed as for amateurs), I usually watch an old B&W movie of the gently silly variety. The Thin Man is good for this. My Man Godfrey. Design for Living. Trouble in Paradise (harder to find), or really any Ernst Lubitsch film (Ninotchka, The Shop Around the Corner).
posted by praemunire at 8:29 AM on December 31, 2021 [7 favorites]
We're on the same wavelength -- I was just popping back in to say that I watch The Apartment every year around New Year's. It has such a lovely, gently hopeful kind of resolution.
posted by mochapickle at 8:36 AM on December 31, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 8:36 AM on December 31, 2021 [5 favorites]
Hang out on MeFi chat, might be some folks there, maybe even me.
It's really just another evening, with an artificial requirement to dress up, drink, have a date, and you can ignore that. You can celebrate with good music, good food. You can watch Don't Look Up, that's my plan, though I will go to my dance group, where we are testing now, in addition to masking.
Staying-The-Fuck-Home is a mitzvah, a blessing in the form of an action taken to benefit others, and that helps me manage the loneliness, boredom, lethargy.
posted by theora55 at 9:19 AM on December 31, 2021 [5 favorites]
It's really just another evening, with an artificial requirement to dress up, drink, have a date, and you can ignore that. You can celebrate with good music, good food. You can watch Don't Look Up, that's my plan, though I will go to my dance group, where we are testing now, in addition to masking.
Staying-The-Fuck-Home is a mitzvah, a blessing in the form of an action taken to benefit others, and that helps me manage the loneliness, boredom, lethargy.
posted by theora55 at 9:19 AM on December 31, 2021 [5 favorites]
NYE is mostly about self care for me - do what makes you feel better. Block the world out, shrink it down to your own sphere and just focus on yourself and what makes you happy.
I'll be doing some cleaning as well, which always makes me feel like I accomplished something. Maybe laying a puzzle, do some ceramics, look through my photos from the year, maybe a blog post. Then I'll cook something for myself that I like and don't make often, and have a glass of prosecco to say good riddance to the old year. I may watch a comfort movie while I wait to see if I can see fireworks from my balcony.
And after the change of the clock and the fireworks have died down, I'll be watching Dinner for One, as is traditional in Sweden. Makes me laugh every time, and it's comfort in a wild year to have some consistency.
My big day is usually January 1, though, and I've been doing First Day hikes for the last decade+. In a walking boot this year, but may do a park and sit on a bench nevertheless. Highly recommend getting outside in the morning, if weather allows. Nature is healing, and helps me reset for the year ahead.
posted by gemmy at 9:33 AM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
I'll be doing some cleaning as well, which always makes me feel like I accomplished something. Maybe laying a puzzle, do some ceramics, look through my photos from the year, maybe a blog post. Then I'll cook something for myself that I like and don't make often, and have a glass of prosecco to say good riddance to the old year. I may watch a comfort movie while I wait to see if I can see fireworks from my balcony.
And after the change of the clock and the fireworks have died down, I'll be watching Dinner for One, as is traditional in Sweden. Makes me laugh every time, and it's comfort in a wild year to have some consistency.
My big day is usually January 1, though, and I've been doing First Day hikes for the last decade+. In a walking boot this year, but may do a park and sit on a bench nevertheless. Highly recommend getting outside in the morning, if weather allows. Nature is healing, and helps me reset for the year ahead.
posted by gemmy at 9:33 AM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
I was already planning a pretty chill, probably solo New Years Eve due to Omicron but now on top of that, my city has been snowed in for a week. So I’m definitely staying home. My plan is to cook a steak for myself that I’ve been saving, and spend the night watching the second season of Ted Lasso and/or reading an old favorite novel of mine I started re-reading yesterday. So a pretty normal night, just a little more special.
