There's no Place like Blog for the Holidays....
So, here's the thing about holidays; they're awesome, and they suck rocks. (Oh boy. How much coffee have you had already?) You be quiet. I'm trying to be serious here. This time of year is often described as the "happiest time of the year" by many, but for many others, it's nothing of the sort. The holidays can be a time of great sorrow and depression as folks are forced to witness revelry while experiencing great loss or pain, with such revelry only exacerbating the melancholy they feel inside. On this, I can speak from experience. For me, Christmas has been difficult for decades as my grandfather, the patriarch of my family who literally built his home brick by brick, and laid the groundwork for the closely-knit, emotional bonds those in family share, passed away on Christmas Eve. While now we celebrate our family and remember him fondly, the pain of that loss will forever linger each twenty-fourth day of December. Add to that