It’s been a rough time for me since I left San Diego. Well,
not really. I’ve just had to rely on friends and family more than I normally
would. I had my car towed away last night, very likely with a bad starter. I
can’t even be upset about it as I’ve owned it for over a year and have had very
little trouble with it, and I purchased it for a mere $300. That said, it
really sucks being without a car. I haven’t been to the gym, done my grocery
shopping, or been on time to work the one day I’ve been back. I’m writing this
post from home, drinking meh coffee
because I can’t get to my usual coffee spot, and for the first time the cliché,
2016 be done crossed my mind. But the
reality is this year has been one of the best of my lifetime.
Now, I lost a couple people that I actually knew, not movie
stars or singers, people I had formerly interacted with, and they died under
tragic circumstances. I’ve been through some depressed phases while being under
house arrest, and I’ve not enjoyed every single day of this year, but fuck, I’m
still here; a free man. And the car problem is just a reminder of how far I’ve
come. I have the ability and the means to have my car towed to a garage, and pay
to have it fixed; more on that as the situation progresses.
This post is about Christmas in San Diego. The atmosphere
there was different, most likely because of the lack of snow. As you’ll see in
some of the images below, scenes look a lot different out west during the
holiday season.
The high winds on the beach make it tough for inflatables to stay standing.
Christmas morning sunrise.
Me and cousin Will making bruschetta.
Inside the lobby of Hotel del Coronado.
Santa and his reindeer on fake snow with a palm tree. A great shot, I thought.
Even without the snow, the air was full of the festive vibe. Even more popular than ever it seemed this year, the ugly sweater donned the masses, and we blended right in when we wore ours.
I didn't need snow to make me think it was a special time of year. This year, Christmas was a state of mind, not just a holiday. I spent it with the people I love, and did things I'm not normally able to do during this time of year, and all of that made the whole vacation the best it could possibly have been.
Before I forget, I had Christmas in Minnesota, too. The night before I left, I went to my aunt Connie's where the rest of the family spent the evening eating, laughing, and exchanging gifts. These two celebrations of life, love, and family were exactly what I needed in my life to propel me to the next level in my recovery, and truly understand how much I have to be grateful for in this amazing year of 2016. If I keep doing what I'm doing, it's only going to get better from here.
My beautiful grandmother in the foreground, and cousin in the background.
This is as close to all of us as I ever got, thanks Hannah.
Mother and a cousin.
Hannah showing off what a true gift it is to have my family.
A great shot of the two youngest cousins.
I can't think of another word, so I'll just say that I am truly blessed to have so much good in my life, and clearly that all helps to offset the bad things like being temporarily inconvenienced by not having a car for a few days. This, too, shall pass, and life will move on with me as a passenger, enjoying every minute, and every great view.
