And just like that, you think you have nothing to say, and then suddenly a few things happen that provide completely unexpected blog inspiration. My partner came home yesterday with the news that he doesn't have to go to work for the rest of this year. He was so fed up with it that he took today off. He always has Fridays off and had already planned a vacation after that. That started a bit earlier now because of the annoying circumstances at work. Unexpected, but nice!

It's that time again. We're in the dark days before Christmas, and it shows. Nine days ago, I wrote an enthusiastic blog about my seven years on the blockchain. Unfortunately, that was also the last blog I wrote. I'm not really consistent. How could that happen? The answer is not simple but diverse. Let's dive into it.

Image Created with AI Image Creator from DesignerSeven years ago already!Today I got a notification via Discord that today turned out to be my "Happy Blockday". I can hardly imagine it. But it turns out that it was seven years ago that I took my first steps on the blockchain. It took a bit longer before I started blogging, I had to build up some trust first. But since I started blogging, which was an experiment for me, it has grown into a constant factor in my life. Seven years of stories, insights, emotions, and interactions. It feels like time has flown by, but when I look back, I see a rich history of moments that have colored my life.

I WishDoubts and fears about the future: who doesn't have them? I wish I were one of the few people who doesn't have them, but unfortunately, I belong to the group that feels these fears and doubts every day. It's not that I'm pessimistic, and that's why I still feel a bit of hope. But that doesn't remove the fact that the current reality is sometimes very confronting. I don't have my income, which makes me completely dependent on my partner. Although we keep our lives going together, it's a difficult, and very undesirable situation. I don't want to be dependent on another person for every little thing I need or want. The freedom to make your own financial decisions is invaluable. And it's underestimated by many people until they are confronted with losing this financial independence. Then they come to realize how important this is.

A Vital Part Of My LifeOh, how many times have I written about dogs by now? I can't count the times anymore, and I'm sure you can't either. Dogs are a vital part of my life. There are probably people who can remember the blogs of all the dogs I've had to say goodbye to. First Lexxieboy, then Rowan, and at the beginning of this year we had to let go of Lana, and barely a month later our little Myla Muis. After having four dogs for years, that dropped to three, then two, with the arrival of Skipper it became three dogs again for a few years. And after the passing of Lana and Myla this year, we have one dog left. Our dear Skipper is the only dog in the house now. You can imagine that despite having Skipper around, our house still feels empty. What we do have, however, is a heart full of memories, and a cupboard full of standard ash containers where our faithful friends now have their final resting place. Just the standard ash containers that you get from the crematorium. These containers serve their purpose, yes. But it is certainly not the right place to honor our faithful dogs. They are cold ash containers, without the feeling of warmth and love that our dogs always gave us.

Image Created with AI Image Creator from DesignerSometimes there are days when even a cold, grey day seems better than you expected because a few things finally seem to go your way. A day when you get two good surprises that make your grey day seem a little sunnier. There are no earth-shattering changes or lottery wins, just a nice message and an unexpected surprise. Today was one of those days. Not expected, but received.