Remember how negative everyone was back in 2016? It was obscene and hilarious everyone posting how it was the worst year ever online. I spent New Years Eve once again reading unoriginal unimaginative posts about the "dumpster fire" year 2020 was.
Well let me tell you, I personally think 536 A.D. was probably the worst year to be alive in human history.
Apparently the elites of our world catalogued the worst years ever and ranked 1348 as the number one worst year. Retrospectively looking back and the amount of research I've done, while it was definitely traumatic, it was absolutely necessary. It gave rise to the Peasants Revolt and led to an eventual end of serfdom in Western Europe. So where are we gonna be in fifty to on hundred years?
Probably much better off.
December 24th, 2019 I saw a peregrine falcon and took it as a spiritual sign that 2020 was gonna be great. I mean remember 2019 when I got something from the universe everyday? I was certain I was gonna ride that high, but things did turn out a bit differently. Not bad. Just different. So instead of focusing on all the "Gifts of the Universe", I'm just going to do a snap shot of each month and write whatever I feel like writing.
JANUARY
As a reminder to any new people who may be reading. I really just don't like Christmas all that much. We spend 364 days looking forward to like 3 hours on Christmas Morning, and then it's just a huge let down. I'm not knocking it as a religious holiday either, but come on guys, you've been duped. It's a pagan holiday we slapped a Jesus sticker onto. I mean low key, Christmas used to be illegal in the early American Colonies because of our puritanical upstanding moral character... "City on a Hill" anyone? Then I guess we wanted to play "Keeping up with Victoria and Albert" and now we have Christmas trees and a Medieval Saint advertising Cocoa Cola.
I much prefer the "spirit" of the Tudor version of Christmas. So Happy Tudor Christmas everyone.
As my new tradition dictates I like to go all out for January 6th, Twelfth Night. I wait until everyone goes back to work and school and then do my biggest celebrating. I wear my best clothes and do a big loop of fun to my favorite places and see my favorite people.
Boba, Scooters, Beach, Pizza, Cookies, Disneyland- All my favorite things. January 6, 2020 was no different. There was a little stress looming over the holiday/January because I was going into Flight Training in February, but I still had fun.
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| Twelfth Night 01/06/2020 |
I didn't want to go into flight training without a proper loop of fun beforehand. So I started in Dallas the first week of February for a date. I'd been playing the ultimate long game with a guy and figured we'd both kick off our flight careers with dinner and a kiss. Then I bid him goodnight, for boba with my cousin in Plano (priorities). I really wanted to stay in Dallas for more boba and dates but reluctantly decided to continue west. I landed in LAX and opted to try out Los Angeles's 'fine' public transportation system. I took the bus to the train (I really do love trains) and hopped off Irvine Station for Cafe Rio and fun.
I had been holding out for the new Ride of the Resistance ride at Disneyland and crowds had finally thinned out a bit. Bethany and I picked a horribly rainy day, showed up for rope drop and got boarding group ten. It was pretty amazing. The cast members did a great job getting into character for the experience. Bethany and I spent a good portion of time at the Redwood Creek trail - hence the rain - and it makes for good non-descript Disney pictures. Disney pics get a bit braggy so I try to keep them low key.
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| Redwood Creek Trail |
Flight Training
I really didn't want to go and carried around a horrible feeling in my stomach for days. I even went to church with the intention of seeking out an older instructor to try and beg him to train me privately to no avail. I took my final exam the day before departing and also worked a long Tiny Bubbles shift. I sat in the Whole Foods Parking lot after my shift trying to figure out how I could get out of going.
The next morning I boarded a plane headed for Pompano Beach and showed up to my accommodations with a police blockade. Turns out a woman was run over right outside my window. All I could think of was, "Welcome to Florida."
The next morning I faced the man I would be living with the next month, and I just think it's soooooooooo funny living with men (cause that's like all I do now...) I remember at BYU we were threatened at the start of every semester with expulsion for having men in the bedrooms or apartments after hours. Sharing living accommodations was a ghastly abomination lol. Not once has anything 'happened' if my flight adventures. It's like no one will go near me with a ten foot barge pole.
