2025 for the Wins

Another trip around the sun, time to celebrate wins! Also, some important news

If you’re new to Situation Normal, welcome to this newsletter’s (mostly) annual tradition of celebrating wins. We celebrated our wins in 2020 — a year built for losing, if ever there was one. We did it the following year, too. I think we skipped 2022, or maybe I just blocked out that year. I’m certain we did it in 2023 and 2024, and I’m positive we’re doing it again this year.

But first …

Some very important news

After five years on Substack, six months on TinyLetter, and far too long on Facebook, I’m pressing pause on Situation Normal. This wasn’t an easy decision. I love writing slice of life humor and sharing it with you. I also love writing crime comedies with off-the-wall characters that make you laugh and (gasp) see the world in a different light. Keeping up with my day job while pursuing two creative passions just isn’t feasible. I considered avoiding this choice altogether, but I’ve listened to Freewill by Rush enough times to know that if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Some questions you may have:

• Will you still hear from me? Yes! You’ll receive my posts from Slacker Noir. I’ll be writing about crime and mystery stories (books, movies, TV), sharing my short stories, and doing some original reporting on the offbeat and crime-related news that informs my fiction. Basically, I’m trying to do for Los Angeles what Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey did for Florida. Slacker Noir is my workshop, and I hope you’ll join me.

• But there won’t be any new issues of Situation Normal? Correct. I’m not planning to update Situation Normal. That said, you never know what the future holds. I may drop a random piece of slice of life humor now and again. If you remain subscribed, you’ll see it.

• What about the money, Lebowski? First, I really appreciate those of you who supported this project with paid subscriptions and PayPal contributions. You are the best, and your support means more to me than you could possibly know. Thank you! As of December 15, I’ve paused payments indefinitely. If you recently paid for Situation Normal and would like a refund, just let me know and I’ll make it happen.

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Win #1: Counting Crow Poses

This year, my yoga practice turned three. That means I no longer throw temper tantrums on my mat, but I’m still a few years away from being trusted with the big-boy glue and sharp objects. It also means I’m attempting poses I never thought possible. Case in point: 2025 was the year of the crow pose. Can I hold crow pose longer than two seconds? No fucking way. Is that a dramatic improvement over previous years? Shit yes, it is. Calling this a win.

Win #2: We survived our guest bathroom remodel

Remodeling is a ridiculously stupid thing we’ll do again. But after our first remodeling experience, I believe we need to amend the U.S. Constitution as follows: If a contractor fucks up your house, you have the right to fuck up their house. Our remodel took longer than expected and cost more than we budgeted. But we survived and the guest bathroom looks great. Double-win!

Win #3: I got paid (eventually)

In July, I wrote about a client who stiffed me. This hasn’t happened a lot in my career, so I figured that if I wasn’t getting paid, at least you’d get a story. Turns out, my erstwhile client read that story, got on the horn with accounts payable, and cut me a check toot sweet. Power of the press, baby. Also, WIN!

Win #4: Puppy love

We welcomed a puppy into our home. By we, I mean Christina and me. Mortimer, our 15-year-old dog, isn’t crazy about the puppy. This is our fault. We named Mortimer after one of the villains from Trading Places, so he comes by his grumpy old man schtick honestly. Meanwhile, Bodhi is named after Patrick Swayze’s character from Point Break, which explains why he’s 100% pure adrenaline. (If you’re detecting a theme, namely that we name our dogs after movie villains, you are correct).

Bodhi on my chest, Mortimer by my side

Win #5: Pins and Needles

I discovered acupuncture this year. I’m using discover in the Christopher Columbus sense of the word. That is, I found something new to me (acupuncture), and now I’m acting as if it didn’t exist before I arrived on the scene. All kidding aside, acupuncture is amazing. I thought my back was fucked, but two acupuncture sessions unfucked it.

Win #6: Macros, baby!

In March, I started counting my macros — protein, carbs, and fat. I’ve struggled with my weight most of my life. I’ve tried countless diets. None were sustainable, most left me feeling hungry all the time. Counting macros has been a revelation. I’ve lost 20 pounds, but it doesn’t feel like I’m on a diet. If anything, I now struggle to eat enough protein and fat — carbs are still easy. The tricky part is the math, but there’s an app for that, and honestly, the answer is usually yogurt. So … macros for the win!

Win #7: I Ate Where Charles Manson Ate (and survived)

Ostensibly, the crowd-funded story I wrote about eating at the hamburger stand Charles Manson frequented was about investigating a bit of San Fernando Valley lore, determining if there were any residual Manson vibes at the Munch Box, and making juvenile jokes about an eatery called the Munch Box. In practice, however, it was a good reminder that I love journalism, in part, because it’s a passport that lets me explore the truths that are stranger than fiction. Rekindling my reporter’s fire and pairing it with a sense of the absurd was a huge win.

Win #8: Slacker Noir

I launched a newsletter called Slacker Noir. As I said before, it’s my workshop — a place for me to talk about the stuff that inspires my fiction and try new things. I’m digging it, and so far, readers dig it too. Win!

Win #9: Rewrites

They say writing is rewriting. In this case, they refers to Robert Louis Stevenson, Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, and in all likelihood, your high school English teacher. It’s a popular sentiment. Anyway, I’ve been writing rewriting a sequel to Not Safe for Work. I’m happy with the way the manuscript is progressing. It still has a ways to go, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, I think. Win!

Stick around and chat!

I ask, you answer.

1. What were your wins in 2025?

2. Seriously, share your wins!

3. It’ll make you feel good.

4. I promise.

5. What are you waiting for? Start typing …