Kevin I don’t like this time of year. There, I said it. I said what I said. In the past, this time of year has always been when things turn to shyt for me, no matter what I do, whether I like it or not. Thanksgiving has historically been the pits for me also, so what else is new?
It’s hard to believe it’s now been 4 years since the first few posts of this very blog, and even harder to believe that I’ve been able to keep the lights on in these parts for another year.
It’s Thanksgiving, and I’ve been surprisingly indifferent to it as of late. I’d heard the Turkey Trot was going on. Since there was no bus service, I’d either have to walk or bike over there, and in that case, what’s the fuckin point? May as well go on my usual walk instead, and count it as my own version of the Turkey Trot.
I woke up Thanksgiving morning, feeling like utter shyt. My period came, and it hit me like a wrecking ball at Mach 10 speed.
It was also cold AF outside, and there was no way my original plans were happening. Since there was no bus service, and practically everyone was closed, I didn’t have much in the way of options.
But the Dollar Tree up the street from me was open! I haven’t had the chance to go in there for the longest time, not since last summer on my way home from the pool.
I called to make sure they were indeed still open, and it was my lucky day. As soon as my phone finished charging up, I grabbed my bag and headed out the door.
It had been so long since I walked that way, enough to where it felt like a walk down memory lane. Nobody else was out, and I’m sure some ppl in the neighborhood were out of town too. The neighborhood was a ghost town, just like it was when I walked over there a few years back.
I also got to thinking about how I’m shook that I’ve been able to keep the lights on here in these parts for another year, and how this blog’s now been in existence for 4 years.
4 years?! Where’s all the time gone? Like, seriously.
I passed by a small apartment complex where someone I used to know years back once lived. I used to think about them off and on through the years, and wondered what became of them after the last time I saw them, if for no other reason than morbid curiosity after the way they acted toward me.
I haven’t thought of them in years, until I came across their facebook page, and promptly blocked them at the pass.
I made my way to the parking lot of the dollar store, and there were a few others in there. It wasn’t the madhouse I’d expected it to be, which was fine by me. I’d seen some stuff online and did some comparison shopping the other day, since I knew there’d be no bus service today.
I was in need of a welcome mat for the backdoor. I wanted it to match my aesthetic, but I also wanted it to go with virtually anything else.
Sure, I could’ve gone w/ the holiday-themed ones at Aldi in their Aldi Finds this past week, and had holiday-themed doormats all year round. It was green, and green’s my favorite color. But it was Grinch, and tbh, I feel like since it’s so ubiquitous, I oughta go w/ something else.
I do like Mickey and Minnie, but I was afraid I’d get sick of it after so long.
So, the welcome mat at Dollar Tree it is. Carrying that damn thing home was no picnic, that’s for sure. It smelled like a butthole inception, tbh. I’d left the big Baggu I got like 8 years ago at home, since I’m using it for something else for the time being.
I also noticed they were out of my beloved favorites in the frozen section, and that it was pretty picked over. I wasn’t too surprised that was the case, but I did find some marshmallows to make krispy treats w/ some cereal that’s lived in my pantry long enough. I’d meal-prep the turkey for a week of breakfast and lunch this weekend instead.
Thanksgivings have never been this way for me before. It was lonely, but peaceful all the same. I wish there was a way I coulda brought y’all w/ me on the walk there, and we could look around at the Dollar Tree together. That’d be so much fun.
I walked back home in the cold, pushing myself through this. I got here on foot, I can make it back. If I could make it this far, then I can make it a little more. Only a couple more houses before I’m home. A few more feet, and I’m home.
Once I unlock the door and plop that stinky welcome mat on the floor, I’m officially home.
I put the plastic bags they gave me into my gym bag for my day job, where those’ll come in handy real quick. Now that my mom’s gone, I’ve got no use for the stash of bags I’d amassed in an old-school glass milk bottle.
I didn’t meet my step count goals, nor did I end up meeting the November challenge on the fitness app. I’m angry AF w/ myself, but what’s done is done. I can only do better going forward w/ the December challenge.
Thanksgiving means the start of the holiday season, and that we’re this much closer to the end of fall. If anyone out there’s like me, and also not a fan of fall, we’re in this together, and this stupid season will be over soon. If you’re not a fan of the holiday season either, your why is totally valid, and we’ll get through this together.
Over to you, readers. How’re you holding up as the holiday season kicks off? I’d love to hear about it either way, so drop it all like it’s hot, and let’s talk.
Missed the previous installments? No worries! I gotcha covered, right here: 37, 36, 35
