General thoughts on today
Shortest Day Reflection
Today marks the shortest day of the year—a bittersweet milestone, knowing brighter, warmer days are on the horizon. There’s a kind of hopefulness in this turning point, a small reminder that even in the darkest times, change is already stirring.
Family Responsibilities and Connection
Mum needed help today, so I drove Isaac to Newport while she did the Christmas food shop. Both she and Dad are unwell, meaning church is off the cards tomorrow. This last-minute change means we’ll stay in Templeton until Christmas, but there were still jobs to do. Steph had a haircut in Abergavenny, and Isaac and I made the long drive—about 1 hour 40 minutes.
Isaac’s company made the journey special. Instead of zoning out with a phone, he was happy to chat and listen to music. We started with Atomic Habits but soon turned to playlists, a mix of shared enjoyment and meaningful conversation.
At my parents’ house, I tackled their curtain rail repair, adding another tick to the endless home maintenance list. Cristyn and her daughters visited briefly—lovely to see them, even if we had to keep a cautious distance due to recent sickness bugs.
The drive home was peaceful, punctuated by one of those moments that feel like magic: Thunderstruck blaring as we crested the A477, the joy of shared music and a perfect view. Simple moments like these make the day shine.
Creative Projects and Habits for 2025
As the year winds down, I’m mulling over the habits I’d like to nurture next year. The ideas feel overwhelming in their potential, but I’d love to focus deeply on at least one:
- Returning to satirical cartoons.
- Posting on IG Faith Fragments, inspired by Andy Squires’ thoughtful style.
- Developing a Substack newsletter with weekly reflections on work topics.
- Reviving Blender and algorithmic art, while growing Walk.Swim.Chill.
I explored Substack today and played with ChatGPT, producing a draft of an article titled Why My Code Needs a Compass: A Data Scientist’s Exploration of Faith. It’s a tentative start, but I’m curious to see where this creative path leads.
Food
Calories eaten:: 1610 Calories burner:: 2332
Tags
DailyNotesFamilySupportFaithAndPhilosophyIntentionalLivingIsaacCreativeProjects
Themes
Daily Notes, Family Support, Intentional Living, Transformation Through Faith,Resilience and Mental Toughness, Lists