Success-mas

I made my own holiday this year, and it was really great.

Things that were memorable this year:

Being mostly vegan: I didn't gorge on unhealthy food because being plant-based means I don't even want any of it anymore. I ate two tiny bites of a baklava, my favorite dessert of all time, and it was delicious, but I absolutely didn't want more than that and donated the other half to the hordes of willing takers around me. It was a brunch of quiche and bagels and lox, and I ate mostly fruit and potatoes, just a few olives, and a half-bagel with dijon, tomato, and capers. I was completely satisfied and feel great about my choices.

I made potatoes that were half an hour late to the meal, but still got devoured. And they were nearly no-fat! (Realizing that food doesn't have to be coated in oil to be tasty has been a delightful and wondrous discovery, one that I'm probably being obnoxious about, but I never learned to cook healthy and tasty at the same time and the new-found power is dizzying.)

The people: Having a gathering with so few people might have felt small but these particular people were among my very favorites, so to have them in one place at one time was incredibly invigorating. Stinky people were less so than usual. I talked and laughed and memorized the faces of the people I love; it was a beautiful day.

Head-wise: I had an amazing time, and felt almost normal, for hours. I was very well medicated, and my boyfriend handled me with kid gloves from the moment I woke in the morning. I still felt the effects from all the stimuli, but it was much less so than previous years, and even the following several days of migraine-backlash were fairly mild. However, I'd love to not be nauseated, for just a day. It's exhausting, and I'm over ginger ale now, seriously.

Best WTF moment: My grandma shared a cunnilingus story (involving habaneros, oh god) that I was so disappointed to be hearing from the next room. I could only cackle into my hand and wish I had a theater seat and some popcorn.

The realization that I finally did xmas right by myself: I actually did it. I skipped the big family party that I've gone to every christmas I can recall. It didn't sink in until we were all the way back home, I had put nearly everything away and was in my comfies with a cup of molten chocolate hot cocoa. I looked at the clock and realized the party people hadn't even started the gift-exchanging yet. I felt nothing but relieved to be in my quiet house, and surprisingly, not a bit of regret that I didn't attend. If anyone there, all of them far more able-bodied than I, missed me, they'd be welcome to visit. However, if the past is any indicator, I don't think I'll hear from them.

So, the fallout has been minimal; I've been taking it easy on myself the past few days, but I've actually been somewhat functional, much more so than previous years, at least. I'm looking forward to new years', I've been thinking on the past and the future and how I want to shape it. 2014 will be an adventure, of that I'm certain.