the hot goddess

Midlife Blackouts in Portugal

In Portugal, a word of the year (WOTY) is picked at the end of a year to sum it up, as opposed to the beginning of a year as a guiding vision for the following 364 days. This approach is somewhat similar to my choosing an end-of-year review to select a highlight or accomplishment of the past year, instead of fabricating “resolutions” for the coming year.

The WOTY in Portugal for 2025, picked last month, is apagão (blackout). The word for blackout won because of the unprecedented, country-wide electricity failure that left Portugal, Spain, and parts of France without lights, power, phone service, and water for 12 hours on April 28, 2025.

It’s an interesting choice to pick a word with a negative connotation to define a country’s year. A word associated with emergencies, chaos, fear. Kind of like the U.S. picking fascism, deportation, or crazymuthafuckinasshole as its defining WOTY for 2025. Spot on as they all may be as U.S. WOTY contenders.

The polysemy of the English word blackout, though, makes it a nearly all-purpose runner in the WOTY year-in-review realm. How many of us know someone — a friend, acquaintance, relative, country — that could use blackout as a descriptor to sum up their year? I bet a ton of us, if you consider the other meanings of this word: Temporary loss of consciousness or vision. A period of total memory loss, as one induced by an accident or prolonged alcoholic drinking. A brief, passing lapse of memory. A stoppage, suppression, or obliteration.

Oh, yeah. Who wouldn’t want to blackout the boundless BS of my home country last — and so far this — year? Put me down for a 2025 of lost consciousness, vision, and memory. Sign me up for stoppage and suppression too. Damn, 2025. Enough!

2025: A Year in Pictures

Last year was rough in a more intimate way as well, with difficult personal losses for me and people I love. But there were also many bright spots of personal joy in my small world. My expedition to Antarctica is my pick for highlight and accomplishment of 2025. An accomplishment because I faced and conquered my saliva-evaporating terror of being on a tiny raft in the vast, rough, icy waters of an open ocean filled with breaching whales and aggressive leopard seals. Oh, Lawd.

Here’s a recap of the joyful moments that poked through the darkness of 2025. Far from a loss of power, these invigorating memories are powerful reminders of what I hope to never lose. Possibility.

January:
My Antarctica adventure began and ended in South America, where we visited Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. I was taken with the powerful storytelling of the street art in Montevideo, Uruguay.
February:
Antarctica. I did this. And by this I mean I let go of the raggedy, frayed hand ropes and the tensed thighs and forearms of random strangers to take photos from a floating deathtrap an inflatable raft.
March:
Spring brought an abundance of showstopper rainbows back in Portugal.
April:
A trip to Gerês to hike in Portugal’s only national park brought many delights.
May:
Another fear-conquering fear-facing accomplishent. A group trip to Viana do Castelo for a mountain bike ride from hell. My first time riding a bike in 17 years. First time riding a mountain bike ever. Stamina was never an issue, as it was an electric bike. First time ever for that too. My issue was fear of falling, due to poor balance, the super-heavy bike, and the super-scary, steep downhill, and curvy surfaces. Yikes! I called an Uber to pick me up and take me back to the hotel half-way through. I still call that a win for me.
June/July: An awful blur as I watched my mother die unexpectedly. The love of friends was comforting during this time, as was returning to “my” beach back in Portugal. Cue exhale.
August:
I finally braved the notoriously choppy waters and seasickness (thank you, Antarctica) to make the crossing from Peniche to the Berlenga Islands, not far from my home here. The turquoise waters, caves, and rock formations did not disappoint.
September:
Morning walks on the beach are heavenly in autumn. I love this photo.
October:
Known as the Blue Pearl, stunningly picturesque Chefchaouen was the highlight of our trip to Morocco.
November:
A surprise getaway to Portugal’s historic and scenic Guimarães bubbled over with romance and joy.
December:
My favorite holiday decor. My beach.

Thank you for reading ❤️! May the light of your happy times and bright memories always shine through the darkness of the failure of power, wherever you are.

Another 2025 accomplishment was moving from elementary to beginning intermediate Latin dance class. Baby steps. And I did not need a helping hand to keep my leg up, thank you very much.
Not really. Just trying to avoid a blackout after a series of over-enthusiastic twirls and spins.

All images are my own.

The Hot Goddess

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29 comments

  1. For a blackout year, yours sure looks like it was dazzling and spectacular, aside from the personal losses you experienced. Thanks for sharing the dream!

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  3. Thanks for the entertaining and heartfelt recap of your year Natalie. And kudos for continuing to try new things and stretch yourself. I’d like to blackout for all the shit happening here, but I feel we need action and resistance to the tyranny.

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  4. strange Interesting you should mention ‘It’s an interesting choice to pick a word with a negative connotation to define a country’s year. A word associated with emergencies, chaos, fear. Kind of like the U.S. picking fascism, deportation, or crazymuthafuckinasshole as its defining WOTY for 2025. Spot on as they all may be as U.S. WOTY contenders.you should mention faciasm’
    watching a political program earlier they highlighted the rise of faciasm in Germany and I have just started watching neurenberg trials on netflix. Scary how Hitler rose to power.

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  8. How interesting to pick the word at the end. I love how you went full circle with blackout all the way to the comment at the end. Your pictures and adventures in 2025 are amazing and inspiring – just like you, Natalie! Here’s to a great 2026!

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  9. Oh what a wonderful year in pictures Natalie. Just beautiful, each shot different from the next. You’re a wonderful photographer. Here’s to an even better 2026. And I’ll say it again, just signing up for the bike ride and your other adventures is a win in my book! Go you!

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    • Thank you, dear Brian. I do love playing around with photography. With 850 tries I might get 2 good shots 😆. I appreciate your cheering me on as I attempt new experiences with mixed success. Wishing you a wonderful 2026.

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  12. World class photos for a heck of an apagão year! Big wins and big losses (your mom). You look like a cycling model before your ride despite your fears. You are daring to live adventurously. Your man looks so positive, happy and smitten. : ) Let there be light worldwide in 2026.

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  13. Unfortunately, the WOTY continues…*sigh.

    Love your “possibility” and positive outlook though. It’s beautiful memories like these that act as a light in the darkness.

    As usual, this is an inspiring post, Natalie. May we never lose hope! Wishing you more adventures this year too. And that dance move…I aspire to! ❤

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