To the Universe's Maintenance Department

To Whom It May Concern:

I would just like to say I am super impressed with your work. You've created a fantastic product. I love the mountains, fall leaves, oceans, and just all the diverse backgrounds you've got going. Also a big fan of all the animals, especially pandas, penguins, and sloths. Huge fan of the birds and I dig the whole plant thing. 

I'm also a fan of the seasons. Love the variety. That being said, I'd like to report a potential maintenance problem. At my latitude and longitude, we get four seasons, one of which is winter. I know not everyone is a fan of winter, but I like it. Snow is great! But I think the winter setting might be broken, because we are getting all the cold, but none of the snow. 

I've also heard some complaints that the non-snow places are getting the snow (MY snow!!!), so it might be a wider programming issue. Anyway, if you could look into it, that would be great. 

Thanks,

A (mostly) satisfied customer

It's a gift

I have probably read one too many advice columns from my newsfeed, because now the algorithm is constantly showing me advice columns and articles about people who complained to the internet.*

One of the very common things people complain about is not getting the desired recompense for a gift. And, maybe you like me are confused about the idea of being recompensed for a gift, because it seems to mean it isn't a gift anymore, but in case it helps, by definition a gift is:

"something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation"**

Now, I love giving gifts. I love it when I find something that will make someone smile or laugh or have their face almost drop of from excitement (Ah, my nephew's reacting to one of their Christmas gifts. SOOO worth it). I hope to get that reaction, but if not, well, that's okay. When I give a gift, I expect nothing in return. Not a thank you note, not a gift in return, not even a reaction, however much I enjoy them. Because it is a gift, and when I give a gift, I do it by choice, not out of some sort of transactional expectation. If I get something, I am always grateful and delighted, but if I don't, that's okay too. I didn't give the gift so that someone would do something for me. 

So, it makes me a little sad how many people write to advice columnists or complain to the internet because they gave a gift and didn't get their compensation. Relatives who stop giving gifts to loved ones because loved ones never wrote a thank you note, or who paid for people to join them on vacation but didn't get a gift in return. Things like that. 

Now, I do understand wanting a relationship with loved ones, and hoping to hear from them (and it is nice to know they received and liked the gift). Everyone wants to be thought of. So maybe what some of these people are after is connection, more than repayment. I support that. So, maybe it's just bad phrasing of what's really hurting them. been there, too. And most of my relationships are really easygoing about things like that, so that makes it easier for me. But if you ever get a gift from me, here's the way it works:

1. If I'm giving you a gift, there are no strings attached. If I gave it to you, it's because I love you and I know you are grateful, even if you don't say it.

2. The moment I give a gift to you, it is yours. You can do whatever you want with it. Open it, toss it, regift it. It's yours. That's also part of how a gift works. I hope that you will like it and enjoy it, but sometimes I don't get it right, and there's always limited real estate in our lives, so I also understand that it may not hit the spot, or you may have outgrown it. It's yours. Do what you need to. 

To all those who graciously give me gifts, I would now like to say thank you. I am better at giving gifts than writing thank you notes, and I apologize for that. But I value every gift, and the kindness behind it. So thank you, for the gift and for your patience. 

*Side note: It makes me super sad that people are taking all of their complaints, every little thing, to the internet. I have reached the age where I proudly say, "in my day" and, well, in my day we didn't have that option. If someone did something that seemed rude (that was probably completely unintentional, if we are honest, or had a whole reason that we just don't know), you complained about it to a friend and moved on. Nowhere to stick it for the whole world to see and judge someone they've never met and to stoke the 'righteous' anger. I think it was probably, on the whole, healthier. At the very least, it was much kinder. 

**Thank you Merriam-Webster.

2025, Planet Earth, Milky Way, Universe

Dear 2025, 

Welcome! You've been here for a few days now, I hope you are getting your bearings, enjoying the neighborhood, and feeling welcome.

You may have heard rumors about 2024, whom you replaced. And how maybe 2024 was awful and we couldn't wait to see it go, stuff like that. And maybe that makes you feel a lot of pressure. I just want to reassure you, there was nothing wrong with 2024. 2024 did a great job! It showed up, gave us 366 days (a whole bonus day!), and didn't implode or explode the universe! It was everything you could ask of a year. 

If there was anything awful, that was on us, not on 2024. I want to let you know this bit of info up front, because it really will be helpful for you while you are here. People are...well, they are people. And, individually, we are often fantastic. Collectively, we also often do great things. But sometimes collectively, we go a little crazy. And sometimes life is just hard and complicated and unfair and we get tired (maybe you do, too. Maybe you want a vacation around August, just like us). And we get cranky with each other and sometimes forget to be nice, and you know how it is. No one likes feeling like the bad guy, so we just blame the year. It's going to happen to you, so be prepared for that. 

It won't be all bad though. We'll also enjoy lots of things, and have really awesome things happen, and we'll look back and say, "2025--what a year!" We'll have summers and holidays and birthdays and we'll keep saying "Where has 2025 gone?!" We really won't be able to get enough of you. 

There will be ups and downs and things will go sideways (sometimes in a good way, sometimes not), and sometimes we will curse you while also trying to make you hold still, and it will have much less to do with you (other than the 365 days. Shortchange me on those, and we WILL have a problem!) than with us. But deep down, we will be glad you are here and will be hoping you succeed at whatever years do (mostly the 365 day thing, I think). 

So, again. Welcome aboard! And good luck!