Anyways, Romo struck out his hand and introduced himself. As we walked to the airport I discovered he was from California and we both flew to all the same airports. I also asked him what he carried in his funny little tea pot - it was Yerba Mate. I excitedly pulled out a container as well and said 'I have Yerba Mate too". I definitely knew that our meeting was a gift from the universe.
MARCH
I was sitting at the kitchen table one evening and a car plowed through the font yard, missed the corner I was sitting in, and hit a tree in the neighbor's yard. Romo and I ran outside followed by our other neighbor Matt from England. Romo went right up to the throng of people now gathered, while Matt and I hung back. I explained to Matt we ought to go inside in case someone gets shot - "Because...welcome to Florida...and the USA." That evening started a tradition of Matt making me tea and biscuits in the evening, regaling me with his adventures in Europe.
Besides the great friends I made in flight instructor training, I did not enjoy myself. I was so stressed out I couldn't land and being chained to a desk from sunup to sundown made me feel absolutely awful. But on Wednesday's we'd leave early and go down to the beach for dinner. And even though it was just for a short time, having a group of friends to spend time with was delightful.
APRIL
In November 2019 I want on a date (can't remember his name, he ghosted me.) Anyways we had a sword fight in the park, and he told me about lots of things antiquity and about "The History of Rome Podcast". I finally decided to start listening as I walked Poppy for miles and miles in April. I learned so many great things - my mind was absolutely blown. I shall share with you one of my favorites. The story of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus.
Cincinnatus was elected consul during the early days of Rome - solid guy, real upstanding. During his retirement, Rome was threatened by some neighboring tribes. The head of the Roman army and the current consul just weren't up for the fight, and a delegation was sent to fetch the aged Cincinnatus. The delegation arrived to find him, fallen on hard times, plowing his field. The delegation begged him to return as Dictator - an emergency position granted only in the most extreme circumstances, for six months with absolute authority. Cincinnatus hesitated and even questioned "why me?" but left with the delegation and went to work.
Fifteen days later he returned to his farm after leading the Roman army victory. Low key. He could have ridden out 6 months doing as he pleased, but not Cincinnatus.
He was such a great guy, they brought him back a second time as dictator. And if that isn't vibes then IDK what is...
Now there is another famous character that is believed to be the reincarnate of Cincinnatus...Any modern guys into farming and AGAINST absolute power???
George Washington.
That's why he's depicted as Roman in some statutes. He was literally a modern day Cincinnatus. Washington did what he needed to do and went back to his farm just like his "past life."
And if you are wondering at the moment, yes Cincinnati is named after the famous consul.
MAY
Eh, May wasn't really all that great. I studied 2 weeks straight, and binged watched The Last Airbender with my cousins. I also made it to Atlanta to Nashville in less than 3 hours because no one was on the road.
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| Took over the table to study. |
JUNE
June was pretty great. Went to Salt Lake for a wedding, even though I'm not really into weddings. I've mentioned this many times before. We only have our wedding traditions like we do because of royalty (thanks Victoria and Albert). Everyone wants to act like a royal so we go ALL OUT. But no matter how much money is spent or lavish the extravaganza is, we aren't Mia Thermopolis, the lost Princess of Genovia. Julie Andrews is not going to come rescue us from our awkward existence. All that's left is a huge bill and a 50/50 chance of divorce and no peace between England and France.
My outfit for the wedding was pretty amazing though. I tried to channel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, cause a wedding is one place you can dress up like a wizard.
So by July I've made it through the Punic Wars, War with Hannibal, and not even to Julius Caesar yet. But I did watch some Mary Beard's Walking with the Romans and watched the Fall of Constantinople. Just jumping around really. But I learned a whole lot, and blocked pretty much my entire instagram...
