2024 Wrapped

Ch. 8: A year in review

2024 has been a surprisingly transformative year for me. I spent lots of time with friends, both near and far. I traveled to Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and of course, made the occassional trip across the border into Alabama to reach the nearest Whataburger. I cried a lot and gave a speech at my best friends wedding. I saw lots of dinosaur bones, big fish, and learned a lot about Keith Haring at an exhibit in Minneapolis.

I confronted challenges at work head-on, balanced adapting and standing my ground (mostly inelegantly), and ultimately left a workplace that increasingly grew to be the wrong fit for me. I made an effort to figure out what was important to me, what to prioritize, and what is needed to build a life I can thrive in. I got a new job, still as a librarian, that’s significantly less stressful, challenging in ways that make me grow, and incredibly fulfilling. I began coming back to myself, rebuilding my confidence, and feel lighter and more self-assured because of it.

I lost my grandmother at the start of the year, but went back home and got to see lots of family I haven’t seen in years. Missed Texas a little bit every single day. Started baking less and cooking more. Paid dumb money to ship tamales from TX to GA for the holidays, and if we’re not visiting Texas christmas 2025, I’m doing it again next year too.

I got to witness Shane’s joy at being on a beach & seeing the ocean for the first time since childhood. I read books with my best friends kids, held their hands, and squeezed them tight. Rang in the new year with one of my long distance besties on the couch alongside me. Healed my inner child while crying at an Olivia Rodrigo concert next to another best friend. Watched the Olympics live and fell back in love with Basketball. Attended two author events, and bought so many books, but checked out so many more from my local library.

2024 was a challenging year, full of lots of stretching and a not-insignificant amount of tears. All I can hope for is a kinder 2025, or at least, the courage to face whatever comes next.

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My Favorite Media This Year

Books - Top 10 (out of 80)

• The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers - the hype is well-deserved, found family in space, easily my top read of the year

• Clown in a Cornfield 2: Friendo Lives by Adam Cesare - shamelessly could not stop talking about this series to anyone that would listen

• Funny Story by Emily Henry - needs no further elaboration

• A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston - a romance that felt like what would happen if you got lost & wound up in Stars Hollow

• Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao - righteous female anger, sci-fi fantasy, and mechs

• Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore - lightly paranormal romance featuring a jewish trans man and ghosts

• Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi - messy women, sisterhood, and writing about Houston that felt like it was done with love

• Horror for Weenies by Emily C. Hughes - perfect for fans of horror & scaredy cats alike

• The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming life from work by Simon Stolzoff - simply came to me at exactly the right time

• Critical Hits: Writers Playing Video Games anthology edited by J Robert Lennon & Carmen Maria Machado - some truly beautiful writing in here, whether you love gaming or not

Movies - Top 6

• Twister & Twisters - if you feel it, chase it!

• Bullet Train & Snowpiercer - had a real moment with trains this year!

• Theater Camp & Thelma - 2024 was the year I began watching comedies again & really started developing my taste in the genre

TV - Top 3

• Abbot Elementary & English Teacher - apparently I love sitcoms set in public schools.

• Tournament of Champions - A cooking competition show featuring a variety of celebrity chefs I’ve watched for years, hosted by Guy Fieri, what can I say? I am who I am.

Videogames - Top 1

• Splatoon 3 - fully fell into a hyperfixation & spent a truly embarassing amount of time playing this game this year.

Honorable Mentions

• Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino, & The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei were all stellar reads.

• Ready or Not & Bottoms were other movies I thoroughly enjoyed watching this year.

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Surprise, we’re a family of 4 now!

Junebug, our new 3 month old kitten!

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Don’t forget to grab a snack on your way out: a non-exhaustive list of the (other) media I’m consuming

• I loved this piece from The Bitter Southerner by Kiese Laymon titled “My Favorite Restaurant Served Gas.” I found it particularly resonant as someone who has enjoyed many a meal from a restaurant in a gas station; street tacos in Oak Cliff, breakfast tacos in San Marcos, quesadillas in Dallas, and now hot wings in Georgia.

• I’ve been listening to a lot of Anne Helen Peterson’s Culture Study Podcast, and one of my favorites actually happens to be the first one they released titled, “Why Do Clothes Suck Now?” If you weren’t already radicalized against fast fashion, this episode might begin to push you in that direction.

• We’ve seen some absolutely stellar performances this month, between Sabrina Carpenter’s Tiny Desk Concert & Beyoncé’s Christmas Halftime show, we are eating good! This is also where I have to admit that Beyoncé’s performance made me cry with love & unabashed pride to be a Texan.