I stopped putting the expectation on myself to do something spectacular on NYE about a decade ago and I’m so glad I did. I realized I often found myself out on NYE, cold and bored because I’d forced myself to do something that didn’t sound super fun just so I could have something to do. I’ve had a few fun NYEs out since then, and a bunch where I just stayed home. Either way is fine! It’s just another night.
posted by lunasol at 9:52 AM on December 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
I stopped putting the expectation on myself to do something spectacular on NYE about a decade ago and I’m so glad I did. I realized I often found myself out on NYE, cold and bored because I’d forced myself to do something that didn’t sound super fun just so I could have something to do. I’ve had a few fun NYEs out since then, and a bunch where I just stayed home. Either way is fine! It’s just another night.
posted by lunasol at 9:52 AM on December 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
NYE used to be really fraught for us because our dogs were terrified of fireworks. They're old and deaf now but we still worry the neighbors will catch the house on fire so we wouldn't go out even if we could.
So we go hard for hygge: cozy loungewear, fuzzy socks, hot cider and hot chocolate. All foodstuffs will be snack format: sausage rolls, pizza rolls, chips and dip, popcorn. In past years we have gone to bed early with a movie, or books in the tradition of jolabokflod. I love the idea of cleaning out the refrigerator; I always wash all our bedding. I have accidentally hoarded a number of big three-wick candles this year, I think I'll crack one of them open.
We did have plans to play games online with friends across town and in another state this evening, but at least one of those households just got covid so if they're not up to games we might just all watch Muppet Christmas Carol together while chatting on Discord.
If you do have friends also home wanting something to do, I highly recommend playing jackbox.tv games (use Zoom or Discord to stream the host's screen, others play from their browser or phone), using the teleparty extension to synchronize a Netflix viewing (and Disney+ has their own "watch together" thingy), or discord/zoom and take turns sharing funny animal videos.
But I do think it's very restorative to deliberately take a night in for yourself to be cozy and get a rested start to the new year.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:59 AM on December 31, 2021
So we go hard for hygge: cozy loungewear, fuzzy socks, hot cider and hot chocolate. All foodstuffs will be snack format: sausage rolls, pizza rolls, chips and dip, popcorn. In past years we have gone to bed early with a movie, or books in the tradition of jolabokflod. I love the idea of cleaning out the refrigerator; I always wash all our bedding. I have accidentally hoarded a number of big three-wick candles this year, I think I'll crack one of them open.
We did have plans to play games online with friends across town and in another state this evening, but at least one of those households just got covid so if they're not up to games we might just all watch Muppet Christmas Carol together while chatting on Discord.
If you do have friends also home wanting something to do, I highly recommend playing jackbox.tv games (use Zoom or Discord to stream the host's screen, others play from their browser or phone), using the teleparty extension to synchronize a Netflix viewing (and Disney+ has their own "watch together" thingy), or discord/zoom and take turns sharing funny animal videos.
But I do think it's very restorative to deliberately take a night in for yourself to be cozy and get a rested start to the new year.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:59 AM on December 31, 2021
This works better nearer the poles , maybe, but a reframing: we are already more than a week into the new year. The sun has turned and the darkest (hottest?) is over for now.
It’s going to be "clean a thing, enjoy the couch" for me too. I think I’ll scrub around all the doorknobs and light switches.
posted by clew at 11:30 AM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
It’s going to be "clean a thing, enjoy the couch" for me too. I think I’ll scrub around all the doorknobs and light switches.
posted by clew at 11:30 AM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
I'm making Hoppin' John for tomorrow. Whatever the future may hold, it will contain delicious beans.
If you cook or bake something tonight, you will wake up to the certainty of delicious food. One constant, at least, even in these times.
posted by Pallas Athena at 11:55 AM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
If you cook or bake something tonight, you will wake up to the certainty of delicious food. One constant, at least, even in these times.
posted by Pallas Athena at 11:55 AM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
I'm like most of the rest here: I can't stay up 'til midnight anymore, so I just get out on New Year's Day (it's frequently quiet and laid-back; I would imagine from people staying home to nurse hangovers, as once I did) and try to look forward to the new year. New Year's Eve, I'm just doing my normal, and not staying up 'til godawful hours (though on occasion, some idiot will light fireworks, but that's just a momentary blip, and I'm back asleep).
I will admit I'm amazed at the number of people adhering to the 'hoppin' john and cabbage' tradition. It warms the cockles of my old, stoney heart. Cabbage for cash, cooked carrots and cucumbers for coin (gold and silver), and hoppin' john for luck!
