It is Christmas morning and we are quickly approaching the end of 2025.
I usually take some time during this part of the year to reflect both on the season and on the past year. I gave up on resolutions for the new year long ago, but do spend some time considering what I want to accomplish with the new year, provided God grants I live another year.
I am currently reading Ryder Carrol’s The Bullet Journal Method that documents his approach to the tool. It is a tool I have been using for about ten years. In looking through my previous years of bullet journals, I can see how I have developed my system to help me plan and capture items that are important to me. A month ago I came across his YouTube channel and decided it was time to look at a tune-up of my system. I want to see if there are some aspects of the process that I am missing and continue to develop the system to work best for me.
He eschews the use of goals and prefers to set intentions. Goals are task oriented and intentions are process oriented, which is an internal difference that is more focused on what I want to be rather than what I want to accomplish. That said, there are accomplishments that come from intentions. I think that the paths are slightly different, though.
In any event, as I prepare to configure my new bullet journal for 2026, I want to make a few changes that will make the tool more useful to me.
This part of the year is also a time when I reflect on family and remember Wife in particular. It is sometimes difficult to believe she died 12-years ago. That seems like a long time while simultaneously seeming like yesterday. Although I am generally happy and certainly grateful, I still miss that communal life we shared together.
She was afraid no one would remember her. I told her that was hogwash and then her friends and family stepped in to reinforce my statement with an outpouring of love and appreciation.
And then I remember why the season is important to me. I celebrate the birth of the Christ Child who would do God’s work of redemption. That work is never far from my mind, but it is particularly close during this season.
I watched A Christmas Story last night and was surprised to see that it is the work of Jean Shepherd. Shepherd was a writer and radio host for decades and his voice is unmistakable. He was also a ham radio operator and a number of his radio shows included references to radio. A Vero friend pointed me to him and I sometimes listen to recordings of his shows and laugh out loud.
Last night, while watching the movie, I laughed out loud. I noticed a few things in the story I had missed before. For me, this is one of the quintessential holiday movies. I rented it last night, neither Prime nor Netflix having it available for streaming as part of my subscription. I will buy a copy today and probably a few more of my favorite old Christmas movies to put into my library.
I also started It’s a Wonderful Life and got partway through before deciding it was time to hit the rack. I will finish it today, perhaps over my Christmas dinner. I think I will make a white chicken chili for my Christmas dinner this year. I considered doing a turkey breast or a ham, but decided that I have been so busy that I do not want to do a big meal. The weather is gray and wintry, so a soup or stew seems in order. Plus I will have plenty for a few more meals.
The image is from my return trip from the east. I spent the night at the Coronado campground in Bernalillo, New Mexico. As I walked The Girl through the park, I noticed this sign and wondered at the juxtaposition of words. They seem redundant to me.
Merry Christmas. I am grateful. Life is good. Now it is time to make another coffee.