Holidays in Port Washington, NY (January 4, 2026)

For the better part of the last six months, I’ve been posting daily as I travel around the world. I began my journey on June 30th, 2025 and I’ve posted more than 180 times to date. That is, until I flew home on December 16th and decided to take a break for the better part of 3 weeks. During this time, I have fully recharged my batteries and taken care of some important items (including dental surgery).

I wasn’t planning on coming home for the holidays. My original plan was to be with my daughter, Violet, and son Will in the Philippines. But when Violet decided to come home early after Thailand, there was no chance I would convince Will to join me in southeast Asia. So, rather than “proving” I could be out in the world for a year, I decided to take a three week break back home in Port Washington, New York.

Elena and Bill dress up in red for Christmas Eve

The best part of coming home was spending quality time with friends and family. My brother-in-law, Jack Robson, sister-in-law, Nancy Robson, and my nephew Drew Robson all flew out from Bend, Oregon to join the Christmas festivities. This included my other brother-in-law, Eric Knies, sister-in-law, Naomi Knies as well as Richard and Connie Knies, Elena’s parents. It was great catching up with everyone.

Jack Robson, Eric Knies, Drew Robson & Bill Carmody in the kitchen

My good deed for Christmas Day was getting up early, driving two hours to pick up Connie’s sister, Betsy who otherwise would have been home alone for Christmas (i.e. the very thing I flew half way across the world to avoid myself). While it was a total of 4 hours (round trip) for me, I got to listen to my audiobook in my car and go for a nice long drive which I hadn’t done in the past six months while traveling. Also, it being Christmas morning, the roads were as empty as they were during the COVID-19 lockdown back in 2020.

Drew, Laura, Eric, Connie, Richard, Bill, Violet, Betsy and Nancy

Despite all of us being grownups, you wouldn’t have known it looking at the mounds of wrapping paper in the living room. Everyone swears that they don’t need anything for Christmas, and yet there’s still a compulsion to give, share, and even spoil each other with gifts. I understand it’s hard to break a pattern so engrained since childhood.

So … much … STUFF. Presents galore. Richard, Jack, Betsy & Violet

It was all worth it. From the 25 hour flight from Saigon, Vietnam to all the wrapping of individual presents to driving Betsy to cooking and washing dishes for an extended family of (13 in all). What was noticeably absent was any drama. I’ll call myself out on this one. For so many years, I would begin Christmas with a mimosa, Bloody Mary, and/or Baileys and Hot Chocolate. The early buzz would feel great, and inevitably lead to me saying or doing something I’d later regret.

Instead of celebrating the quality time I’m spending with my family, I’d be focused on how much alcohol I could consume without it “looking weird.” That would later lead to feeling irritable and discontent and ultimately to me saying something I’d wish I hadn’t — you know, those thoughts that shouldn’t even be in my head, let alone spoken out loud. Thankfully, this was my third totally sober Christmas and each one has grown in pleasantry and peacefulness. Speaking of which …

My friend, John Beyer, wrote Live A Little Better — it’s well written

One of the greatest gifts of my nearly three years of sobriety is all the incredible recovered alcoholics I’ve met along my journey. John Beyer is one of the “elders” of my home group. He has several decades of sobriety (more than 30 years) and his family, friends and community have been urging him to write down his story. He finally did this year in Live A Little Better — One Man’s Journey of Survival, Sobriety, and Success. This autobiography includes John’s journey raising an autistic child, growing a one-man moving business into a multimillion dollar juggernaut, as well as his journey into sobriety.

Autographed copy of the book was a real treat.

I also enjoyed catching up on Natalie Siston’s annual Christmas letter. I can’t believe it’s been 5 years since she wrote Let Her Out. I’m glad to see that this book continues to pick up momentum including international speaking engagements and workshops. Plus, it was great hearing about her husband and kids as they continue to grow up. I got to stay in their home at the beginning of 2025, so it was a great completion to hear how the rest of the year went.

Reviewing Natalie Siston’s Christmas letter

I do enjoy this time of year. Even though I gave up on writing Christmas letters once our kids became toddlers, I do appreciate the sentiment and efforts others take to do an annual check-in. So much changes in just 52 weeks and the annual Christmas letter does a good job of memorializing these changes while sharing them with the people we love and want to stay connected to throughout the years.

And one of my favorite activities includes all the internet memes that get sent out during the holidays. I particularly enjoyed this one:

Reindeer in a Vietnam hat from my friends in Vietnam

My final note is one of deep gratitude for this incredible life. Each year around this time of year, I reflect on my life, how I’m doing and where I find myself before gearing up for another year. While I’ve ended the tradition of “New Year’s Resolutions” (about 25 years ago), I do take the time to reflect on my previous year and consider the year ahead. Most of all, I’m happy to be alive.

A block across a busy street near my home in Port Washington is the Nassau Knolls Cemetery. I sometimes go for a walk there when the weather is nice as there are many streets and walking paths to explore. This is what I saw:

Christmas wreaths on top of gravestones as far as the eye can see

While this site is beautiful in its own way, I became clear that the greatest gift this holiday is my life and the lives of the people all around me. What makes a great day? Two feet above ground. Everything else is secondary. When I can keep this in perspective, everything becomes clear and easy; it becomes easier to be grateful for it all. As I wrap up my time back home in Port Washington, I’m deeply grateful to be alive and to have this opportunity to spend time with the people I love. I trust your holidays were just as special and meaningful to you as mine were to me. A great way to end 2025.