May we all have a better damn year than the last.
posted by eclectist at 1:00 PM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
I will admit I'm amazed at the number of people adhering to the 'hoppin' john and cabbage' tradition. It warms the cockles of my old, stoney heart. Cabbage for cash, cooked carrots and cucumbers for coin (gold and silver), and hoppin' john for luck!
May we all have a better damn year than the last.
posted by eclectist at 1:00 PM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
I like watching a kids movie on NYE. Started this before I had kids ;) so there was always something new I hadn't seen, and you are basically guaranteed a happy ending. I cry at the dramatic parts of kids movies and honestly that's a bit of a nice extremely low key catharsis too.
posted by february at 1:02 PM on December 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by february at 1:02 PM on December 31, 2021 [1 favorite]
This very likely only works if you are in either the Central, Mountain or Pacific time zones, or any time zone that's behind the Eastern Standard Time Zone in the US -
One of the best New Year's Eves I spent was when some friends were in Utah, putting the finishing touches on a rental property they'd just bought and were going to be listing on AirBnB in the new year. They flew there to "break it in" and I joined them.
We had a bottle of champagne, and the three of us turned in just in time for the Times Square ball drop and popped it then; it was still only 10 pm where we were, but we decided that still counted, so we went to bed at a normal hour. So if it helps, maybe just pick a time zone that's ahead of yours, and call it "the new year" whenever they ring it in and be done with it. (Hell, we're only an hour away from that if you go by London time, I think.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:09 PM on December 31, 2021
One of the best New Year's Eves I spent was when some friends were in Utah, putting the finishing touches on a rental property they'd just bought and were going to be listing on AirBnB in the new year. They flew there to "break it in" and I joined them.
We had a bottle of champagne, and the three of us turned in just in time for the Times Square ball drop and popped it then; it was still only 10 pm where we were, but we decided that still counted, so we went to bed at a normal hour. So if it helps, maybe just pick a time zone that's ahead of yours, and call it "the new year" whenever they ring it in and be done with it. (Hell, we're only an hour away from that if you go by London time, I think.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:09 PM on December 31, 2021
I'd probably go for a long walk somewhere pretty, and collect some plants or other natural things to display at home.
Then I'd clean up, order or cook a special meal, and watch some eye candy type movie.
I also cope with an unpleasant current situation by dreaming of future plans. My current go to is fantasizing about buying or building out a conversion van and roadtripping along the entire west coast.
posted by ananci at 1:38 PM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
Then I'd clean up, order or cook a special meal, and watch some eye candy type movie.
I also cope with an unpleasant current situation by dreaming of future plans. My current go to is fantasizing about buying or building out a conversion van and roadtripping along the entire west coast.
posted by ananci at 1:38 PM on December 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
Eating a takeaway curry, watching the normal stuff on tablet, doing a bit of my taxes and general cleaning/life admin jobs, not making myself think about anything symbolic because its painful and stress inducing for me atm, avoiding social media and the far too cheery people there. I will stay up past midnight because I always do but if I went to bed at ten normally that's what i'd do. These holidays are amplifiers of the good and the bad, but they are just weird spells we cast with each other and you can choose to gently let go and not engage with it if it is amplifying too much of the bad for you.
You do not have to wake up a new person tomorrow. We will see what tomorrow has to bring and deal with it accordingly. Just keep swimming.
posted by eastboundanddown at 3:00 PM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
You do not have to wake up a new person tomorrow. We will see what tomorrow has to bring and deal with it accordingly. Just keep swimming.
posted by eastboundanddown at 3:00 PM on December 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
I try to do the most distracting thing I can come up with in the house, probably some TV/movie thing you've wanted to watch but have been putting it off. I also like doing projects, though I don't know if that's your jam.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:50 PM on December 31, 2021
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:50 PM on December 31, 2021
Thank you for asking this, and to everyone for the answers - I have linked it over on MetaTalk in the New Year thread.
posted by paduasoy at 2:23 AM on January 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by paduasoy at 2:23 AM on January 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
My suggestion would be to not take any major steps tonight. Fix yourself a typical meal, maybe watch a funny escapist movie or read a trusty book from your childhood, turn in early.
The more calm and normal, the better.
posted by champers at 3:58 AM on December 31, 2021 [8 favorites]