When the aunts and uncles wanted to gather with somberness and talk about the calignous outlook of humanity I just couldn't stand it. One thing I learned from the History of Rome is this is NOT new. This is not unique to our time. There is no reason to be foaming at the mouth, cursing our friends online, and screaming wild accusations in the street...This literally has happened before, over and over again.
Humanity will pull through guys. And if it doesn't, I heard that gorrilla's have officially entered the Stone Age. So it's gonna be fine.
AUGUST
I went on many walks, swam, jumped on the trampoline, and bought a scooter. I think I just remembered riding a scooter on Twelfth night in January and wanted to relieve how fun it was. I would ride my scooter around the neighborhood like I was twelve and stop at my aunts for Capri Sun's. Really just chilling by myself mostly.
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER
I partook in the biggest loop of fun.
Giselle and I decided to go to Universal Studios because I've never been and I thought with the smaller crowds it would be easier to navigate. We stayed at a fancy hotel and ordered Uber eats. Now I'll be honest. Universal was amazing. My outfit was not. But it was a great way to kick off an epic Loop.
I finished up work a few weeks later and picked up my aunt and cousin in Nashville. We tried the most 'In restaurants, and went to the most 'In stores. We ended our fun there and drove to Atlanta. I'll be honest our days in Atlanta were a blur but my aunt made some amazing dishes and the best Banana Pudding Ever. I don't even really like bananas or pudding. But it was soooooooooo good.
We then embarked on a family trip to Savannah where things kind of went bad, but extraneously to me. And that is how I ended up sleeping in the master bed in the presidential suite overlooking the Savannah river. We moved on to Hilton Head island where I tried to be my perky self but it was just ok cause everyone was a bit off. Probably that day was the lowest in the Loop of Fun.
By the time we returned home I was feeling pretty tired, but had a confirmed ticket to follow my aunt back West. Conveniently Bethany's house was on the way back from the airport and we didn't have enough seats for the whole journey anyways so I stopped there, where we watched Prince of Persia and ate Cafe Rio.
The next day I got a call from Drake, who I responded, "OMG I'm here." We dined al fresco and swam together in the ocean. I was feeling so good being surrounded by friends... apparently spending time with friends creates a cocktail of oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin so I was riding a constant high after spending most of the summer alone.
I was feeling marvelous and thought it would be such a great idea to return to Plano on my way home as well. So I did just that, and my cousin and I spent money as fast as we could and ate at the most 'In restaurants.
NOVEMBER
Now I will never profess to have any inclination or eloquence in the ways of politics, but one thing is absolutely indisputably FACT. You all were brain washed in fourth grade. Your sweet teacher poisoned your mind against monarchy (except for Christmas and Wedding traditions)... and George III wasn't even that bad. (Have you heard of the Seven Roman Kings? Tarquin the Proud? - his rule was so bad it kicked off the Roman Republic.) From our infancy Americans have rejected any thought of a monarch.
Now I never considered 'monarchist' as a viable political party until learning about Bonnie Prince Charlie (do your own research) and that was it. I decided monarchist was viable. I would never have to foam at the mouth, curse my friends online, and scream wild accusations in the street. Wether you go for the Crassus archetype, or the Gaius Marius - they both embody monarchy.
Now, you may be wondering - how does one navigate such a lifestyle? Well look no further than the amazing Margaret Beaufort. She was a key figure during the War of the Roses (do your own research). She kept playing sides until she got her son Henry Tudor on the throne and he was basically some random dude. So bide your time, support whatever king is on the throne, and seize power when the time suits.
DECEMBER
I didn't get to celebrate Tudor Christmas properly this year. As I was running late to my departure gate to return home, I misread the board and thought it said "40B". But when they scanned me, I had seat "4B" so not too bad to salvage the remainder of the holiday with first class.
I guess there's not much left to say except thank you to Mary Beard, Mike Duncan, Tony Robinson and the random youtube historians who got me through 2020. They were the real MVP's.
