Downtime Diaries: December 2026

December was the month I realized how close I was to running on E. It was the month I gave myself permission to divert from my daily routine and embrace guilt-free rest. It was liberating, and honestly, so difficult to release once January came around the corner.

The month started strong with a trip to Kingston followed by an early deadline, which gave me ample time to laze around and do nothing. Some job applications were sent, and some interviews were conducted, but things moved at a leisurely pace, which is to be expected as the year draws to a close.

I learned how to listen to what my mind and body needed. Whether it's going for a short walk around the block or a warm bowl of soup, I was aligning myself to what I needed, not what I thought I needed. Mid-December, I thought I needed to inject more play into my days, but what was supposed to be fun turned into a creative challenge.

As the new year's excitement settles, I hope to carry the ability to listen to what I need more into the coming years.

📚 Reading: All Systems Red by Martha Wells

This book came highly recommended by a BookTuber that I trust. It follows a security android that refers to itself as Murderbot, which has hacked its own system to be free from the governor module. With its newfound freedom, it enjoys binge-watching TV shows during its downtime. How relatable. During a mission with human scientists on a foreign planet, a neighboring mission goes dark, and they have to discover the truth.

Although the premise was promising, the execution felt so mediocre to me. The characters blended into one, with none of them really standing out from one another. The conflict was resolved rather unceremoniously with what appeared to be high stakes, but turned out not to be that bad.

I understand the appeal of the main character, who can be a little sassy, but the overall execution of this lacked the thrill and suspense that I was expecting. I'm hoping that the TV adaptation by Apple would be a lot better.

📺 Watching: Selling Sunset Season 9

I watched a few reality TV shows in December, including Kimora Back in the Fab Lane (very nostalgic) and Below Deck: Mediterranean S6 (I love Captain Sandy), but Selling Sunset was one that I finished in two days.

What started as a show to fall asleep to turned into hours of hitting "next episode." Don't get me wrong, it was juicy, but I was also struggling to fall asleep for some reason that night. Regardless, it was pure entertainment.

Selling Sunset is one of the trashiest and most unrealistic reality TV shows about real estate agents in Los Angeles. And yet, it's a dumpster fire that I simply cannot look away from. I've watched all 9 seasons, including its spin-offs: Selling the OC (the majority of the cast are terrible), Selling Tampa (it was cancelled way too soon), and Selling the City (probably my favorite of the entire franchise).

From the outrageously inappropriate outfits to the petty drama that spans seasons, the women of Selling Sunset do not disappoint in how low they are willing to stoop. There have been some jaw-dropping moments, and season 9 was no exception. Come for the beautiful but ridiculously expensive home tours, stay for the meaningless drama.

🎧 Listening: Two Hot Takes

Since making the switch from Spotify to YouTube exclusively, I've been adjusting to using the YouTube Music and Apple Podcast apps for my podcast listening. So far, I juggle between the two depending on the podcast. Some podcasts are best consumed via video format.

I've fallen behind on so many of my favorite podcasts, one of which is Two Hot Takes. It's a podcast exclusively of Reddit stories with guests reacting and giving their two cents. THT was the only podcast that was enthralling enough for me to deep-clean my apartment. I've heard some of the WILDEST stories on here, some that honestly made me grateful for the life I have because there are truly some unhinged people out there wreaking havoc on the lives of those closest to them.

This is a fun podcast to tune into with people around because it makes for an engaging discussion. The reactions that it may elicit will vary.

🎨 Doing: Sims 4

One of the ways that I injected play into my everyday was playing Sims 4, particularly focusing on the Get to Work pack. This expansion pack allows players to follow their Sims to work and complete tasks that may eventually lead to a promotion. The three main career branches are Doctor, Detective, and Scientist.

I created a two-person household primarily to play two of the branches available, alternating between each, so I can experience a different workday. I'm still in the early stages, so I'm curious to see how far I can progress in each career branch and how the tasks may differ as I climb the ladder.

Out of the three, my favorite career so far is Doctor because of the different tasks to eventually arrive at a diagnosis to treat the patient. It's ironic how I play video games to escape the doom and gloom of capitalism, but I end up playing games that center around work. Some of my favorite "cozy" games involve running a small business, such as Sticky Business and Tiny Bookshop. Something to think about.

In January, I hope to do more tactile analytical hobbies, such as crocheting and making my way through my Murdle book. The key is to have these things out on the coffee table, because out of sight is truly out of mind.