errands – The Diary of The Deranged Writer

XLI: The Return of Light in December 1

Since 2019, December 1 has become a haunting day. It reminded me of a ghost from a failed relationship, and I easily see ghosts through specific dates, photographs, and even songs. For a few years, I had to endure the pain of seeing those ghosts, especially on December 1.

In 2022, I took it upon myself to make December 1 a less sad day. Not happy; less sad. I kept myself busy. I greeted an uncle who is also a December 1 celebrant. I numbed myself with alcohol. I kept myself busy some more. And in doing all of those things, somehow they work, even if I still see that particular ghost.

But today, December 1, 2025, many happy moments have happened. At midnight, I was sharing laughs with an online friend (once again) about the most ridiculously unhinged professional wrestler of all time, “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner. This morning, I woke up early, and I had some lovely FRESH POTS that energized my body and soul. I was able to accomplish the work tasks that I could do before I went running errands. After those errands, I had a fresh haircut and a satisfying massage. And now I’m having my thirst-quenching iced tea at my favorite cafe. I will absolutely have dinner here as well.

But the happiest part of the day? It’s talking to my new friend. It feels nice getting to know more about a gentle, kind soul.

It’s 6:00pm as I type this entry, but thanks to all those moments today, for the first time in years, I can declare that December 1 is a happy day. In fact, December 1, 2025, is the happiest December 1 of my life. Yes, the ghosts are still there, but they don’t haunt me anymore. The light I have been feeling lately outweighs the dark.

Four more days to go before my birthday, December 5!

A part of 14 Days of The Deranged Writer (2025).

Header image: Marta Dzedyshko of Pexels. Edited in Adobe Photoshop 2025.

XXXV: A Health Update / The Deranged Writer’s Struggle with Steinermania II

Hello. I’m back after one week of inactivity here on The Diary.

And I quote the newly-crowned Undisputed WWE Champion, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, “What do you want to talk about?” (By the way, congratulations on winning the title at Night 2 of SummerSlam 2025, Mr. Rhodes!)

10-Minute Warning CLXXXIV

I’m still nowhere near my battle station, so what can I write here under 10 minutes?

Today, after running an errand, I dropped by an old workplace (my first this 2025). I visited the office a few times after resigning in 2019, and today’s visit is the most unforgettable one ever.

I can’t describe everything that happened during my visit here on this post; not yet. But during my visit (and I stayed until closing time), I learned that a few people remember me after all these years. My old boss even remembered a tiny yet important detail about me, which totally surprised me. I also found out that somehow, parts of me still live in the workplace. Because of that, I was overwhelmed with joy and I cried a bit, too. (I didn’t cry in front of them, of course; I don’t want people to see me cry.)

Maybe I will talk about it in detail soon. We’ll see. But today has proven that there are people who acknowledge me, and they inspire me to keep going.

Anyway, I still have a few minutes to spare, but I’m ending this post now. Let me enjoy an affogato tonight. See you in the next post!

Edits were made on July 31, 2025 at 5:48pm. I’m not supposed to edit a Minute Warning post after the time pressure, but I felt anxious after noticing many errors way too late. I had to make the edits to ease my anxiety.