Winter 2025
January 21, 2026
In these kinds of blog posts, I talk about what I’ve been up to for the past season. The topics may include design work, hobbies, and more. At the end, I include the top five songs I listened to for any fellow music lovers out there.
End of an Era
In November 2025, I was laid off from HudsonLake, a company that felt like a perfect fit for me. I loved the work, but even more, I loved the people, who were all genuinely good-hearted and kind. Losing the job felt a lot like a breakup, because I had invested so much time and energy getting to know everyone and building relationships, and those connections meant a lot to me. I don’t regret a single moment of that effort, and I carry gratitude for the experience and the team with me. I miss them, but I hope nothing but good things for everyone at HudsonLake. I trust that new opportunities are ahead where I can continue to grow and connect with people in meaningful ways.
Thanksgiving
With the sudden loss of income and Matt still in school, we debated whether to stick with our original plan of going to Missouri for Thanksgiving or save money and stay home. In the end, Tia encouraged us to still go and helped pay for our hotel because family time is important. She was absolutely right about that. Matt’s parents and Grandma were in the middle of buying a house but next time we visit, we will be able to stay at the house from now on. It turned out to be a wonderful decision. I got to meet of his family, watched Wicked 2, and enjoyed meals at Matt’s favorite restaurants. We even exchanged Christmas gifts early, which was so much fun and made the trip feel extra special.
Christmas
We spent Christmas at my dad’s side of the family in northern Wisconsin, and it was wonderful to see my younger cousins, talk about the new season of Stranger Things while placing bets on who would die first, and play Up and Down the River, a version of the Rook game. My dad nearly beat my highest score of 148 from 2019 with a 146, and we even calculated that the maximum possible score is 196 if everyone lets you win lol. The last night turned chaotic when my aunt and uncle’s minivan got stuck on the icy driveway of the Airbnb where we were staying, and my fall that morning had already foreshadowed the slippery evening ahead. I had luckily invested in a snow emergency kit for my car and suggested using a tow line to prevent the minivan from sliding further down the hill. We tried salt and even cardboard for traction until Kristine, my dad’s wife, called the owner, who suggested mortar from the garage, which worked. My dad drove his car to get my cousin, who is diabetic, and my grandparents back to the farm while we finished getting the minivan unstuck. It was a stressful and eventful end to the evening, but also a story we will laugh about for years.
A Great Start to the New Year
I like to plan my holiday vacations well in advance. We had arranged our Colorado trip back in the summer before I was laid off, and we still made the visit to Tia. My brother and I grew up calling her Tia because she thought “Aunt Whitney” sounded too matronly. She recently moved from Florida to Colorado back in the spring and is currently renting a house with her best friend. Returning to Colorado felt like a homecoming for me since my grandparents, Tia’s parents, used to have a house there for the Arizonian summers. The last time I had been there was in 2015. The weather during our trip, from late December to early January, was unusually warm. A lot of the locals were worried about the warm weather because apparently the lands below the Rocky Mountains depend on the melted snow when it’s spring time. We spent a day in Estes Park, visited the Museum of Illusions, and watched plenty of The Great Pottery Throw-Down, which reminds me a lot of The Great British Baking Show, as both are relaxing and easy to watch.
We’re back in Minnesota now. Matt is back in school, and I accepted a six-month contract at Best Buy earlier this week, with the potential to go full-time! It’s similar to what I was doing at Target but more promotional in-store signage. I’m still in shock at how well and how fast it came together. I feel incredibly blessed to have landed this opportunity in such a tough job market. The timing of this job could not have come at a better time and I’m so glad I messaged the recruiter after applying which led to this incredible outcome. The whole process took a little more than a week which is crazy. Compared to other jobs taking months for candidates to hear back from, that’s pretty damn good. It was quite satisfying to finally close out the 20+ window tabs worth of job searching sites and take myself off the job market. I’m so thankful to the universe for looking out for me. Goodness prevails once again and always will. This is your sign to take advantage of recruiting agencies. To my job searchers out there, don’t lose hope. All it takes is one yes.
Top 5 Songs of the Season
- “No Champagne (6am)” by Cautious Clay
- “Marigolds” by Del Water Gap
- “Don’t Let It Go” by Found Space
- “Ghost of Me” by Hotel Fiction
- “Somebody’s Son” by Empire Of the Sun
