The days have become short and dark, and it’s pounding down snow today, so let me remind everyone how I love this wintery time of year. Recently I got another new jacket, it was on a clearance sale rack around $20 so I couldn’t resist. My collection of outerwear for subzero temperatures has gotten a bit out of control since I’ve lived in New York for twenty years, but I hope and plan to donate away my least worn items over the next few months as I come to them in my closet through the season. My latest new coat is plain black and hood-less with an assortment of cargo pockets, a short length, since I am sometimes overwhlmed both physically and emotionally by the longer ones. It’s important to have different options! The variation in cold weather can be really intense, and many times when I’m out running errands I wish I wasn’t so encumbered by a hood, especially when my prolific kniting hobby has given me so very many hats an scarves. They look great layered with a hood but on a more sunny and calm winter’s day it can be overkill to dress in an oppresive full length coat meant for blizzard conditions. If you live in the Northeast or somewhere else with a brutal cold season I’m sure you understand!
Happy Solstice to any pagan readers or people interested in that kind of holiday. It’s winter for me of course but in the southern hemisphere it’s turning towards summer and that’s why I leave it at Happy Solstice in my greetings. It’s important for sensitivity towards those who are in other places, not to center the Solstice on my particular location. I’m not a Christian and have a lot of resentment toward their hateful values, so I try to work against it in whatever small ways I can.
In my family the Solstice rituals are like that of most worldwide holidays- there’s special foods and candle arrangements, certain music to set the mood and a style of clothing that’s worn to bring about the vibe. I might go into more detail on this another time, but it’s nothing racy or “satanic” please understand. It’s a cozy gathering with my loved ones, not unlike you see in a movie about Christmas or Hanukkah etc. Yes we also exchange gifts!
I missed out on the Syracuse Ballet’s beloved annual Nutcracker performance this year, I wrote a bit about why last month (the dancers were replaced with scabs after attempting to strike, and I won’t support that kind of treatment) it’s still disappointing. The fired dancers managed to put on a kind of recital last night they called “A Celebration of the Season”. They are trying to raise money after having been so badly treated by their ballet company and, great news for once, the show was completely sold out! It was a great vibe through the audience if not as spectacular a performance space as the Syracuse Scab Nutcracker ballet had. There was a singer from Broadway performing (songs) and the dancers did some variations and excerpts from The Nutcracker as well as other holiday inspired music. The Ukranian Bell Carol was very beautiful and I cried like 10 different times through the evening. The cold air on my face outside afterwards was a big relief, I’m sure it helps to reduce inflammation. I’m not a dancer myself but have an admiration for the art form, I used to do it as a hobby and occaisionally still consider it for excercise/fitness but it is so incredible to see a professional ballet dancer working on stage
A few weeks ago there was a local symphony that performed the iconic Tchaikovsky music for silk aerialists and other acrobatic “cirque” performers to contort themselves around to holiday accompaniment, it just isn’t the same (though very enjoyable!) sorry I’m just a complete bunhead, I always want to see more ballet. The Royal Ballet and Bolshoi both release, to different USA movie theater chains, some recording of their Nutcracker ballet so hopefully I can make it to one of those but that’s still presently unclear.
This year was overall not great for me, and I am not optimistic 2024 is going to be remotely better. I’m worried about losing my housing again sadly. Nothing definite has been decided or made known to me yet but it’s happened a lot and I see the cycle turning again. Inflated prices are still rising while news/media won’t stop repeating their lie “the economy” (that’s not even a one really unified thing) is “improving”.
There is a presidential election coming up in the USA and nobody wants to acknowledge Marriane Williamson is even running!? No debates for Dems, nothing but spite towards “the left”, I wonder how badly that will backfire. There is no way in hell I’m voting for Joe Biden (Hunter’s dad!) this year, he has worked hard to make the lives of the poor and suffering Americans much worse. Longer than I’ve been alive that old man has ceaslessly used his power to punish the disabled and tried to purge other impoverished people, homeless and drug-addicted you know. When his own son is most known for getting high and endlessly taking dick-pics, trafficking with escorts and even doing gun crimes, it’s just so disgusting. The Trumps were worse? I guess? Republicans are plainly evil but Democrats are outright malignant too. Once you scratch their surface or dare to compare them against the centrist and more leftward leaders working in other countries, USA Democratic leaders are rather fascistic. Again I will concede the Republican are “worse” you don’t need to remind me. Vote if you live somewhere that it’s getting counted or might even matter but I’m not planning to show up (I didn’t vote in 2020 either! I quit bothering after that failed Blue Wave of 2018)
How did this joural entry turn into a political screed?! I apologize but will leave it undeleted, have a laugh if you want, and I’ll take this as a lesson to learn what can happen when you’re online writing for too long
Happy Holiday
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