On my first visit to a therapist in my life, decades ago, the conversation was about...

...my inability to properly wrap presents, which I described as the height of "anomie." I was over-dramatic I guess.

After five decades, it hasn't gotten any better. Some of the wrapping jobs I just did look like gifts from Ted Kaczynski.

My therapist wasn't very helpful, but he was sure to let me know that he knew what the word "anomie," was and that it was a Durkheim coinage.

As it happened, I didn't get better; I got worse, but eventually I got over that, but as for wrapping presents...

My ability to wrap hasn't gotten any better over 5 decades.

As for the therapist, my housemate recommended him, as he was my housemate's therapist. It wasn't, of course, the therapist's job to teach me how to wrap presents, but I didn't learn much else from him other than some therapists are way better than others, and sometimes you just have to cut your losses.

My housemate killed himself, seriously, jumped off a bridge named after his uncle. This actually happened.

I guess never learning how to wrap presents was a minor thing, comparatively.

A happier thought, nothing is ever as bad as the worst, at least most of the time.

A very merry, if Debbie Downerish, Christmas for those who are Christmas types, and happy Saturnian festivals for Pagan types, and happy Credit Card day for atheist types.