2025, a year in review #
It’s the last day of 2025 so I thought it important to think about and share some of the highlights this year. It’s been a great year despite all of the bullshit happening with the current administration.
Let’s get started. Rewind back to the start of the year. I promise to be gentle.
a crushing response to Trump #
Well, okay, I lied. This one is first because it feels so good to see real consequences for those who abuse other people.
The Trump administration is really fucking up and people are angry. The most recent elections showed that people overwhelmingly oppose what he’s doing and who he is. Even his base is turning on him. Oh, and we found out, with receipts, that he enjoys raping children. Everything comes out eventually and you can never hide. His health is failing before our eyes. He’s becoming infirm and feeble, both in mind and body. From the years of poor sleep, poor diet, and drug use, it’s all crumbling. It tastes so good and I’m not ashamed to say it out loud. Trump is a blight on our world and I can’t wait for him to depart from it.
As of right now, there are 1116 days left before his term in office is done. I take comfort knowing he’s not going to live that long.
Here’s a picture of him as he’s experiencing his worst fear; being laughed at while speaking at a gathering of important people from all over the world.
He’s a weak and immature man who enjoys raping children. That’s his legacy and what he’ll be remembered by. He doesn’t have time for a redemption arc. The last pages in the story of Donald J. Trump are being written.
the best things in my life #
Okay, with that out of the way, I have to celebrate the best things in my life.
My nerdy wife (wubba wubba, and yes, I’m a monkey).
And my wonderul puppies.
Sharing life with them is the highlight of my year, hands down. I’m so proud of everything my wife has done. She’s brilliant, resilient, creative, and incredibly hard working. There’s nothing she can’t make and nowhere she can’t go with her ideas. My puppies are the spice that makes everything taste better. They’re better people than people.
I love them all so much more than I ever thought I could love anything.
Mastodon #
My favorite band started their tour in our city. My wife, the best human, got me meet and greet tickets (and a ticket for herself so we could enjoy the concert together). I fangirl’d the whole time (probably making them feel uncomfortable in the meet and greet backstage). They played all of my favorite songs. I sang along to every one and left the concert hoarse for days. It was an incredible experience, made even more incredible because my wife knows me and wants me to be happy.
Since you probably don’t listen to Mastodon, the name of this post is a nod to one of their albums.
some things I made this year #
spicy t-shirts #
At one my wife’s market events, another vendor complained to the management about my shirt that said, “There’s no hate like christian love.” So I upped the ante and went all in. I had several other shirts printed. You’re damn right I wore them to all the events I knew she was going to be at, and I made sure she saw the shirts up close. Despite me approaching her directly with a “hello” and “how are you?!”, much to my disappointment, she never looked me in the eyes or saw my smirking face. I watched the anger rise up in her and it was delicious. I also got to have a couple conversations with random strangers about why Christianity doesn’t actually follow the teachings of Jesus and how it’s been co-opted by white christian nationalism to serve the machinations of a hateful regime. Although it wasn’t the point, it was a great outcome.
By the way, the manager of that specific market event 100% endorsed me wearing my spicy shirts to antagonize that jackass. I even got hugs and conversation from the manager while I wore them, knowing she was watching us.
I’m not a nice person. But being nice isn’t the same as being good, kind, or doing what’s right in the face of normalized hatred and bigotry towards marginalized persons in our country. They’re just trying to live, just like you. Why is that difficult?
music #
I started making music again after hanging up my instruments for 15 years. I released an album on Bandcamp. I’m working on another one now with a close friend. I forgot how much I love making audible art.
guitars #
I made a couple guitars. Yes, made them. Well, the second one isn’t done yet because I needed to go out of town before I could finish it.
I had a blast. More than the guitars themselves, I stretched myself into the unknown with something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I came out better on the other side.
I also bought a guitar I’ve wanted for years, a Gretsch G2655 semi-hollowbody. I used to own an Ibanez Artcore semi-hollowbody that I absolutely loved, but sold when I went out to hike the AT in 2014.
There it is!
Can I put the Fender back now, please?
Not today my good man. I’m feeling saucy. I think I’m going to buy it.
Do you accept… cash?
When you buy instruments, buy them used from small local shops. Anything else is a ripoff. Support the local shop, and for Glob sake, never buy music gear from Amazon.
several web apps #
I made a few webapps for my wife and her bookstore.
I also made an app to help promote safe democracy (still in progress).
I made another fun, spicy, nonsense webapp, to make my wife smile.
my dream vehicle #
I totalled my beloved van, Silvia Vandertrip.
We had some wonderful long roadtrips together driving back and forth from Houston to Salem.
Crashing my van was traumatic, but luckily, no one was injured. My wife and I can make due with a single vehicle pretty easily (which we’ve done for extended periods). So I waited and researched, spent hours reading old forum threads, looked at countless online listings, then decided to get something I’ve wanted for a long time but always talked myself out of.
I purchased a 2010 Honda Element. I love it. It’s the best vehicle I’ve ever had, by far. Highly moddable, rugged, versatile, and durable. I plan on driving it for at least another 100k miles.
(yes, that’s my dog, Willow, sitting in the front seat. she’s more people than people)
the bookstore and other businesses #
I’m proud of my wife. The overtime+ amount of hours she’s put in at the bookstore, multiple market and author events per month, late night hours making product, and all of the business relationships she’s started, cultivated, and grown around the area, are all truly magnificent. Through the hard work she’s doubled the bookstore’s yearly sales the second year in a row. Seeing her take a leap and burn brightly has been the single greatest part of my year. I can’t wait to see where she takes her businesses in the next year. Her ideas, strategy, and execution, are a sight to behold.
(current bookstore picture pending, perhaps in next year’s post in review)
what a fucking year this has been #
I never knew the amount of rage I could feel over our goverment until it started flexing its authoritarian grip on marginalized people. The depth of my anger driving me to work harder than anything else I’ve ever done, all for the benefit of people who continue to support a madman as he spirals into delusion (while taking everyone with him). It’s great to see the cult finally start to crumble. The regime is being dismantled, little by little, piece by piece. It won’t last forever.
The seed of hope that keeps me fighting is knowing soon we can start rebuilding our democratic republic into a better version than it’s ever been.
I feel hatred, lots of it. I find myself having less and less understanding for people who actively exploit others. I find myself with less grace for people who don’t educate themselves on what’s actually going on within our country, happy to continue into the conservative funnel they were manipulated into. Is it willful ignorance, cognitive dissonance, or a lack of critical thinking skills, that keep people in the Trump cult? Were they just manipulated at the right time by the right people?
I find myself with less and less patience for people who play the enlightened middle (which used to be me), trying to bridge the gap between the hateful white nationalists and progressives (or even liberals). I find myself with less and less patience for the Democratic Party and their stagnant inaction in the face of an authoritarian regime.
Through all of that I’ve also had the best year of my life. I’ve risked and jumped into parts of myself I never had the courage to explore.
Here’s to another year as we spend our time fighting for the things that matter.
<3 Blaine
PS. here’s my absolute favorite facebook marketplace posting from the last year.
perfect ad, perfectly executed.